The National Theatre in Oslo ( no, Nationaltheatret) is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.

History

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 ''An Enemy of the People'' (original Norwegian title: ''En folkefiende''), an 1882 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, followed his previous play, ''Ghosts'', which criticized the hypocrisy of his society's moral code. That response inclu ...

'' by

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

, and on the third day '' Sigurd Jorsalfar'' by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. 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". NationalTheatretBack

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 '' Journey to the Christmas Star'' (), written by the theatre's finance director

Sverre Brandt Sverre Brandt (3 March 1880 – 16 July 1962) 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 ...

(1880–1962) and performed for the first time in 1924. The main building is centrally located between the Royal Palace, Oslo and the

Parliament of Norway The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

. It is served by National Theatre Station and

National Theatre metro station National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

s. It was designed by architect

Henrik Bull Henrik Bull (28 March 1864 – 2 June 1953) 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 d ...

(1864–1953). 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 is a neighborhood north of Grünerløkka and Lilleborg in the borough Sagene in Oslo, Norway. Oslo Tramway (''Trikken i Oslo'') provides connections with lines running between Majorstuen and Kjelsås. Vogts gate serves as the main str ...

district of Oslo.

Directors of the Theatre

* 1899–1907

Bjørn Bjørnson Bjørn Bjørnson (15 November 1859 – 14 May 1942) was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director. Biography He was born in Christiania, the son of author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and his wife Karoline Bjørnson. In 1876, he was admitted ...

* 1908–1911 Vilhelm Krag * 1911–1923

Halfdan Christensen Halfdan Christensen (12 December 1873 – 17 September 1950) was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director. Biography Christensen was born at Porsgrunn in Telemark, Norway. His family moved to Kristiania (now Oslo) where he attended Aars ...

* 1923–1927

* 1928–1930

Einar Skavlan Einar Kielland Skavlan (30 July 1882 – 16 August 1954) was a Norwegian journalist, newspaper editor, theatre critic and theatre director. Biography Skavlan was born in Frogn. His father, Olaf Skavlan, was writer, literary historian and prof ...

* 1930–1933

* 1933–1934

Anton Rønneberg Anton Johan Rønneberg (9 August 1902 – 7 May 1989) was a Norwegian writer, theatre critic, dramaturg and theatre director. Rønneberg was a theatre critic for several Oslo newspapers: '' Norges Kommunistblad'' in 1924, '' Middagsavisen'' ...

(acting) * 1934–1935 Johe. Wiers-Jensen * 1935–1941

Axel Otto Normann Axel may refer to: People * Axel (name), all persons with the name Places * Axel, Netherlands, a town ** Capture of Axel, a battle at Axel in 1586 Arts, entertainment, media * ''Axel'', a 1988 short film by Nigel Wingrove * ''Axel'', a Cirque d ...

* 1941–1945

Gustav Berg-Jæger Carl Gustav Berg-Jæger (31 December 1884 – 1957) 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 ...

* 1945–1946

* 1946–1960 Knut Hergel * 1960–1961

Carl Fredrik Engelstad Carl Johan Fredrik Engelstad (11 November 1915 – 1 October 1996) was a Norwegian writer, playwright, journalist, translator and theatre director. Personal life Engelstad was born in Hadsel as the son of jurist Sigurd Engelstad (1878–1916) ...

* 1962–1967

Erik Kristen-Johanssen Erik Kristen-Johanssen (13 March 1901 – 30 January 1976) 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 t ...

* 1967–1978

Arild Brinchmann Arild () is a locality situated in Höganäs Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 522 inhabitants in 2010. It is located in the bay of Skälderviken in north-western Scania, approximately 30 km north of Helsingborg in Sweden. Arild belon ...

* 1978–1986

Toralv Maurstad Toralv Maurstad (24 November 1926 – 4 November 2022) was a Norwegian stage, film, and television actor. He was the son of actor Alfred Maurstad and actress Tordis Maurstad (née Witzøe), and half-brother of actress Mari Maurstad. His screen d ...

* 1986–1988

Kjetil Bang-Hansen Kjetil Bang-Hansen (born 16 May 1940) 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 chore ...

* 1988–1990

Ellen Horn Ellen Horn (born Ellen Stoesen, 1 February 1951) is a Norwegian actress, theatre director, and politician for the Labour Party.Rossiné Career Horn started as a puppet actor at Oslo Nye Teater (1969–70), and was educated at the Teaterhøys ...

Ole-Jørgen Nilsen Ole-Jørgen Nilsen (28 February 1936 – 15 June 2008) 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. Career Nils ...

and

Sverre Rødahl Sverre Rødahl (born 7 July 1950, in Oslo) is a Norwegian stage producer and theatre director. He studied French, Sociology and Nordic language and literature at the University of Oslo and became cand. mag. in 1975. In 1979 he was admitted among t ...

* 1990–1992 Stein Winge * 1992–2000

* 2000–2008

Eirik Stubø Eirik Aasan Stubø (born 16 June 1965 in Narvik, Norway) is a Norwegian stage producer and theatre director. He has been director of Rogaland Teater and Nationaltheatret in Norway, and Stockholms Stadsteater and the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Sw ...

* 2009–present

Hanne Tømta Hanne Tømta (born 21 August 1968) is a Norwegian theatre instructor and theatre director. Career Born in Oslo on 21 August 1968, Tømta is educated at the University of Oslo (from 1987 to 1991), and at the Saint Petersburg State Theatre Arts A ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1899 establishments in Norway Oslo, National Theatre Theatres in Oslo Theatres completed in 1899

History

Directors of the Theatre

See also

References

External links