Madame Stuart

Christina Doreothea Stuart, known under her stage name Madame Stuart (died after 1774), was a dancer, equilibrist, singer and musician active in Norway. She played an important part in Norwegian cultural history; she is noted as a pioneer figure of ballet in Norway and connected to the activity of the first public theater in Norway. She is considered to be the first ballet dancer to perform in Oslo and Norway.

Life

The background of Christina Doreothea Stuart is unknown. She was married to the famous British dancer and acrobat Michael Stuart in his third marriage, with whom she had several children. He was known in Denmark since 1756, and when he arrived in Oslo in Norway in 1769, Christina arrived with him as his wife as well as his dance partner.

Early career in Oslo Stuart was not only a dancer, but also a singer and a musician. In a performance in Oslo on 26 January 1770, "The Great Virtuosis Madame Stuart" sang, played instrumental music, performed acrobatics and danced ballet, and in on 31 January 1771, "The wellfamous Madame Stuart" performed tight-rope-walking.

In December 1771, Nürenbach founded the first public theater in Oslo, composed of a small theater staff of stage performers, of which he and Stuart where probably the only artists with previous professional training and experience. While the theater's activity is mostly unknown, Stuart was likely the actress acting with Nürenbach in the play Jomfru Pecunia by M. Nissen. In February 1772, the theater was evidently closed and Nürenbach left for Sweden.

Later life Stuart herself left for Sweden in 1774, and she is known to have performed in Gothenburg in April 1774. She is not mentioned after this.

In 1783, a dancer by the name of Eleanore Stuart made her debut at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen; she may have been the daughter of Christina Doreothea Stuart.