Euphrosyne Löf
Encyclopedia
Euphrosyne Löf (1772–1828) was a Swedish ballet dancer and stage actress, best known for her affair with Prince Frederick Adolf of Sweden
from 1797 to 1801, after his relationship with Sophie Hagman
- Euphrosyne acted as his hostess at Tullgarn.
She was the sister of the actress Fredrique Löwen
and their parents worked in the royal court, where their father worked as taffeltäckare
. Euphrosyne made a successful stage debut on the Royal Dramatic Theatre
in 1791, and she also took part in ballets at the Opera
. She was among the first Swedish actresses known by name to have performed in breeches role
; in 1794, she and Inga Åberg
did the two male leading parts of August and Theodor in the play De begge kammarpagerna (The Two Valets) by Kexel. For comparison, the first confirmed time a Swedish male actor played a female part was Kjell Waltman as Mother Bobi in 1781, though the all-male student troupe of 1686–1691 must have performed female parts as well. She appeared in Gustav III
's plays, in Iphigenie
by Gluck, as Märta Banér and as Ebba Brahe
in Gustav Adolf och Ebba Brahe (1794) by Gustav III. She became the lover of prince Frederick Adolf after his relationship with Sophie Hagman
ended. She was not liked and described as nasty , a "harlot who sold herself to anyone", who showed no gratitude toward all the gifts she was given and who is said to infected Frederick with venereal desieces
and the relationship was criticized within the court who considered Löf "unworthy"
In 1801, Frederick ended the relationship because of her reportedly "bad behavior" and the opposition against it and granted her a pension until she entered into a new official relationship
Prince Frederick Adolf of Sweden
Prince Fredrick Adolf of Sweden , was a Swedish Prince, youngest son of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, a sister Frederick the Great, King of Prussia...
from 1797 to 1801, after his relationship with Sophie Hagman
Sophie Hagman
Sophie Hagman née Anna Stina Hagman or Anna Sophia Hagman, , was a Swedish ballet dancer...
- Euphrosyne acted as his hostess at Tullgarn.
She was the sister of the actress Fredrique Löwen
Fredrique Löwen
Fredrica Löf, also known as Fredrique Löwen was a Swedish stage actress...
and their parents worked in the royal court, where their father worked as taffeltäckare
Taffeltäckare
Taffeltäckare is a designation for court employees in the Royal Court of Sweden with responsibility for laying out the royal table for meals and banquets....
. Euphrosyne made a successful stage debut on the Royal Dramatic Theatre
Royal Dramatic Theatre
The Royal Dramatic Theatre is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's eight running stages....
in 1791, and she also took part in ballets at the Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
. She was among the first Swedish actresses known by name to have performed in breeches role
Breeches role
A breeches role is a role in which an actress appears in male clothing .In opera it also refers to any male character that is sung and acted by a female singer...
; in 1794, she and Inga Åberg
Inga Åberg
Inga Åberg was a Swedish actress and opera singer, one of the most popular and well known actors of her time in Sweden...
did the two male leading parts of August and Theodor in the play De begge kammarpagerna (The Two Valets) by Kexel. For comparison, the first confirmed time a Swedish male actor played a female part was Kjell Waltman as Mother Bobi in 1781, though the all-male student troupe of 1686–1691 must have performed female parts as well. She appeared in Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
's plays, in Iphigenie
Iphigénie en Aulide
Iphigénie en Aulide is an opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck, the first work he wrote for the Paris stage. The libretto was written by Leblanc du Roullet and was based on Jean Racine's tragedy Iphigénie...
by Gluck, as Märta Banér and as Ebba Brahe
Ebba Brahe
Ebba Magnusdotter Brahe was a lady-in-waiting in the Swedish court, countess, and the mistress of king Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden...
in Gustav Adolf och Ebba Brahe (1794) by Gustav III. She became the lover of prince Frederick Adolf after his relationship with Sophie Hagman
Sophie Hagman
Sophie Hagman née Anna Stina Hagman or Anna Sophia Hagman, , was a Swedish ballet dancer...
ended. She was not liked and described as nasty , a "harlot who sold herself to anyone", who showed no gratitude toward all the gifts she was given and who is said to infected Frederick with venereal desieces
and the relationship was criticized within the court who considered Löf "unworthy"
In 1801, Frederick ended the relationship because of her reportedly "bad behavior" and the opposition against it and granted her a pension until she entered into a new official relationship