Liv Dommersnes
Encyclopedia
Liv Dommersnes is a Norwegian actress and reciter of poetry. She was a member of group that founded Studioteatret
in 1945.
, as the daughter of storekeeper Jørgen Andreas Strømsted and Signe Beatrice Hansen. She was married to actor Jens Bolling
from 1945 to 1952, and to physician Ivar Dommersnes from 1968 until his death in 1994.
's play Geografi og kjærlighed at the National Theatre
in Oslo in 1942, in the last production directed by Bjørnson's son Bjørn Bjørnson
. She was employed at the National Theatre from 1941 to 1945, and again from 1949. During the German occupation of Norway the situation at the theatres was characterized by severe nazification attempts from the authorities, and boycott from the public. Strømsted joined the group of actors that started underground meetings where they secretly studied Stanislavski's system. The result of these undercover meetings was the founding of the theatre Studioteatret
in 1945. She played for Studioteatret from 1945 to 1949. Among her roles were "Emily" in an adaption of Thornton Wilder
's play Our Town
, "Polly" in Weill
and Brecht
's The Beggar's Opera
, and "Natasja" in Anton Chekhov
's A Marriage Proposal
.
Strømsted has interpreted several roles from Henrik Ibsen
's plays. One of her most important roles has been "Nora" in A Doll's House
, which she played at Rogaland Teater
in 1950, for Radioteatret
in 1953, for Riksteatret
in 1956, and at the National Theatre
in 1957. She acted in the films Andrine og Kjell from 1951, and Blodveien from 1955. She has participated in nearly 100 productions for Radioteatret.
From 1965 Dommersnes initiated a career as a reciter of poetry, performing all over Scandinavia, either alone or with musicians. Several of her performances have been broadcasted by radio or television. She issued the autobiography Alt har sin tid in 2001. She is honorary member of Kunstnerforeningen from 1975, and of the Norwegian Actors' Equity Association
from 1999, and has received several prizes, including Oslo City's Artist's award in 1985, Herman Wildenvey
's Poetry Prize in 1999, and the honorary prize of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's Radioteatret
in 2001. She is a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
.
Studioteatret
Studioteatret is a former Norwegian theatre. It opened in 1945, shortly after the liberation, with Claes Gill as its first theatre director. Studioteatret is regarded as one of the earliest post-war artistic expressions in Norway, and most of its members later played important roles in Norwegian...
in 1945.
Early and personal life
Strømsted was born in KristianiaOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, as the daughter of storekeeper Jørgen Andreas Strømsted and Signe Beatrice Hansen. She was married to actor Jens Bolling
Jens Bolling
Jens Bolling was a Norwegian actor and theatre director. He was among the founders of Studioteatret, and a well-known interpreter of Norwegian fairy-tales.-Early and personal life:...
from 1945 to 1952, and to physician Ivar Dommersnes from 1968 until his death in 1994.
Career
Strømsted made her stage debut as "Helga" in Bjørnstjerne BjørnsonBjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
's play Geografi og kjærlighed at the National Theatre
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
in Oslo in 1942, in the last production directed by Bjørnson's son Bjørn Bjørnson
Bjørn Bjørnson
Bjørn Bjørnson was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director.-Biography:He was born in Kristiania, the son of author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and his wife Karoline Bjørnson. In 1876, he was admitted as a student at the Stern Conservatory operated by Julius Stern in Berlin, Germany...
. She was employed at the National Theatre from 1941 to 1945, and again from 1949. During the German occupation of Norway the situation at the theatres was characterized by severe nazification attempts from the authorities, and boycott from the public. Strømsted joined the group of actors that started underground meetings where they secretly studied Stanislavski's system. The result of these undercover meetings was the founding of the theatre Studioteatret
Studioteatret
Studioteatret is a former Norwegian theatre. It opened in 1945, shortly after the liberation, with Claes Gill as its first theatre director. Studioteatret is regarded as one of the earliest post-war artistic expressions in Norway, and most of its members later played important roles in Norwegian...
in 1945. She played for Studioteatret from 1945 to 1949. Among her roles were "Emily" in an adaption of Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes, one for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and a National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.-Early years:Wilder was born in Madison,...
's play Our Town
Our Town
Our Town is a three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder. It is a character story about an average town's citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives...
, "Polly" in Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
and Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
's The Beggar's Opera
The Beggar's Opera
The Beggar's Opera is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch. It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama and is the only example of the once thriving genre of satirical ballad opera to remain popular today...
, and "Natasja" in Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
's A Marriage Proposal
A Marriage Proposal
A Marriage Proposal is a one-act farce by Anton Chekhov, written in 1888-1889 and first performed in 1890...
.
Strømsted has interpreted several roles from Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's plays. One of her most important roles has been "Nora" in A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
, which she played at Rogaland Teater
Rogaland Teater
Rogaland Teater is a theatre in Stavanger, Norway.-Background:The theatre building was built in 1883, on a parcel of Kannik prestegård. It was designed by architect Hartvig Sverdrup Eckhoff, and had initially almost 500 seats. The building housed Stavanger Faste Scene from 1914 to 1921, and...
in 1950, for Radioteatret
Radioteatret
Radioteatret is a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which produces audio plays for radio broadcasting. It was established in 1927.-Directors:...
in 1953, for Riksteatret
Riksteatret
Riksteatret is a Norwegian touring theatre. It was established by law in 1948. Its first performance was in Kirkenes in 1949, with Sigurd Christiansen's play En reise i natten. The theatre plays on about 200 different stages throughout the country. Its first theatre director was Fritz von der...
in 1956, and at the National Theatre
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
in 1957. She acted in the films Andrine og Kjell from 1951, and Blodveien from 1955. She has participated in nearly 100 productions for Radioteatret.
From 1965 Dommersnes initiated a career as a reciter of poetry, performing all over Scandinavia, either alone or with musicians. Several of her performances have been broadcasted by radio or television. She issued the autobiography Alt har sin tid in 2001. She is honorary member of Kunstnerforeningen from 1975, and of the Norwegian Actors' Equity Association
Norwegian Actors' Equity Association
The Norwegian Actors' Equity Association is an association of Norwegian actors. Its main purpose is to improve actors' working conditions, and important issues during the early years were contractual conditions, pensions, and regulation of foreign ensembles...
from 1999, and has received several prizes, including Oslo City's Artist's award in 1985, Herman Wildenvey
Herman Wildenvey
Herman Wildenvey , born Herman Theodor Portaas, was one of the most prominent Norwegian poets of the twentieth century. During his lifetime he published 44 books of his own poetry, in addition to translations of William Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, and Heinrich Heine.- Biography :Wildenvey was...
's Poetry Prize in 1999, and the honorary prize of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's Radioteatret
Radioteatret
Radioteatret is a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which produces audio plays for radio broadcasting. It was established in 1927.-Directors:...
in 2001. She is a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
The Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature is a Norwegian learned body on matters pertaining to the Dano-Norwegian language. Its primary role is regulating the written standard known as Riksmål ....
.