Hålogaland Teater
Encyclopedia
Hålogaland Teater is a regional theatre serving the region
of Nord-Norge
, the northernmost of Norway
. When established in 1971, it was the first regional theatre
in Norway, and the first professional theatre in Nord-Norge. Many of its productions are staged in the regional Norwegian
dialect
s. Although based in Tromsø
in the Arctic Circle
, where it occupies a modern purpose-built building, the theatre also tours the surrounding rural areas. The varied schedule includes a mixture of genres, contemporary and classic drama, and musical
and children's theatre.
Lars Berg
, a local teacher
and writer
, had campaigned for a regional theatre since the 1940s. He intended it to bring drama in local dialects into the farflung communities of the region. His vision was realised when the theatre began work, on 15 August 1971. While the first production, The Threepenny Opera
by Bertolt Brecht
and Kurt Weill
, received positive critical reviews, only 16 people attended the premiere
. At the time, the theatre consisted of only 8 actors and two technicians, and lacked a permanent home.
Early productions tended to highlight political and social issues, but this radical edge faded as the theatre diversified. Originally it operated across all three counties
in the region, but since the foundation of the Nordland Teater, it has focused mainly on Troms
and Finnmark
.
Its first permanent theatre space was found in 1984, at the new arts centre
(Kulturhuset) in Tromsø. In 2005, it moved into a purpose-built theatre building, officially opened by Queen Sonja of Norway
on November 5. This building includes three theatres, as well as dressing rooms, workshops and public spaces, a vast improvement on previous homes, which have included a disused margarine factory. As of 2005, the theatre has around 50 employees, including technical, administrative and artistic workers, and a mixture of young and established actors.
Regions of Norway
Norway is divided into five major regions , which consist of counties as follows:*Northern Norway **Finnmark**Troms**Nordland*Trøndelag**Nord-Trøndelag**Sør-Trøndelag...
of Nord-Norge
Nord-Norge
North Norway or Nord-Noreg , North Sámi: Davvi-Norga) is the geographical region of northern Norway, consisting of the three counties Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, in total about 35% of the Norwegian mainland. Some of the largest towns in North Norway are Mo i Rana, Bodø, Narvik, Harstad, Tromsø...
, the northernmost of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. When established in 1971, it was the first regional theatre
Community theatre
Community theatre refers to theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community...
in Norway, and the first professional theatre in Nord-Norge. Many of its productions are staged in the regional Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s. Although based in Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
in the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
, where it occupies a modern purpose-built building, the theatre also tours the surrounding rural areas. The varied schedule includes a mixture of genres, contemporary and classic drama, and musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
and children's theatre.
Lars Berg
Lars Berg
Lars Kornelius Edvard Berg was a Norwegian teacher, novelist, short story writer and playwright.He was born at Kvaløya as the son of fisherman and farmer Emil Larsen Berg and Olufine Johansen, and grew up at a small farm. From 1947 he was married to Aud Norvåg...
, a local teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, had campaigned for a regional theatre since the 1940s. He intended it to bring drama in local dialects into the farflung communities of the region. His vision was realised when the theatre began work, on 15 August 1971. While the first production, The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera is a musical by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, in collaboration with translator Elisabeth Hauptmann and set designer Caspar Neher. It was adapted from an 18th-century English ballad opera, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and offers a Marxist critique...
by Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
and Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
, received positive critical reviews, only 16 people attended the premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
. At the time, the theatre consisted of only 8 actors and two technicians, and lacked a permanent home.
Early productions tended to highlight political and social issues, but this radical edge faded as the theatre diversified. Originally it operated across all three counties
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
in the region, but since the foundation of the Nordland Teater, it has focused mainly on Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
and Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
.
Its first permanent theatre space was found in 1984, at the new arts centre
Arts centre
An art centre or arts center is distinct from an art gallery or art museum. An arts centre is a functional community centre with a specific remit to encourage arts practice and to provide facilities such as theatre space, gallery space, venues for musical performance, workshop areas, educational...
(Kulturhuset) in Tromsø. In 2005, it moved into a purpose-built theatre building, officially opened by Queen Sonja of Norway
Queen Sonja of Norway
Queen Sonja of Norway is the wife of King Harald V of Norway.-Prior to marriage:Sonja was born in Oslo on 4 July 1937 as the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen and Dagny Ulrichsen .Queen Sonja grew up in the district of Vinderen in Oslo and completed her lower secondary schooling...
on November 5. This building includes three theatres, as well as dressing rooms, workshops and public spaces, a vast improvement on previous homes, which have included a disused margarine factory. As of 2005, the theatre has around 50 employees, including technical, administrative and artistic workers, and a mixture of young and established actors.
External links
- Photographs of the new building, provided by the theatre's website (accessed 12 March 2006): http://www.ht.tr.no/filer/Huset/bygget1.jpg http://www.ht.tr.no/filer/Huset/bygget2.jpg http://www.ht.tr.no/filer/Huset/bygget3.jpg http://www.ht.tr.no/filer/Huset/bygget4.jpg http://www.ht.tr.no/filer/Huset/bygget5.jpg
- Homepage of the theatre (in Norwegian, accessed 12 March 2006)
