Hilda Andresovna Gleser (8 July 1893, Viljandi – 25 August 1932, Tallinn) was an Estonian actress, director and theatre teacher.

Hilda Gleser
Portrait of Hilda Glaser (A. Laikmaa, 1932)
Born(1893-07-08)8 July 1893
Died25 August 1932(1932-08-25) (aged 39)
Tallinn, Estonia
Burial placeViljandi
CitizenshipRussian Empire
Estonia
Occupation(s)Actress, director, theatre teacher
Years active1910–1932

Biography

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Hilda Gleser was born on 8 [O.S. 1893] July in the city of Viljandi in the family of a bricklayer,[1] where she also received her primary and secondary education. From 1910 she took part in amateur performances.[1] She did not receive a professional theater education, but took acting lessons from the Finnish actress Hilma Rantanen.,[1] and later improved her skills in Germany and Russia.[2]

From 1916 until the end of her life, she was an actress at the Estonia theatre in Tallinn. From 1921 to 1924 she worked in parallel at the Morning Theatre, and from 1926 to 1932 at the Workers' Theatre. Among her best roles were: Peck (Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1919), Woman (Toller's The Man-Mass, 1922), Electra (Hofmannsthal's Electra, 1923), Åse (Ibsen's Peer Gynt, 1927), Mrs. Peachum (Gay-Brecht's The Threepenny Opera, 1930), Laura (Vilde's The Brownie, 1927), Tiina (Kitzberg's The Werewolf, 1928). She performed in the genre of artistic reading (from 1929 on the radio). As the Theater Encyclopedia notes, "the images created by Glezer are marked by vivid character, sincerity, heroic direction, and are distinguished by a sharp, distinctive design and extreme expressiveness".[1]

In 1924–1932, she taught stage practice at the School of Theater Arts in Tallinn. In 1924, she debuted as a theater director with the play "Earth" by Bryusov at the "Morning Theater". Glezer opposed bourgeois tastes and preferred socially critical dramas.[2] The influence of German expressionism was felt in her plays. She was good at rhythmic crowd scenes.[1] Among Glezer's most notable productions are: "RUR" by Čapek (1925, Estonia Theatre), "Night" by Martine (1927, Workers' Theatre), "In the Whirlwind of the Winds" by Kitzberg (1927, Workers' Theatre), "The Lower Depths" by Gorky (1931, Workers' Theatre), "Gop-lya, we live!" by Toller (1929, Workers' Theatre).[1]

Hilda Gleser died 25 August 1932 of a serious illness in the Tallinn Surgical Hospital.[3] Buried in the old cemetery of Viljandi.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Glezer Hilda Andresovna // Theatrical Encyclopedia. Volume 1 / Ed. S. S. Mokulsky - Moscow: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1961
  2. ^ a b Who is who in Estonian culture, Tallinn: Avenarius, 1996, p. 113, ISBN 9985-834-13-5
  3. ^ "Sakala (1878-1940), nr. 97, 27 august 1932". 27 August 1932. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Контакт". kalmistud.ee (in Russian). 2 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.