Main House / Oslo Opera House


Cinderella had season premiere 5th May 2012. I was watching the opening night, the rehearsal 4th May as well as 7th and 8th May – which I think is new personal record. Reason for this is that I like to see the different casts (and I was rather busy in May).

The performance is choreographed by Ben Stevenson, the man that offered the Chinese dancer Li Cunxin (Mao's last dancer) a six-week scholarship to America, and later a position with the Houston Ballet. Sergei Prokofiev wrote the symphonic masterpiece to this performance (Cinderella) that last approximately 2 hours 30 minutes. Dancers from the Norwegian National Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet School danced to the music conducted by John Helmer Fiore and played by the Norwegian National Opera Orchestra.

This classic fairytale ballet is about love, and good versus evil. Many have seen the classical animated film from Walt Disney (1950), and much of the fairytale story is used in Ben Stevenson's ballet version. Cinderella is plagued by her stepmother and her two daughters, but with help from her Fairy Godmother, she gets to the ball. Instead of the glass shoes, obviously, Cinderella uses very small Pointe shoes. The ballet version tells the story as classical ballet with comical episodes – sometimes too many – and magnificent costumes and scenography.

I also watched the performance 30th May, because I wanted to see Yolanda Correa and Joel Carreño just one more time. The problem was that tens of thousands screaming teenagers wanted a glimpse of Justin Bieber at the Opera's roof – the same day.

Sleeping Beauty at the Opera

The premiere the 6th June 2013


The Opera House in Oslo celebrates fifth birthday this year. On the white marble outdoor, it is exhibited pictures of the highlights of the five years that have passed. If you have any favourite, you can vote on those by SMS. Without being biased to the National Ballet, I found my favourites easily!


Indoor they showed the ballet Sleeping Beauty. This ballet is truly one of the great classics of the ballet repertory. Ever since its premiere in 1890 in St. Petersburg, this classic ballet accompanied by Tchaikovsky's music, captivated audiences worldwide. It is now in the Norwegian Opera's repertory again, with the Norwegian National Ballet and the superstar dancers Yoël Carreño and Yolanda Correa. The opening night more than fulfilled all of my expectations. It is worth mentioning that Natasha Jones and Philip Currell had its Sleeping Beauty debut on Saturday 8 June! They both got star-review. Other couples dancing are Miharu Maki and Gakuro Matsui as well as Chihiro Nomura and Dirk Weyershausen. Choreography: Marius Petipa, some elements of Cynthia Harvey and Janek Schergen.


In short: Sleeping Beauty is highly recommended for everything from novices to experts on ballet!

23, September 2013


The opera Le grand macabre is György Ligeti's only opera. It is the first time it is put up in Norway, and at the same time, this is Per Boye Hansen's first performance as opera manager. The story, which depicts a society on the brink of apocalypse, makes fun of the human body and the fear of dying. While we wait for death (a comet is on its way), unclear moral and history becomes more and more complex. The mood swings from the humorous to the burlesque – from the grotesque to the lyrical. Both the music and the story challenges the audience's preconceived ideas of what theater should be.


The story of Le grand macabre is taken from Michel de Ghelderode's play of the same name. The actors and the orchestra were interoperable. Anyway, there are plenty scenography (human body) that takes a lot of attention with great scenic effects and the creative use of video. All in all this is a macabre and amusing opera!


Music: György Ligeti
Libretto: György Ligeti and Michael Meschke

Music director: John Helmer Fiore, conductor
Direction and concept: Alex Ollé (La Fura dels Baus) and Valentina Carrasco

Scenography: Alfons Flores
Video: Franc Aleu
Lighting design: Peter van Praet

Contributors: Thor Inge Falch, Tone Kummervold, Amelie Alden Heim, Ketil Hugaas, Hege Høisæter, David Hansen et al
Opera Chorus and Opera Orchestra

16th to 21 October

This fall it was time for another trip to London with the ballet gang. In this forum, which is about culture and films, I find it suitable to tell about the events – which also has been filmed (or broadcasted live).


Top Hat

17th October

The musical Top Hat is based on the movie of the same name from 1935, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. We saw the musical in Aldwych Theatre in London's West End. We were nine ballet friends who saw the show, and we all agree that this was a dance/stepping show in world class. Add the evergreen music, and you find a classic musical that we all recommend. Too bad it was taken off the Aldwych Theatre 26 October. Gavin Lee danced the role of Jerry Travers, and Kristen Beth Williams danced Dale Tremont.


Don Quixote

18th October

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote was broadcast live to cinemas 16 October. Carlos Acosta and Marianela Nuñez were dancing this evening. Two days later, we were 18 ballet enthusiasts who saw the same ballet. This evening Steve McRae danced as Basilio, and Akane Takada as Kitri. I assume that the men were most satisfied with the Royal Ballet this evening. Steve McRae had some amazing combinations - BRAVO! This is one of the best Don Quixote ever!


Romeo and Juliet

19th October

The next day the tour was going to Romeo and Juliet. Romeo was danced by Federico Bonelli, Julie of Lauren Cuthbertson. We were 18 ballet enthusiasts (?!) who saw the show. First we had a delicious dinner (lamb) at the Royal Opera House, and then it was time for the performance. In the break we had a delicious dessert. This evening it were the ladies evening. They were particularly pleased with the performance and this love drama of Shakespeare. And the ladies had a good reason for being satisfied, because there was some tremendous good pas de deux in this classical ballet.


No London trip without Shakespeare!

As a true optimist Anna turns up with Kristoff in an epic journey. Together they meet Norwegian conditions, and a funny snowman named Olaf, in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa. She has icy powers and also captured the kingdom Arendell in eternal winter.


Frost was released 10 November 2013. The film is based on H.C. Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen. Because the film is inspired by Norway, Walt Disney Animation Studios' filmmakers went to Norway: Akershus Fortress in Oslo, Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, and Bryggen in Bergen. The main characters have received Norwegian names: Sven, Anna and Olaf. The film is incredibly beautiful - a true Disney classic! And it's really fun among Norwegians, that the film is inspired by Norway as well as Norwegian culture? Several travel companies now offer Frozen-tours in Norway. One of these is the company Adventures by Disney. Besides is the old Norwegian promotion movie in Epcot Center at Disney World in Florida replaced with the two-time Oscar-winning animated film Frost. I'm so proud!


Sources:
Frozen at LiavaagWiki

May 24 to May 31

American Ballet Theatre (ABT) celebrated this year the 75th anniversary of his Metropolitan Opera House. This we could not miss, so the occasion of ABT's 75th anniversary traveled ballet gang to New York. There we saw the following performances:


GISELLE
May 25th

Expectations were sky high when Roberto Bolle and Julia Kent danced lead roles in GISELLE at the Metropolitan Opera House. Roberto Bolle, who is from Milan, joined ABT as a soloist in 2009. Julia Kent is American, a native of Potomac, Maryland, started in ABT in 1986 and became a soloist in 1993. Expectations were met - an experience for life.


THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
May 29th

Friday 29 May we were at the premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. We had a better meal at the Metropolitan Opera House before the experience started with this giant ballet. Magnificent scenography and costumes - a great experience! Gillian Murphy danced the role of Aurora. She is a native of Florence, South Carolina, and joined ABT in 1996 as a soloist in 2002. Brazilian Marcelo Gomes attended the role Désiré. He came from Manaus before joining ABT 1997 – in 2002 as soloist.

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It was of course time for other great experiences in New York, and other performances as well!


ALL ROBINS
May 26th

This was a performance by New York City Ballet (NYCB) at David H. Koch Theater. ALL ROBINS had two choreographies by Jerome Robbins: The Goldberg Variations, and West Side Story Suite. Great dancing and music.


AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
May 27th

You cannot have been in the Big Apple without seeing a Broadway musical. Wednesday 27 May we went to see AN AMERICAN IN PARIS at The Palace Theatre.

The dress rehearsal 18 September 2015, as well as performances 25 September and 9 October 2015


Manon is a narrative choreography where the main character Manon stands with the choice between love and a life of prosperity. The plot is from the high society in France in the 1700s, where the protagonist through three acts moves us from love in Paris to misery in Louisiana. Manon premiered in Norway this fall! The ballet’s choreography is by Sir Kenneth MacMillan. Despite that he choreographed it in 1974, Manon are among the classics of classical ballets today. Still, the Norwegian National Ballet made a new scenography.

The reviews were positive. The Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen wrote that John Kristian Alsaker scenography is simple but effective, and Ingrid Nylanders 1700s themed costumes is a sight - at least if one sits far forward in the saddle and see every detail (Kjølstadmyr, 2015). The culture magazine Kulturspeilet believed that Manon was the best classical ballet evening we've seen in Bjørvika, ever (Thorsås, 2015). Daily wrote that Yolanda Correa are standing for the magnificent in this performance (Kjølstadmyr, 2015). I agree! Actually, I saw two performances with Yolanda, who clearly got Manon to emerge as an interesting character. BRAVO!


Sources

• Thorsås, Jon-Harald (2015-9-dd). Manon i særklasse. [ONLINE] Available: http://www.kulturspeilet.no/manon-i-saerklasse/ [Accessed 3. November 2015].
• Kjølstadmyr, Inger Marie (2015-9-20). En sukkersøt tragedie. [ONLINE] Available: http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/en-sukkers%C3%B8t-tragedie-1.398483 [Accessed 3. November 2015].