Helena Modrzejewska Plaque
Kraków Artists: Theatre, Cabaret and Film
A commemorative plaque in the Old Town dedicated to Helena Modrzejewska (1840-1909), an actress born in Kraków who specialised in Shakespearean and tragic roles, regarded as the greatest actress in the history of Polish theatre. Her roles included Lady Macbeth, Ophelia, Juliet and the title role in Juliusz Słowacki's "Maria Stuart". The Stary Theatre bears her name, and together with Antonina Hoffmann she placed commemorative documents under the foundation stone of the Słowacki Theatre.
History
In 1959 a plaque dedicated to Helena Modrzejewska was set into the corner tenement at Grodzka Street 22, on the side facing Dominikański Square. In this house, on 12 October 1840, Jadwiga Helena, the future actress, was born. The house then belonged to her mother, Józefa Benda, who ran a café on the ground floor. After the great fire of Kraków in 1850 she could not afford to rebuild it, so she sold the house to the pharmacist Ernest Stockmar.
Modrzejewska began on provincial stages, including in Bochnia, Nowy Sącz and Przemyśl. In 1865 she joined the theatre in Kraków for four years, and from 1868 she performed in Warsaw, where she became known as the greatest Polish actress. In 1876 she left for California with her family and friends, among them Henryk Sienkiewicz. After a few years abroad and intensive study of English, she made her debut in the United States as Helena Modjeska and played above all Shakespeare, on American and English stages. In 1883 she became an American citizen.
She played 260 roles in all. Among the most famous were Lady Macbeth, Ophelia and Juliet, as well as the title role in Juliusz Słowacki's "Maria Stuart". She remained attached to her home town: on 2 June 1891, together with Antonina Hoffmann, she placed documents beneath the foundation stone of the building that today houses the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre. She died on 8 April 1909 in California. Her remains were later moved to Rakowicki Cemetery, and the funeral on 17 July 1909 turned into a patriotic demonstration. The funeral address was given by Henryk Sienkiewicz.
Did you know?
Modrzejewska was godmother to the actress Ethel Barrymore and to Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, later known as Witkacy. For the latter she was godparent together with Sabała, during a stay in Zakopane in early 1891.