▁English ▁translation ▁was ▁by ▁the ▁theatre ▁critic ▁William ▁Arch er ▁and ▁poet ▁Edmund ▁G os se . ▁Produ ctions ▁in ▁Os lo ▁and ▁C open hagen ▁were ▁coordin ated ▁to ▁open ▁on ▁ 8 ▁March ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁In ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁the ▁work ▁was ▁st aged ▁by ▁Thé âtre ▁de ▁l ' Œ uv re , ▁the ▁international ▁company ▁based ▁in ▁Paris . ▁The ▁first ▁U . S . ▁performance ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁ ▁Car neg ie ▁Ly ce um ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁with ▁William ▁Pas co e ▁and ▁Florence ▁K ahn . ▁ ▁Char acters ▁ ▁Hal vard ▁Sol ness , ▁master ▁builder ▁ ▁Al ine ▁Sol ness , ▁his ▁wife ▁ ▁Doctor ▁H erd al , ▁phys ician ▁ ▁Kn ut ▁Bro vik , ▁formerly ▁an ▁architect , ▁now ▁in ▁Sol ness ' s ▁employ ment ▁ ▁R agn ar ▁Bro vik , ▁Kn ut ▁Bro vik ' s ▁son , ▁a ▁draft s man ▁ ▁Ka ia ▁F os li , ▁a ▁book - keeper ▁ ▁H ilda ▁W angel , ▁a ▁character ▁introduced ▁earlier , ▁in ▁Ib sen ' s ▁The ▁Lady ▁from ▁the ▁Sea ▁ ▁Plot ▁summary ▁ ▁Hal vard ▁Sol ness ▁is ▁a ▁middle - aged ▁master ▁builder ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁town ▁in ▁Norway ▁who ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁successful ▁architect ▁of ▁some ▁distinction ▁and ▁local ▁reputation . ▁One ▁day ▁while ▁having ▁a ▁visit ▁from ▁his ▁friend ▁Doctor ▁H erd al ,