Benoît-Constant Coquelin
Benoît Constant Coquelin, known as Coquelin aîné ( the Elder) ( born January 23, 1841 in Boulogne -sur -Mer, † January 27, 1909 in Couilly -Pont -aux -Dames in the Île- de -France ), was a French actor.
Life
Coquelin initially wanted to be like his father, a baker, but then led him to his passion for the theater to Paris, where he entered the class of F. J. Régnier at the Conservatory in 1859. Already on December 7, 1860, he made his debut at the Comédie - Française with the smaller role of the Gros- René in Molière's Le dépit amoureux ( German: The love quarrel ). He had his first major success the following year in the title role of Beaumarchais ' Figaro.
In 1864 he became a partner at the Comédie - Française. He presented the next 22 years, the leading roles in the new pieces of the classic comedy dar. So he excelled in Théodore de Banville's Gringoire about (1867 ), Paul Ferrier Tabarin (1871 ), Émile Augiers Paul Forestier (1871 ), L' Étrangère of Dumas the Younger (1876 ), Charles Lomons Jean Dacier (1877 ), Edward Le Monde où l' on Paillerons s'ennuie (1881 ), Erckmann and Chatrians Les Rantzau (1884 ). Another signature role for him was Molière's Tartuffe.
To do After a dispute with the management of his right tours in the French province, he left the Comédie- Française in 1886 but three years later, the fracture had healed. According triumphant concert tours through Europe and the United States, he returned in 1890 to get there back. Victorien Sardou's Thermidor The following piece was after only three performances banned by the government. In 1892 he broke definitively with the Comédie and toured with its own theater group of European capitals.
In 1895 he joined the Renaissance Theatre in Paris and played there until he director of the Théâtre de la Porte Saint -Martin in 1897. Here he gained in the premiere of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac in the same year in the title role worldwide fame. In 1900 he toured with Sarah Bernhardt (she had already 1880, the Comédie- Française leave ) in the USA, where she also appeared on Broadway. There they stood about in Hamlet, in La Dame aux Camellias ( German: Lady of the Camellias ) and Cyrano de Bergerac on stage. Upon their return he continued working with his former colleague at the Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt. Similarly, in 1900 a little film was taken from him, as the Cyrano shows him: His voice was recorded on a cylinder, which was played during the show and contains a passage from this piece. Roles in Émile mountains Council Plus que pure ( 1899), Catulle Mendès ' Scarron (1905 ), Alfred Capus ' and Lucien Descaves ' L' assassination (1906 ) were other milestones in his career. During rehearsals for a supporting role in Rostand's Chantecler Coquelin died in a home in Couilly -Pont -aux -Dames ( other sources speak of Paris), he had established himself in 1902 for old actors.
His brother Ernest Alexandre Honoré Coquelin (1848-1909) was also an actor at the Comédie Française, but was always in the shadow Benoît Constant. The son of Benoît Constant, Jean Coquelin (also Coquelin fils, the Younger, 1865-1945 ), was also an actor, first at the Théâtre Française ( Debut: 1890), later in the Renaissance and the Porte Saint -Martin, where he of the part Raigoné created in Cyrano de Bergerac, but, like his father, also took over the title role.
Services
Coquelin was more than friend " pre partway through " because " truly perceived " feelings on the stage. The theater lexicon certifies that he is able to give his roles as "characteristic outlines through ingenuity and clear intellect of his personality " and had a " full voice ". He " became one of the leading French actor ."
Awards
Coquelin was Officier de l' Instruction Publique and the Legion of Honor.