Bertha Tammelin

Who was Bertha Tammelin?

Bertha Carolina Mathilda Tammelin, née Bock was a Swedish actress, operatic mezzo soprano, pianist, composer and drama teacher.

Bertha Tammelin was born to Karolina Bock and the musician of Kungliga Hovkapellet, C. Bock. She was educated at Dramatens elevskola 1853–55 and hired at the Royal Swedish Opera and at the Royal Dramatic Theatre as a premier actress in 1856. She performed both operatic parts and dramatic parts. As an actress, her most noted part was Ingrid in Bröllopet på Ulvåsa by Frans Hedberg, and as a singer, Puck in Oberon.

She was also a musician. She held piano concerts at the age of fourteen. She was also active as a composer. Several of her works was a part of the collection "Det sjungande Europa". From 1879, she was a music teacher at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, and in 1889, she was made teacher of drama at Dramatens elevskola. She also had private students. Among her famous students were Ellen Hartman.

Bertha Tammelin suffered from weak eyesight her entire life, and eventually, it worsened: she retired because of this condition, making her final appearance on stage on 7 March 1884.

She married accountant Filip Tammelin in 1873.