Henning Kronstam
Encyclopedia
Henning Kronstam was a famous
Danish
ballet
dancer, ballet master and company director.
Born in Copenhagen
, Denmark
, he began training with the Royal Danish Ballet
at the age of nine. He later joined the company as an apprentice at the age of sixteen and was promoted to solo dancer at the age of twenty one.
Kronstam dominated the Royal Danish Ballet's repertory for more than two decades, dancing over 120 roles, many of which were created, such as the role of Romeo in Sir Frederick Ashton
's Romeo and Juliet (1955), the Husband in John Cranko
's Secrets (1956), Nilas in Birgit Cullberg
's Moon Reindeer (1958), and the Prince in Flemming Flindt
's The Nutcracker (1971).
He succeeded Flemming Flindt as ballet master of the Royal Danish Ballet
in 1978 and was responsible for the planning and direction of the 1979 Bournonville
Festival as well as for restoring Bournonville, and classical ballet generally, to the center of the company's repertory. He also was a noted teacher and coach. He retired as balletmaster in 1985 but continued to stage and rehearse ballets until 1994. He died suddenly, May 28, 1995, of a pulmonary embolism.
Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
dancer, ballet master and company director.
Born in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, he began training with the Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
at the age of nine. He later joined the company as an apprentice at the age of sixteen and was promoted to solo dancer at the age of twenty one.
Kronstam dominated the Royal Danish Ballet's repertory for more than two decades, dancing over 120 roles, many of which were created, such as the role of Romeo in Sir Frederick Ashton
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
's Romeo and Juliet (1955), the Husband in John Cranko
John Cranko
John Cyril Cranko was a choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet....
's Secrets (1956), Nilas in Birgit Cullberg
Birgit Cullberg
Birgit Cullberg was a Swedish choreographer. The daughter of bank manager Carl Cullberg and Elna Westerström, Cullberg was born in Nyköping and married from 1942 to 1949 to actor Anders Ek...
's Moon Reindeer (1958), and the Prince in Flemming Flindt
Flemming Flindt
Flemming Flindt was a Danish choreographer born in Copenhagen. He studied at the Royal Danish Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet schools, joined the Royal Danish Ballet and was promoted to soloist in 1955...
's The Nutcracker (1971).
He succeeded Flemming Flindt as ballet master of the Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
in 1978 and was responsible for the planning and direction of the 1979 Bournonville
August Bournonville
August Bournonville was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. August was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the nephew of Julie Alix de la Fay, née Bournonville, of the Royal Swedish Ballet.August was...
Festival as well as for restoring Bournonville, and classical ballet generally, to the center of the company's repertory. He also was a noted teacher and coach. He retired as balletmaster in 1985 but continued to stage and rehearse ballets until 1994. He died suddenly, May 28, 1995, of a pulmonary embolism.