Bernhardt, Sarah (1844-1923), a French actress, was one of the great international stage stars of her time. Bernhardt was celebrated for her graceful movements and the bell-like clarity and rich tones of her voice. She also won praise for the heightened emotional and physical realism of her acting.
Bernhardt was born on Oct. 23, 1844, in Paris. Her real name was Henriette-Rosine Bernard. She made her acting debut at the Comedie-Francaise in 1862 in the title role of Jean Racine’s classic tragedy Iphigenie. Other notable roles during her long career included the title characters in Racine’s Phaedra, Victorien Sardou’s Tosca, and Eugene Scribe’s Adrienne Lecouvreur; Dona Sol in Victor Hugo’s Hernani; and Marguerite Gautier in Alexandre Dumas fils’ La Dame aux Camilias.
In 1880, Bernhardt broke with the Comedie-Francaise and spent the rest of her career as a successful theater manager and independent touring star, usually leading her own company. She performed only in French, but still toured the United States and Canada nine times between 1880 and 1918. She also made numerous appearances in London and managed several theaters in Paris.
Bernhardt was an accomplished painter and sculptor and also wrote poems and plays. She wrote two books, an autobiography, Memories of My Life (1907); and observations on acting and the theater, The Art of the Theater (published in 1924, after her death). She died on March 26, 1923.
