Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-09-06
Cultural Currents
Danish Theatre


1722 when the first stage with
Danish actors was opened in CO.
penhagen. Before that time, how
ever, various foreign companies
had given performances, and the
first theatre was opened already IN
1868. The Royal Theatre, which is
the principal theatre in Denmark,
was inaugurated on December
18th, 174S, with $50 seats. Up to
lS4S the royal court had influence
on the management of the theatre;
later it came under the province
of the Ministry of Education. The
present building was opened in
1874, also at Kongens Nytorv, with
about 1900 seats. An annex was
added to the Royal Theatre in
1881, The New Stage" popularity
call "Staarekassen" ("the starting
box''C with 1925 seats. The two
theatres, subsidized by the state
at the rate of about million kron-
er a year, perform dramas, operas
and ballots, and at the same time
constitute a national theatre which
is under obligation to give about so
performances in the provinces each
season.
The Royal Ballet has acquired
world fame. The first Danish bal
lets were created by GalleOtti, an
Italian, about 1900. With August
BOurnonville, ballet master from
1929 to 1879, the national Danish
let compositions for it, and under
his gifted direction an excellent
company was created which has
maintained it's world fame ever
since. Since the late 'twenties the
ballet has been profoundly influ-
enced by the modern Russian
school, which has left it's mark up
on modern Danish ballet compost
tions. Under the direction of the
present ballet master Harald Lam
der the Royal Ballet has given
guest performances at the Paris
Opera, Theatre Royal in Brussels
and Kungliga Oper in Stock
holm.
Besides the national stages, the
Royal Theatre, Copenhagen has 8
private theatres. The first one, the
Casino. which is now closed down,
was established in 1s4s. There are
stages for touring companies in
different parts of the provinces
and permanent theatres in Aarhus,
Aalborg and Odense.
In the Kronborg Castle near Ell
sinore international Hamlet per-
formances are given eevry sum-
mer. featuring foreign guests.
Among the artists who have play
ed the prince in Shakespeare's dra-
ma are Laurence Olivier, John
Gielgud, and Robert Breen.-In the
immediate vicinity of Copenhagen
there are also two open-air the
aires playing during the summer.
Danish Film Production
The Danish film production is
one OF the oldest in the world. The
first Danish film was made already
in 1897, reporting a visit by the
Russian Car. Denmark's leading
production company. the Nordisk
Film Co, was established in 1906,
and in 1913 it was the second big
gest in the world after the French
Pathe Freres.
The most important Danish fea-
Carl tn. Dreyer's Day of Wrath.
Bodil lpsen's and Lau Lauritzen's
"The Red Meadows" and "Stot
star den danske semand" Gun
daunted Danish Sailors'), and AS
trid and Bjarne Henning-Jensen's
"Ditte. the Child of Man"
In addition to the production Of
feature films, a considerable pro-
duction of Danish documentary
films evolved during the war on
the pattern set by John Grierson.
The average production is 30
short films a year.
Danish Music
Musical life in Denmark is of
considerable volume for the size of
The country and the number of in
habitants.
The Royal Orchestra under the
Royal Theatre Royal OPERA cele-