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!

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

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!

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.

La Boheme at Ringen Cinema in Oslo

Saturday, February 4th

Again in this forum, we see that culture and film can be combined. On Saturday the Norwegian Opera & Ballet in joint venture with Cinemas across the country had rigged up for live event of Puccini’s La Boheme. The Cinemas in Norway are often sending live performance by satellite from Bolshoi, the Royal Ballet and the Met, but it is the very first time the Norwegian Opera do something like this.

And gosh the performance was successful. La Boheme was beautiful with stunning scenography. That Stefan Herheim is the director nearly promises that something is changed in the production. This performance was no exception. As an example: Syphilis is exchanged with cancer.

It is a Norwegian tradition to struggle with the sound, and this live event was neither any exception. Sometimes the sound fell out on the amplitudes, but it only lasted for maximum a second. I think that this is called clipping! Anyway, the clipping of the sound did not destroy the event. I really hope the Norwegian Opera & Ballet keep up the good work.

Do they need fundraising before next live performance?

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

For the first time in more than twenty years, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has visited the Norwegian Opera and Ballet. Alvin Ailey is one of the world’s most respected companies and they literally gave a stunning performance tonight.

The repertoire for 22 June 2011:

• Night Creature (1974)
  
  • Coreography: Alvin Ailey
  • Music: Duke Ellington
• In/ Side (2008)
  
  • Coreography: Robert Battle
  • Music performed by: Nina Simone
• Love Stories (2004)
  
  • Coreography: Judith Jamison med Robert Battle og Rennie Harris
  • Music: Stevie Wonder og Clarence Paul-Henry
• Revelations (1960)
  
  • Coreography: Alvin Ailey
  • Music: Trad.