Marie-Thérèse 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  ,TITLE Cherubino in  The Marriage of Figaro , Célimène in  The Misanthrope  , and the title role in  Eugénie .

Affair with Alexander I
In 1808, Napoleon brought a troupe of actors including Bourgoin to Erfurt, Germany to entertain Alexander I and the Russian delegation to the Congress of Erfurt. Alexander was especially fond of Bourgoin's performances. At Napoleon's urging, she traveled back to the Russian Empire with Alexander.

Bourgoin made her St. Petersburg debut on July 26, 1809, starring in the comedy Nanina by Voltaire. She was a sensation with Russian audiences over the next two years. Bourgoin is believed to have become Alexander I's mistress during this period before returning to her acting career in Paris.

Career at the Comédie-Française
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Later stage roles and death
Upon returning to the Comédie-Française, Bourgoin continued performing lead roles into the 1820s. Some of her last acclaimed parts were in  The Marriage of Figaro  (1819),  Zénobie  (1821), and  Marcel  (1826).

After a 34-year stage career, Bourgoin died in her native Paris on August 11, 1833, at age 52. 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.