The National Theatre in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

( no, Nationaltheatret) is one of

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

'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 Christiania Theatre, or ''Kristiania Theatre'', was Norway's finest stage for spoken drama from 4 October 1836 (opening date) to 1 September 1899. It was located at Bankplassen by the Akershus Fortress, in central Christiania. It was the fir ...

, which was founded in 1829. There were three official opening performances, on subsequent days in September: first, selected pieces by

Ludvig Holberg Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg (3 December 1684 – 28 January 1754) was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian dual monarchy. He was influenced by Humanism, ...

, then '' An Enemy of the People'' by Henrik Ibsen, and on the third day ''

Sigurd Jorsalfar Sigurd Magnusson (1089 – 26 March 1130), also known as Sigurd the Crusader (Old Norse: ''Sigurðr Jórsalafari'', Norwegian: ''Sigurd Jorsalfar''), was King of Norway (being Sigurd I) from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his half-brothe ...

'' by

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson ( , ; 8 December 1832 – 26 April 1910) was a Norwegian writer who received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguishe ...

. 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 Vilhelm Krag (24 December 1871 – 10 July 1933) was a Norwegian poet, author, journalist and cultural personality. Known for coining the term Sørlandet to describe a region of Norway, he was the son of Peter Rasmus Krag and younger brother o ...

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

Royal Palace, Oslo The Royal Palace ( no, Slottet or ''Det kongelige slott'') in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of the French-born King Charles III John, who reigned as king of Norway and Sweden. The palace is the ...

and the Parliament of Norway. It is served by National Theatre Station and National Theatre metro stations. It was designed by

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

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 admitte ...

* 1908–1911

* 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 Aar ...

* 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 (acting) * 1934–1935

Johe. Wiers-Jensen Johan Henrik "Johe" Wiers-Jenssen (30 April 1897 – 23 March 1951) was a Norwegian newspaper columnist and theatre director. Biography He was born in Kristiania as the son of novelist, playwright and stage producer Hans Wiers-Jenssen (1866� ...

* 1935–1941 Axel Otto Normann * 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 Axel Otto Normann * 1946–1960

Knut Hergel Knut ( Norwegian and Swedish), Knud ( Danish), or Knútur (Icelandic) is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch first name, of which the anglicised form is Canute. In Germany both "Knut" and "Knud" are used. In Spanish and Portuguese Canuto is used ...

* 1960–1961 Carl Fredrik Engelstad * 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 * 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 ...

* 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 cho ...

* 1988–1990 Ellen Horn, Ole-Jørgen Nilsen and Sverre Rødahl * 1990–1992

Stein Winge Stein Winge (born 10 November 1940) is a Norwegian stage producer, theatre director and International Emmy Nominated actor. He has produced numerous plays and operas, and was theatre director at the National Theatre from 1990 to 1992. He was decor ...

* 1992–2000 Ellen Horn * 2000–2008 Eirik Stubø * 2009–present Hanne Tømta

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