Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Ira Aldridge: The Early Years, 1807-1833 chronicles the rise of one of the modern world's first black classical actors, as he ascended from an impoverished childhood in New York City to a career as a celebrated thespian on the British stage.
After a successful debut in London in 1825, Aldridge began touring the British provinces, billing himself grandiloquently as the "African Roscius," and attracting crowds with his powerful presence and style. He received accolades not only as a tragedian in classic roles such as Othello and Oroonoko but also as a comic actor in popular farces and musicals. In 1833, when a bill to abolish slavery was being debated in Parliament, he was called back to London to perform at one of the city's most prestigious theaters, where his appearance, now under his own name but also billed as "a native of Senegal," created a great deal of controversy.
In dealing with Aldridge's emergence as a professional actor in the United Kingdom, Lindfors here records in detail the ups and downs of his itinerant existence in a world where no theatergoer had ever seen anyone like him on stage before. Aldridge was genuinely a unique phenomenon in Britain at a pivotal point in history.

Bernth Lindfors is Professor Emeritus of English and African Literatures, University of Texas at Austin, and editor of Ira Aldridge: The African Roscius (University of Rochester Press, 2007).

Actors --- African American actors --- African Americans --- Shakespearean actors and actresses --- Shakespearian actors and actresses --- Actresses --- Afro-Americans --- Black Americans --- Colored people (United States) --- Negroes --- Africans --- Ethnology --- Blacks --- Aldridge, Ira Frederick, --- African Roscius, --- Aldridge, Ira, --- Oldridz︠h︡, Aĭra, --- Black theater --- Theater --- History. --- History --- Black people --- Black Victorian-age Actor. --- British Stage. --- Early Life. --- Ira Aldridge. --- Theater.

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Ira Aldridge -- a black New Yorker -- was one of nineteenth-century Europe's greatest actors. He performed abroad for forty-three years, winning more awards, honors, and official decorations than any of his professional peers. Billed as the "African Roscius," Aldridge developed a repertoire initially consisting of Shakespeare's Othello, melodramas about slavery, and farces that drew on his ability to sing and dance. By the time he began touring in Europe he was principally a Shakespearean actor, playing such classic characters as Shylock, Macbeth, Richard III, and King Lear.
Although his frequent public appearances made him the most visible black man in the world by mid-nineteenth century, today Aldridge tends to be a forgotten figure, seldom mentioned in histories of British and European theater. This collection restores the luster to Aldridge's reputation by examining his extraordinary achievements against all odds. The early essays offer biographical information, while later essays examine his critical and popular reception throughout the world. Taken together, these diverse approaches to Aldridge offer a fuller understanding and heightened appreciation of a remarkable man who had an exceptionally interesting life and a spectacular career.
Contributors: Cyril Bruyn Andrews, Nikola Batusic, Philip A. Bell, Keith Byerman, Ruth M. Cowhig, Nicholas M. Evans, Joost Groeneboer, Ann Marie Koller, Joyce Green MacDonald, Herbert Marshall, James J. Napier, Krzysztof Sawala, Gunner Sjögren, James McCune Smith, Hazel Waters, and Stanley B. Winters.

Bernth Lindfors is Professor Emeritus of English and African literatures at The University of Texas at Austin.

Aldridge, Ira Frederick, --- Actors --- African American actors --- African Americans --- Shakespearean actors and actresses --- Black theater --- Theater --- History. --- History --- Shakespearian actors and actresses --- Actresses --- Afro-Americans --- Black Americans --- Colored people (United States) --- Negroes --- Africans --- Ethnology --- Black people --- British. --- Dancing. --- European theater. --- Farces. --- Ira Aldridge. --- King Lear. --- Macbeth. --- Melodramas. --- Nineteenth century. --- Othello. --- Richard III. --- Shakespeare. --- Shylock. --- Singing. --- Slavery. --- Tragic actor.

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Ira Aldridge: Performing Shakespeare in Europe, 1852-1855, the third volume of Bernth Lindfors's award-winning biography, traces the American-born black classical actor's itinerary on his first Continental tour. Starting in Brussels and following Aldridge up the Rhine to Basel, on to Berlin and Vienna, and cities in Prussia and Hungary, Lindfors recounts the major performances and analyzes audience responses to them. Because European audiences wanted to see this "African" actor in Shakespearean roles rather than in the melodramas and farces that were popular in Britain, Aldridge concentrated almost exclusively on performing as Othello, Shylock, Macbeth, and Richard III. He performed the roles in English even when acting with local companies who spoke in German, Hungarian, or another European language. Aldridge's impressive manner of interpreting these characters won him many honors, awards, and medals, some bestowed by heads of state or by national academies. Drawing on myriad reviews, playbills, and letters, many of them penned by Aldridge himself, Lindfors examines in detail Aldridge's interpretations of these timeless characters and shows why these were Aldridge's glory years. Bernth Lindfors, professor emeritus of English and African Literatures, University of Texas at Austin, is the author of Ira Aldridge: The Early Years, 1807-1833 and Ira Aldridge: The Vagabond Years, 1833-1852, both published by the University of Rochester Press in 2011.

Theater. --- Shakespearean actors and actresses. --- Black theater. --- African Americans. --- African American actors. --- Actors. --- PERFORMING ARTS --- BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY --- Theater --- Shakespearean actors and actresses --- Black theater --- African Americans --- African American actors --- Actors --- Show business --- Arts --- Performance art --- Stage actors --- Theater actors --- Theatrical actors --- Artists --- Entertainers --- Actors, African American --- Afro-American actors --- Negro actors --- African American entertainers --- Afro-Americans --- Black Americans --- Colored people (United States) --- Negroes --- Africans --- Ethnology --- Blacks --- Shakespearian actors and actresses --- Actresses --- Dramatics --- Histrionics --- Professional theater --- Stage --- Theatre --- Performing arts --- Acting --- History & Criticism. --- General. --- History --- History. --- Aldridge, Ira Frederick, --- United States. --- Great Britain. --- Europe. --- Council of Europe countries --- Eastern Hemisphere --- Eurasia --- ABŞ --- ABSh --- Ameerika Ühendriigid --- America (Republic) --- Amerika Birlăshmish Shtatlary --- Amerika Birlăşmi Ştatları --- Amerika Birlăşmiş Ştatları --- Amerika ka Kelenyalen Jamanaw --- Amerika Qūrama Shtattary --- Amerika Qŭshma Shtatlari --- Amerika Qushma Shtattary --- Amerika (Republic) --- Amerikai Egyesült Államok --- Amerikanʹ Veĭtʹsėndi︠a︡vks Shtattnė --- Amerikări Pĕrleshu̇llĕ Shtatsem --- Amerikas Forenede Stater --- Amerikayi Miatsʻyal Nahangner --- Ameriketako Estatu Batuak --- Amirika Carékat --- AQSh --- Ar. ha-B. --- Arhab --- Artsot ha-Berit --- Artzois Ha'bris --- Bí-kok --- Ē.P.A. --- EE.UU. --- Egyesült Államok --- ĒPA --- Estados Unidos --- Estados Unidos da América do Norte --- Estados Unidos de América --- Estaos Xuníos --- Estaos Xuníos d'América --- Estatos Unitos --- Estatos Unitos d'America --- Estats Units d'Amèrica --- Ètats-Unis d'Amèrica --- États-Unis d'Amérique --- Fareyniḳṭe Shṭaṭn --- Feriene Steaten --- Feriene Steaten fan Amearika --- Forente stater --- FS --- Hēnomenai Politeiai Amerikēs --- Hēnōmenes Politeies tēs Amerikēs --- Hiwsisayin Amerikayi Miatsʻeal Tērutʻiwnkʻ --- Istadus Unidus --- Jungtinės Amerikos valstybės --- Mei guo --- Mei-kuo --- Meiguo --- Mî-koet --- Miatsʻyal Nahangner --- Miguk --- Na Stàitean Aonaichte --- NSA --- S.U.A. --- SAD --- Saharat ʻAmērikā --- SASht --- Severo-Amerikanskie Shtaty --- Severo-Amerikanskie Soedinennye Shtaty --- Si︠e︡vero-Amerikanskīe Soedinennye Shtaty --- Sjedinjene Američke Države --- Soedinennye Shtaty Ameriki --- Soedinennye Shtaty Severnoĭ Ameriki --- Soedinennye Shtaty Si︠e︡vernoĭ Ameriki --- Spojené obce severoamerické --- Spojené staty americké --- SShA --- Stadoù-Unanet Amerika --- Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá --- Stany Zjednoczone --- Stati Uniti --- Stati Uniti d'America --- Stâts Unîts --- Stâts Unîts di Americhe --- Steatyn Unnaneysit --- Steatyn Unnaneysit America --- SUA (Stati Uniti d'America) --- Sŭedineni amerikanski shtati --- Sŭedinenite shtati --- Tetã peteĩ reko Amérikagua --- U.S. --- U.S.A. --- United States of America --- Unol Daleithiau --- Unol Daleithiau America --- Unuiĝintaj Ŝtatoj de Ameriko --- US --- USA --- Usono --- Vaeinigte Staatn --- Vaeinigte Staatn vo Amerika --- Vereinigte Staaten --- Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika --- Verenigde State van Amerika --- Verenigde Staten --- VS --- VSA --- Wááshindoon Bikéyah Ałhidadiidzooígíí --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah al-Amirīkīyah --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah al-Amrīkīyah --- Yhdysvallat --- Yunaeted Stet --- Yunaeted Stet blong Amerika --- ZDA --- Združene države Amerike --- Zʹi︠e︡dnani Derz︠h︡avy Ameryky --- Zjadnośone staty Ameriki --- Zluchanyi︠a︡ Shtaty Ameryki --- Zlucheni Derz︠h︡avy --- ZSA --- Η.Π.Α. --- Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες της Αμερικής --- Америка (Republic) --- Американь Вейтьсэндявкс Штаттнэ --- Америкӑри Пӗрлешӳллӗ Штатсем --- САЩ --- Съединените щати --- Злучаныя Штаты Амерыкі --- ولايات المتحدة --- ولايات المتّحدة الأمريكيّة --- ولايات المتحدة الامريكية --- 미국 --- Black people --- Actor. --- Audience responses. --- Awards. --- Bernth Lindfors. --- Continental tour. --- English. --- Ira Aldridge. --- Macbeth. --- Othello. --- Performances. --- Richard III. --- Royalty. --- Shakespearean roles. --- Shylock. --- University of Texas at Austin.

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Shakespeare, William, --- Macready, William Charles, --- Booth, Edwin, --- Terry, Ellen, --- Irving, Henry, --- Booth, Edwin --- Irving, Henry --- Macready, William C. --- Terry, Ellen --- English drama --- Shakespearean actors and actresses --- Shakespearian actors and actresses --- Actors --- Actresses --- History and criticism --- Macready, --- Macready, W. C. --- Šekspir, Vil'jam --- Irving, Genri, --- Irving, John Henry Brodribb, --- Brodribb, John Henry, --- Terri, Ellen, --- Terry, Alice Ellen, --- Wardell, C., --- Wardell, E. A. --- Criticism and interpretation. --- Influence. --- Shakespeare, William --- Shakespear, William, --- Shakspeare, William, --- Šekʻspiri, Uiliam, --- Saixpēr, Gouilliam, --- Shakspere, William, --- Shikisbīr, Wilyam, --- Szekspir, Wiliam, --- Šekspyras, --- Shekspir, Vilʹi︠a︡m, --- Šekspir, Viljem, --- Tsikinya-chaka, --- Sha-shih-pi-ya, --- Shashibiya, --- Sheḳspir, Ṿilyam, --- Shaḳspir, Ṿilyam, --- Syeiksŭpʻio, --- Shekspir, V. --- Szekspir, William, --- Shakespeare, Guglielmo, --- Shake-speare, William, --- Sha-ō, --- Şekspir, --- Shekspir, Uiliam, --- Shekspir, U. --- Šekspir, Vilijam, --- Ṣēkspiyar, Viliyam, --- Shakspir, --- Shekspyr, Vyli︠e︡m, --- Şekspir, Velyam, --- Ṣēkspiyar, Villiyam, --- Shēkʻspʻiyr, Vlilliam, --- Ṣēkspiyar, --- Ṣēkspiyar Mahākavi, --- Ṣēkspiyar Mahākaviya, --- Sheḳspier, Ṿilyam, --- Shēkʻspir, --- Shakespeare, --- Śeksper, --- Шекспир, Вильям, --- Шекспир, Уильям, --- שייקספיר, וויליאם, --- שייקספיר, וו., --- שיקספיר, וויליאם --- שיקספיר, ויליאם --- שיקספיר, ויליאם, --- שכספיר, ויליאם, --- שכספיר, וילים, --- שכספיר, ו׳ --- שעפקספיר, וויליאם, --- שעקספיער, וויליאם --- שעקספיער, וויליאם, --- שעקספיער, ווילליאם --- שעקספיער, וו., --- שעקספיר --- שעקספיר, וו --- שעקספיר, וויליאם, --- שעקספיר, וויליאמ --- שעקספיר, ווילליאם --- שעקספיר, ווילליאם, --- שעקספיר, וו., --- שעקספיר, װיליאם, --- שעקספיר, װילליאם, --- שעקספיר, װ., --- שעקספער --- שעקספער, וויליאמ --- שקספיר --- שקספיר, וו --- שקספיר, וויליאם --- שקספיר, וויליאם, --- שקספיר, ווילים, --- שקספיר, וילאם --- שקספיר, ויליאם --- שקספיר, ויליאם, --- שקספיר, ויליים, --- שקספיר, וילים --- שקספיר, וילים, --- شاكسبير، وليم --- شاكسپير، وليم --- شكسبير، وليام --- شكسبير، وليم --- شكسبير، وليم، --- شكسبير، و. --- شكسپير، وليم --- شكسپير، ويليام --- شيكسبير، وليام --- شيكسبير، وليام.، --- شيكسبير، وليم --- شکسبير، وليم --- وليم شکسبير --- 沙士北亞威廉姆, --- 沙士比亞威廉姆, --- 莎士比亞威廉姆, --- 莎士比亞威廉, --- 莎士比亞, --- Macready, William Charles --- Booth, Edwin Thomas, --- Booth, Edwin T., --- Booth, E. T.