Theatre in Denmark
Encyclopedia
The theatre of Denmark continues to thrive thanks to the many theatres in Copenhagen
and across the country which put on a wide variety of Danish and foreign performances. The flagship Royal Danish Theatre
presents drama
, opera
, ballet
and music
. Since the 18th century, Danish playwrights have been successful in attracting wide public interest.
(1684-1754) that Danish theatre began to prosper. Holberg, sometimes known as the Danish Molière
in view of his successful satirical comedies (1722), is considered to be the founder of the Danish theatre. Plays such as Jean de France and Jeppe of the Hill are still performed today.
Adam Oehlenschläger (1779-1850) introduced romanticism to the Danish theatre. Especially successful was his Earl Hakon the Mighty, premiered in 1808.
The Norwegian Henrik Ibsen
(1828- 1906) also travelled to Copenhagen where he produced plays such as A Doll's House
(1879). It deals with the hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie and a woman’s struggle to emancipate herself. For Ibsen and his contemporaries, drama was not a question of entertainment but an exercise in critical commentary on the lifestyle of the times. During this period, the Royal Theatre dominated the scene, but around 1850 other, to some extent more popular, theatres were established, starting with the Casino (1848) where H.C. Andersen produced his Ole Lukøie (1850). The Casino became popular for satirical revues in the 1870s.
In the 20th century, theatres were established in the large cities Århus, Odense
and Aalborg
as well as several in Copenhagen.
Kjeld Abell
(1901-1961), the first Danish modernist playwright, wrote the successful The Melody That Got Lost in 1935 with productions in both Copenhagen and London
. Kaj Munk
(1898-1944), a Lutheran pastor, brought religion into his plays. Ordet (The Word) is often said to have been his best work. Carl Erik Soya
(1896-1983) is remembered especially for his anti-Nazi plays such as En Gæst (A Guest) a satire aimed against the German occupation of Denmark and in 1943, Min Farmors Hus (made into the 1984 film Grandmother's House).
Leif Panduro
(1923-1977) wrote a number of plays, some filmed or televised, criticising the middle class, the welfare state and the conflict between normal and abnormal, often questioning the views generally shared by the audience. His I Adams verden (1973) and Louises hus (1974) are among the best Scandinavian television dramas of the 1970s.
In recent years, there has been something of a revival in Danish theatre. Many new playwrights and producers have appeared. These include:
, a number of Danish musicals have been written and performed in Copenhagen and elsewhere. Knud Christensen, commonly known as Sebastian, was particularly successful with Cyrano (1992), based on Rostand
’s play and Klokkeren fra Notre Dame
(The Hunchback of Notre Dame) (2001). Bent Fabricius-Bjerre's musical Matador
with lyrics by Clemens Telling based on an earlier, highly successful television series was premiered at the new Copenhagen Opera in June 2007 to full houses.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and across the country which put on a wide variety of Danish and foreign performances. The flagship Royal Danish Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
presents drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, 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...
, 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...
and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. Since the 18th century, Danish playwrights have been successful in attracting wide public interest.
History
It was in the 18th century with the plays of Ludvig HolbergLudvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, who spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque...
(1684-1754) that Danish theatre began to prosper. Holberg, sometimes known as the Danish Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
in view of his successful satirical comedies (1722), is considered to be the founder of the Danish theatre. Plays such as Jean de France and Jeppe of the Hill are still performed today.
Adam Oehlenschläger (1779-1850) introduced romanticism to the Danish theatre. Especially successful was his Earl Hakon the Mighty, premiered in 1808.
The Norwegian Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
(1828- 1906) also travelled to Copenhagen where he produced plays such as A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
(1879). It deals with the hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie and a woman’s struggle to emancipate herself. For Ibsen and his contemporaries, drama was not a question of entertainment but an exercise in critical commentary on the lifestyle of the times. During this period, the Royal Theatre dominated the scene, but around 1850 other, to some extent more popular, theatres were established, starting with the Casino (1848) where H.C. Andersen produced his Ole Lukøie (1850). The Casino became popular for satirical revues in the 1870s.
In the 20th century, theatres were established in the large cities Århus, Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
and Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
as well as several in Copenhagen.
Kjeld Abell
Kjeld Abell
Kjeld Abell was a Danish playwright and theatrical designer. Born in Ribe, Denmark, Abell's first designs were seen in ballets directed by George Balanchine at Copenhagen's Royal Danish Theatre and London's Alhambra Theatre....
(1901-1961), the first Danish modernist playwright, wrote the successful The Melody That Got Lost in 1935 with productions in both Copenhagen and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Kaj Munk
Kaj Munk
Kaj Harald Leininger Munk was a Danish playwright and Lutheran pastor, known for his cultural engagement and his martyrdom during the Occupation of Denmark of World War II...
(1898-1944), a Lutheran pastor, brought religion into his plays. Ordet (The Word) is often said to have been his best work. Carl Erik Soya
Carl Erik Soya
Carl Erik Soya, , also known by the single appellation Soya, was a Danish author and dramatist. His works were often satirical provocations against double-standards and dishonesty...
(1896-1983) is remembered especially for his anti-Nazi plays such as En Gæst (A Guest) a satire aimed against the German occupation of Denmark and in 1943, Min Farmors Hus (made into the 1984 film Grandmother's House).
Leif Panduro
Leif Panduro
Leif Thormod Panduro was a Danish novelist and dramatist. A dentist by profession, he began in his thirties to write stories about people who can't conform to society's rules for one reason or another. Rend mig i traditionerne is about an adolescent who finally ends up in an asylum because he...
(1923-1977) wrote a number of plays, some filmed or televised, criticising the middle class, the welfare state and the conflict between normal and abnormal, often questioning the views generally shared by the audience. His I Adams verden (1973) and Louises hus (1974) are among the best Scandinavian television dramas of the 1970s.
In recent years, there has been something of a revival in Danish theatre. Many new playwrights and producers have appeared. These include:
- Astrid Saalbach (b.1955), winner of the Nordic Drama Award in 2004 for he play “End of the World”, whose drama “Morning and Evening” (1993) was also played at the Hampstead Theatre in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
; - Peter Asmussen (b.1957), who wrote the film script for Lars von TrierLars von TrierLars von Trier is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is closely associated with the Dogme 95 collective, although his own films have taken a variety of different approaches, and have frequently received strongly divided critical opinion....
's Breaking the WavesBreaking the WavesBreaking the Waves is a 1996 film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson. Set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 1970s, it tells the story of an unusual young woman, Bess McNeill, and of the love she has for Jan, her husband. The film is an international co-production led by Lars...
as well as numerous radio and television plays and staged dramas.
Danish musicals
Encouraged by the success of the Danish version of Les MisérablesLes Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
, a number of Danish musicals have been written and performed in Copenhagen and elsewhere. Knud Christensen, commonly known as Sebastian, was particularly successful with Cyrano (1992), based on Rostand
Rostand
Rostand may refer to:*Edmond Rostand was a French poet and dramatist.*Jean Rostand was a French biologist and philosopher....
’s play and Klokkeren fra Notre Dame
Klokkeren fra Notre Dame (musical)
Klokkeren fra Notre Dame is a Danish musical written and composed by Knud Christensen, commonly known as Sebastian, in 2002. Based on Victor Hugo's novel of the same name, it was written for the Mastodonterne theatre company, where it was premiered in March 2002. It was highly successful and was...
(The Hunchback of Notre Dame) (2001). Bent Fabricius-Bjerre's musical Matador
Matador (Danish musical)
Matador is a Danish musical from 2007 based on the television series of the same name. It was first performed on 10 June 2007 at the Copenhagen Opera House. The production was created by Peter Langdale , Bent Fabricius-Bjerre with lyrics by Clemens Telling. The story is based on Lise Nørgaard's...
with lyrics by Clemens Telling based on an earlier, highly successful television series was premiered at the new Copenhagen Opera in June 2007 to full houses.