Nationaltheatret
Encyclopedia
The National Theatre in Oslo () is one of Norway
's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.
The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre
, which was founded in 1829. There were three official opening performances, on subsequent days in September; First, selected pieces by Ludvig Holberg
, then An Enemy of the People
by Henrik Ibsen
, and on the third day Sigurd Jorsalfar
by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
.
The theatre is often considered the home for Ibsen's plays, and most of his works have been performed here. Notable is also the children's Christmas play, The Journey to the Christmas Star , written by the then theatre's finance director Sverre Brandt
and performed for the first time in 1924.
The main building is centrally located between the Royal Palace, Oslo
and the Parliament of Norway. It is served by National Theatre Station and National Theatre metro stations. It was designed by architect
Henrik Bull
.
The theatre organisation manages four stages: the main stage (), the amphitheatre () and Painting Parlour () within the main building. The fourth is the Torshov Theatre () in the Torshov
district of Oslo.
, the theatre's artistic director was Hanne Tømta
.
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...
's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.
The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre
Christiania Theatre
Christiania Theatre, or Kristiania Theatre, was Norway's finest stage for the spoken drama between October 4, 1836 - September 1, 1899. It was located at Bankplassen by the Akershus Fortress in central Christiania, in Norway...
, which was founded in 1829. There were three official opening performances, on subsequent days in September; First, selected pieces by Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, who spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque...
, then An Enemy of the People
An Enemy of the People
An Enemy of the People is an 1882 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen wrote it in response to the public outcry against his play Ghosts, which at that time was considered scandalous...
by Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
, and on the third day Sigurd Jorsalfar
Sigurd I of Norway
Sigurd I Magnusson , also known as Sigurd the Crusader , was King of Norway from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his brother Eystein I of Norway , has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway...
by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
.
History
The National Theatre was founded as a private institution and weathered several financial crises until 1929, when the Norwegian government started providing modest support. A number of famous Norwegians have served as artistic directors for the theatre, but Vilhelm Krag who took over in 1911, is credited as having brought the theatre into its "golden age."Sverre Brandt
Sverre Brandt was a Norwegian theatre worker and playwright, born in Trondheim. He is remembered for his children's play Reisen til julestjernen from 1924, which has been staged numerous times at theatres in Scandinavia, and also adapted into a film. He was financial manager at Nationaltheatret...
and performed for the first time in 1924.
The main building is centrally located between the Royal Palace, Oslo
Royal Palace, Oslo
The Royal Palace in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of Norwegian and Swedish king Charles III and is the official residence of the present Norwegian Monarch. The crown prince couple resides at Skaugum in Asker west of Oslo...
and the Parliament of Norway. It is served by National Theatre Station and National Theatre metro stations. It was designed by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Henrik Bull
Henrik Bull
Henrik Bull was a Norwegian architect and designer. Among his works are the Paulus Church at Grünerløkka in Oslo, the National Theater, the Historical Museum in Oslo, and the Government Building. He also designed coins for Norges Bank, and participated at the Kristiania Jubilée exhibition at...
.
The theatre organisation manages four stages: the main stage (), the amphitheatre () and Painting Parlour () within the main building. The fourth is the Torshov Theatre () in the Torshov
Torshov
Torshov is an area in the borough Sagene in Oslo, Norway.Vogts gate serves as the neighborhood's main street. In the street there are trams between the city centre and Kjelsås. Along Vogts gate are several coffee shops, restaurants and cafes....
district of Oslo.
, the theatre's artistic director was Hanne Tømta
Hanne Tømta
Hanne Tømta is a Norwegian theatre instructor and theatre director.She was born in Oslo, and took her education at the Saint Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy. She has staged plays at the Hålogaland Teater, at the Sogn og Fjordane Teater and at Oslo Nye Teater. She directed the cabarets...
.
Directors of the Theatre
- 1899–1907 Bjørn BjørnsonBjørn BjørnsonBjørn Bjørnson was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director.-Biography:He was born in Kristiania, the son of author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and his wife Karoline Bjørnson. In 1876, he was admitted as a student at the Stern Conservatory operated by Julius Stern in Berlin, Germany...
- 1908–1911 Vilhelm Krag
- 1911–1923 Halfdan ChristensenHalfdan ChristensenHalfdan Christensen was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director. He was married twice, first to actress Gyda Christensen, and later to actress Gerda Ring. He had his stage début at Den Nationale Scene in 1896...
- 1923–1927 Bjørn BjørnsonBjørn BjørnsonBjørn Bjørnson was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director.-Biography:He was born in Kristiania, the son of author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and his wife Karoline Bjørnson. In 1876, he was admitted as a student at the Stern Conservatory operated by Julius Stern in Berlin, Germany...
- 1928–1930 Einar SkavlanEinar SkavlanEinar Kielland Skavlan was a Norwegian journalist, newspaper editor, theatre critic and theatre director....
- 1930–1933 Halfdan ChristensenHalfdan ChristensenHalfdan Christensen was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director. He was married twice, first to actress Gyda Christensen, and later to actress Gerda Ring. He had his stage début at Den Nationale Scene in 1896...
- 1933–1934 Anton RønnebergAnton RønnebergAnton Johan Rønneberg was a Norwegian writer, theatre critic, dramaturg and theatre director.Rønneberg was a theatre critic for several Oslo newspapers: Norges Kommunistblad in 1924, Middagsavisen from 1925 to 1927, Morgenbladet from 1928 to 1930 and Aftenposten...
(acting) - 1934–1935 Johe. Wiers-Jensen
- 1935–1941 Axel Otto NormannAxel Otto NormannAxel Otto Normann was a Norwegian journalist, newspaper editor, theatre critic and theatre director.He was born in Fredrikstad as the son of a wholesaler. He finished his secondary education in 1901, and studied philology at the University of Kristiania and for half a year at Sorbonne University,...
- 1941–1945 Gustav Berg-JægerGustav Berg-JægerCarl Gustav Berg-Jæger was a Norwegian journalist, actor, cultural director and Nazi collaborator. He is best known as director of Oslo Kinematografer, the National Theatre and briefly the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany...
- 1945–1946 Axel Otto NormannAxel Otto NormannAxel Otto Normann was a Norwegian journalist, newspaper editor, theatre critic and theatre director.He was born in Fredrikstad as the son of a wholesaler. He finished his secondary education in 1901, and studied philology at the University of Kristiania and for half a year at Sorbonne University,...
- 1946–1960 Knut HergelKnut HergelKnut Hergel was a Norwegian actor and theatre director.Hergel was actor at Stavanger Theater from 1924 to 1926, and at the theatre in Trondheim from 1926 to 1927. He was employed as stage producer at Det Nye Teater from 1928 to 1935...
- 1960–1961 Carl Fredrik EngelstadCarl Fredrik EngelstadCarl Johan Fredrik Engelstad was a Norwegian writer, playwright, journalist, translator and theatre director.-Personal life:...
- 1962–1967 Erik Kristen-JohanssenErik Kristen-JohanssenErik Kristen-Johanssen was a Norwegian jurist and theatre director.He was born in Oslo as a son of Attorney General Kristen Johanssen. He took his law education abroad, and worked as a businessman until the Second World War, when he started working for the Ministry of Provisioning-in-exile in London...
- 1967–1978 Arild BrinchmannArild BrinchmannArild Brinchmann was a Norwegian stage producer, film producer and theatre director.He was born in Kristiania son of psychologist and writer Alex Brinchmann. He produced the two films Ut av mørket and Høysommer . Ut av mørket was entered into the 8th Berlin International Film Festival...
- 1978–1986 Toralv MaurstadToralv MaurstadToralv Maurstad is a prominent actor of Norwegian stage, screen and television. By many regarded as the leading Norwegian actor of his generation, he is the son of the highly regarded actor Alfred Maurstad and actress Tordis Maurstad, and half-brother of actress Mari Maurstad.Maurstad graduated...
- 1986–1988 Kjetil Bang-HansenKjetil Bang-HansenKjetil Bang-Hansen is a Norwegian actor, dancer, stage producer and theatre director.-Early and personal life:Bang-Hansen was born in Oslo as the son of writer Odd Bang-Hansen and physician Elise Aas. He married dancer and choreographer Inger Johanne Rütter in 1967...
- 1988–1990 Ellen HornEllen HornEllen Horn is a Norwegian actress and politician for the Labour Party. She is educated at the State Acting College and has been an associate of Norsk Rikskringkasting, Nationaltheatret and is currently director of Riksteatret. During the Second cabinet Stoltenberg she was Minister of Culture...
, Ole-Jørgen NilsenOle-Jørgen NilsenOle-Jørgen Nilsen was a Norwegian actor who was perhaps best known for playing the role of Hans Fredrik Rosenkrantz in the soap Hotel Cæsar and from a recurring role in the Olsenbanden films....
and Sverre RødahlSverre RødahlSverre Rødahl is a Norwegian stage producer and theatre director.He was theatre director at the National Theatre from 1988 to 1989, together with Ellen Horn and Ole-Jørgen Nilsen. He was head of the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre from 1992 to 1996. He is head of the Danish National School... - 1990–1992 Stein WingeStein WingeStein Winge is a Norwegian actor, stage producer and theatre director.He has produced numerous plays and operas, and was theatre director at the National Theatre from 1990 to 1992. He was decorated as a Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St...
- 1992–2000 Ellen HornEllen HornEllen Horn is a Norwegian actress and politician for the Labour Party. She is educated at the State Acting College and has been an associate of Norsk Rikskringkasting, Nationaltheatret and is currently director of Riksteatret. During the Second cabinet Stoltenberg she was Minister of Culture...
- 2000–2008 Eirik StubøEirik StubøEirik Aasan Stubø is a Norwegian stage producer and theatre director. He was theatre director at the Rogaland Teater from 1997 to 2000, and theatre director at the National Theatre from 2000 to 2008. He received the OBIE Award for his production of Ibsen's play The Wild Duck, shown in New York...
- 2009–present Hanne TømtaHanne TømtaHanne Tømta is a Norwegian theatre instructor and theatre director.She was born in Oslo, and took her education at the Saint Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy. She has staged plays at the Hålogaland Teater, at the Sogn og Fjordane Teater and at Oslo Nye Teater. She directed the cabarets...