Folketeateret is a

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

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 of ...

, Norway. The building has been used as a movie theatre and as an opera house. The theatre has 1,400 seats.

History

The theatre itself operated from 1952 to 1959, but the institution has a much longer history. Inspired by the Freie Deutsche Volksbühne in

Berlin Berlin is Capital of Germany, the capital and largest city of Germany, both by area and List of cities in Germany by population, by population. Its more than 3.85 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European U ...

led to forming of interest organizations in

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...

and Oslo in 1928 and 1929. The idea to establish a good theater for the working class. The ''Folketeatret'' building in Oslo was commissioned in 1929, and the architects

Christian Morgenstierne Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

(1880–1967) and

Arne Eide Arne may refer to: Places * Arne, Dorset, England, a village ** Arne RSPB reserve, a nature reserve adjacent to the village * Arné, Hautes-Pyrénées, Midi-Pyrénées, France * Arne (Boeotia), an ancient city in Boeotia, Greece * Arne (Thessaly), ...

(1881–1957) worked on it until it opened in 1935. For financial reasons, a theatre did not open immediately, but a

movie theatre A movie theater (American English), cinema (British English), or cinema hall (Indian English), also known as a movie house, picture house, the movies, the pictures, picture theater, the silver screen, the big screen, or simply theater is a ...

was operated. The first theatre performance happened in 1952.

Hans Jacob Nilsen Hans Jacob Nilsen (8 November 1897 – 6 March 1957) was a Norwegian actor, theatre director and film director. He was a theatre director at Den Nationale Scene, at Folketeatret, and for two separate periods at Det Norske Teatret. Personal lif ...

(1897–1957) was the theatre director from 1952 to 1955, then

Jens Gunderssen Jens Gunderssen (19 May 1912 – 11 December 1969) was a Norwegian singer, songwriter, actor, stage producer and theatre director. Early and personal life Gunderssen was born in Drammen, as son of Karl Gunderssen and Ågot Uhl. His father was ...

(1912–1969) from 1955 to 1959. In 1959 the finances were too poor to continue as an independent theatre. ''Folketeatret'' was merged with

Det Nye Teater Det Nye Teater was a theatre that opened in Oslo in 1929, and ended as an independent theatre in 1959, when it merged with Folketeatret to form Oslo Nye Teater. The theatre's original purpose was to support contemporary Norwegian drama. History ...

to form

Oslo Nye Teater Oslo Nye Teater is a theater located in Oslo, Norway. The theater has its main stage in its own theater house at Rosenkrantz' gate 10. It is one of Norway's most visited theatres. Oslo Nye Teater AS is wholly owned by Oslo Municipality. His ...

, although it continued operation in ''Folketeatret'''s building. From 1959 to 2008 the building was shared with the

Norwegian National Opera The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet ( no, Den Norske Opera & Ballett, links=no) is a Norwegian opera company and ballet company. The first fully professional company each for opera and ballet in Norway and the only such professional organisati ...

. Stage production company Scenekvelder has been active to theater productions at the theatre in recent years. In 2013, Scenekvelder put up the production of the musical ''

Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...

''. In 2014, Scenekvelder produces the first production of ''

Billy Elliot The Musical ''Billy Elliot: The Musical'' is a coming-of-age stage musical based on the 2000 film of the same name. The music is by Elton John, and the book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around Billy, a ...

'' at Folketeateret. In 2015, Scenekvelder produces the replica version of''

Mary Poppins It may refer to: * ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character. * Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers. * ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film star ...

''. In 2016, Scenekvelder set up the production of ''

Singin' in the Rain ''Singin' in the Rain'' is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd C ...

''. In 2017, Scenekvelder set up the production of ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...

''. In the fall of 2018, Scenekvelder set up the production of ''

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...

'', directed by Stephen Barlow.

References

Other sources *Næss, Trine ''Mellomkrigstidens teater i den norske hovedstaden'' (Solum. 1994) *Nilsen, Sidsel Marie ''Helst mot urolig vær: Teatermannen Hans Jacob Nilsen'' (Aschehoug. 1997)

External links

Folketeateret official website
Theatres in Oslo Cinemas in Norway Opera houses in Norway 1952 establishments in Norway 1959 disestablishments in Norway 1935 establishments in Norway Theatres completed in 1935 Theatres completed in 1952 {{Norway-theat-struct-stub