Marie-Thérèse-Étiennette Bourgoin

Marie-Thérèse-Etiennette Bourgoin (1781–1833) was a French stage actress who performed at the Comédie-Française in Paris. She was known for her beauty and acting talent. Bourgoin had an affair with Russian Emperor Alexander I after being sent to entertain his delegation in Erfurt by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Early life and career Bourgoin was born on July 4, 1781, in Paris to a master shoemaker. She dreamed of the stage from early childhood, studying dance from age six and later acting. Her professional debut came at age 18 on September 13, 1799, at the Théâtre-Français in Paris.

Over the next three decades, Bourgoin performed over 50 roles at the Comédie-Française. She was inducted as the 213th member in 1802 and departed in 1829. Some of her most acclaimed roles were in productions of plays by Molière, Jean Racine, Pierre de Beaumarchais, and Voltaire. This included parts such as Iphigénie in Iphigénie, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Célimène in The Misanthrope, and the title role in Eugénie. She was buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery. Over three decades at the Comédie-Française, Bourgoin performed over 50 roles showcasing her talents as one of the leading actresses of her era.