Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet (in Norwegian, Den Norske Opera & Ballett) is the first fully professional company for opera
and ballet
in Norway
. Its seat is the Oslo Opera House
.
It was founded in 1957. Kirsten Flagstad
, the great Norwegian soprano
, was its general manager from 1958 to 1960.
, an harbour area of downtown Oslo
. The Oslo Opera House
was opened in the spring of 2008.
In January 2009, the Norwegian Opera
and Ballet
was reorganised. Tom Remlov
is General Managing Director, and there are directors for opera, ballet and music. The director of the opera company was Glasgow
-born Paul Curran
. He resigned in June 2011 under pressure for not commissioning enough work from Norwegian composers. Music Director (opera, orchestra and concert) is the American conductor John Fiore.
It is the National Ballet's own school, and the aim is to give children a thorough and extensive training in classical ballet, and to follow up the National Ballet's great development in recent years. It will be done through a service that maintains a very high level in an international context.
The Ballet School at the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet profess not to a particular educational system. Students are taught by a unique team of international ballet teachers with broad and varied background. This gives students a broad stylistic experience base to build on the combination of pure classical technique and versatility as the National Ballet demonstrate and demand.
Important is also the good results of our current and former students in recent years has been the national EBU competitions and the annual Nordic-Baltic Ballet Competition in Sweden and not least in the prestigious Prix de Lausanne
. These are clear signs that the concerted effort over the years have yielded results, so they are now equal with the balleteducation in the other Nordic capitals, and that they are in position to climb further.
In addition to regular classes,students from the school participate in several of the National Ballet's performances. In The Nutcracker
up to 70 children and adolescents participate. This great Christmas idea is thus one of the year's highlights. Another is of course the school's own student performance that is held each year during the spring term.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and 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...
in 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...
. Its seat is the Oslo Opera House
Oslo Opera House
The Oslo Opera House is the home of The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, and the national opera theatre in Norway. The building is situated in the Bjørvika neighborhood of central Oslo, at the head of the Oslofjord. It is operated by Statsbygg, the government agency which manages property for...
.
It was founded in 1957. Kirsten Flagstad
Kirsten Flagstad
Kirsten Målfrid Flagstad was a Norwegian opera singer and a highly regarded Wagnerian soprano...
, the great Norwegian soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, was its general manager from 1958 to 1960.
The new Opera House
For most of the 20th century fierce debate has raged in the Norwegian public sphere about the possible construction of a new opera house. When a construction project finally was agreed upon, the site that was chosen was BjørvikaBjørvika
Bjørvika is a neighborhood in the Sentrum borough of Oslo, Norway. The area is an inlet in the inner Oslofjord, situated between Gamlebyen and Akersness. It serves as an outlet for the river Akerselva. Since the 2000s, it has been undergoing urban redevelopment, being transformed from a container...
, an harbour area of downtown Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. The Oslo Opera House
Oslo Opera House
The Oslo Opera House is the home of The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, and the national opera theatre in Norway. The building is situated in the Bjørvika neighborhood of central Oslo, at the head of the Oslofjord. It is operated by Statsbygg, the government agency which manages property for...
was opened in the spring of 2008.
In January 2009, the Norwegian Opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and 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...
was reorganised. Tom Remlov
Tom Remlov
Tom Remlov is a Norwegian actor, dramaturg, film procucer, theatre director, and opera manager.He served as theatre director of Den Nationale Scene from 1986 to 1995, and was manager of Norsk Film from 1996 to 2001. He is manager of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet from 2008.-References:...
is General Managing Director, and there are directors for opera, ballet and music. The director of the opera company was Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
-born Paul Curran
Paul Curran (director)
Paul Curran is a Scottish opera director. He was General Manager of the opera company of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet , and artistic consultant to Central City Opera of Denver, Colorado.-Early life:...
. He resigned in June 2011 under pressure for not commissioning enough work from Norwegian composers. Music Director (opera, orchestra and concert) is the American conductor John Fiore.
Images
The Ballet School
The Ballet School at the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet was founded in 1965 and has for years been the leading school for training in classical ballet in Norway.It is the National Ballet's own school, and the aim is to give children a thorough and extensive training in classical ballet, and to follow up the National Ballet's great development in recent years. It will be done through a service that maintains a very high level in an international context.
The Ballet School at the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet profess not to a particular educational system. Students are taught by a unique team of international ballet teachers with broad and varied background. This gives students a broad stylistic experience base to build on the combination of pure classical technique and versatility as the National Ballet demonstrate and demand.
Important is also the good results of our current and former students in recent years has been the national EBU competitions and the annual Nordic-Baltic Ballet Competition in Sweden and not least in the prestigious Prix de Lausanne
Prix de Lausanne
The Prix de Lausanne is an International dance competition held annually in Lausanne, Switzerland. The competition is for young dancers seeking to pursue a professional career in classical ballet, and many former prize winners of the competition are now leading stars with major ballet companies...
. These are clear signs that the concerted effort over the years have yielded results, so they are now equal with the balleteducation in the other Nordic capitals, and that they are in position to climb further.
In addition to regular classes,students from the school participate in several of the National Ballet's performances. In The Nutcracker
Nutcracker
A nutcracker is a mechanical device for cracking nuts. Usually they work on the principle of moments as described in Archimedes' analysis of the lever...
up to 70 children and adolescents participate. This great Christmas idea is thus one of the year's highlights. Another is of course the school's own student performance that is held each year during the spring term.