The secret of Ida Aalberg’s success was not only pondered among her colleagues but also intrigued the public. After her first role victories, Ida achieved success one after another and was declared the foremost actress in the Nordic countries. Critics praised her in superlatives in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Budapest, Vienna, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and many other cities she visited.

The youngest actress in Finnish theater, Katri Rautio, who was engaged in the theater in 1880, was one of Ida’s admirers and fellow actresses who were amazed by Ida’s rapid development, and she dared to inquire from Dr. Bergbom about Ida’s secret, as she wanted to find out. The doctor’s response was: ‘Ida’s secret is talent, which is hard work, tireless effort, and much more!’

Indeed, Kaarlo Bergbom shared more with those who were interested in Ida’s ‘secret’. He considered it an important factor that Ida’s enthusiasm and love for her work grew year by year. He also emphasized that the good-memoried Ida was the hardest-working actress in the theater, who never complained about the length of rehearsals and lived very disciplinarily. Ida had the rare gift of being captivated on stage and also captivating the audience. Her stage radiance, her charisma made the roles she portrayed unforgettable experiences for the audience. Those who saw Ida on stage referred to her radiance as a magic that filled the theater hall the moment Ida stepped onto the stage.

Few in the audience thought about how immensely Ida had to work before her diverse innate talents could come into their own. Not only ‘magic’ nor her masterful ability to transform into various human natures was enough to guarantee success and achievement. Ida was aware of her ability to ‘charm’ the audience and draw them in, but she regarded it as a gift of grace, which ultimately could not be decisively influenced by a person and should be approached humbly.

An important factor in Ida’s secret of success was also her good self-esteem. She often emphasized how important it was for every person to feel that their roots were deep in the ‘turf of their birthplace’.

Ida’s roots were in the landscape and dialect of Leppäkoski in Janakkala, her birthplace in Häme. Her strong self-esteem helped her endure the numerous disappointments and adversities she had to face, the more successful she became in her work.