Opening Gala for new opera in Oslo, Norway

The new opera house in Oslo, Norway will have its Gala Opening on April 12th with Maria Guleghina as one of the stars of the evening. Personally I do not have a ticket. But it is going to be televised and on radio (www.nrk.no) so I'll be home enjoying it with a Diet Coke (or Pepsi Max) in my hand.

Rather than Oslo Opening Gala I will go to Düsseldorf, Germany on April 19th for an Opera Gala with José Cura, Therese Waldner and Boris Statsenko. Waldner and Statsenko was great in Don Carlos of 2002, so I think it will be loads of fun.

Back to the subject NEW Opera House in Oslo, NORWAY. And the website looks better, harder to find the information though. If you want to find out who sings search the website and yes. To get to the BUY part seem easier, but I have not try that yet in the new website. www.operaen.no. For English, press 4 or rather http://www.operaen.no/Default.aspx?ID=245. Search is not yet English friendly, just Norwegian.

Information from the website about the Gala on April 12th:

Opening Gala Den Norske Opera & Ballett

April 12. 2008

Main Stage

With: Ellen Horn, Ragnhild Heiland Sørensen, Henrik Engelsviken, Bjørn Simensen, Maria Guleghina, Hege Schøyen, Nordic Tenors, Johannes Weisser, Silvia Moi, Anja Harteros, René Pape, Ingrid Bjørnov, Hege Høisæter, Eli Kristin Hagen, Thor Inge Falch, Ingjerd Oda Mantor, Ingebjørg Kosmo, Trond Halstein Moe, Ole Jørgen Kristiansen, Magne Fremmerlid, Itziar Martinez Galdos, Kjell Magus Sandve, Svein Erik Sagbråten, Carsten Stabell, Slavekoret, Randi Stene, Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz, Birgitte Christensen, Solveig Kringlebotn, Nicole Cabell, Fikile Muinjelwa, Toril Carlsen, Turid Karlsen, Terje Stensvold and all the dancers in The Norwegian National Ballet.

Excerpts from: Lohengrin, Turandot, The Magic Flute, Don Carlo, Around the World in Eighty Days, Nabbucco, Le Nozze di Figaro, Porgy & Bess, Der Rosenkavalier, La Bohéme, Et fjelleventyr, Otello, Der fliegende Holländer a.o.

The Norwegian National Ballet presents 2 world premieres:
I tid og rom - choreography Kristian Støvind
The Christening Suite - choreography Christopher Wheeldon

and 3 Norway premieres:
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude - choreography Wiiliam Forsythe
Sechs Tänze - choreography Jiri Kylián
Skew Whiff - choreography Lightfoot León

Conductors: Heinz Fricke, Marc Soustrot, Per Kristian Skalstad, Christian Eggen

The Norwegian National Opera Orchestra

The Norwegian National Opera Choir

The Norwegian National Opera Childrens Choir

The opening gala will be transmitted by NRK at NRK1, NRK P2 og NRK.no from 7:55 pm

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com