Wanda de Boncza
French actress (1872–1902)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wanda de Boncza (8 March 1872 – 15 August 1902) was a French actress, born Wanda-Marie-Émilie Rutkowska.
March 8, 1872
Wanda de Boncza | |
|---|---|
A postcard featuring a portrait of de Boncza by the photographer Nadar | |
| Born | Wanda-Marie-Émilie Rutkowska March 8, 1872 |
| Died | August 15, 1902 (aged 30) 8th arrondissement, Paris, French Third Republic |
| Resting place | Batignolles Cemetery |
| Alma mater | Conservatoire de Paris |
| Occupation | Thespian |
| Era | Belle Époque |
| Parents |
|
Early life
De Boncza was born in Paris, the daughter of Polish-Jewish immigrants. [1] She studied comedy at the Conservatoire de Paris with Gustave Worms.[2][3]
Career
De Boncza was considered a stage beauty in Paris,[4] acting first at the Odéon, and then at the Comédie-Française. One English-language critic in 1901 described her stage presence as "little and dark, Parisian and perverse, she whose eyes are enigmas ... beautiful in her own odd way."[5] Her stage appearances included roles in Fiancée (1894),[6] La Barynia (1894),[1] On ne badine pas avec l'amour (1896),[7] Struensée (1898), La Conscience de l'enfant (1899), Alkestis (1900), and Le Marquis de Priola (1902).[8]
Personal life
De Boncza died in Paris in 1902, aged 30 years,[9] from appendicitis[10][11] and an attempted surgical intervention.[1][8] Some reports also mentioned that morphine addiction may have contributed to her early death.[12] A few months after her death,[13] there was an auction of her jewelry (especially pearls), gowns, and other possessions, yielding over a million francs, more than enough to pay off her gambling and other debts.[2][14][15][16]
