January 23, 1989: La Boheme in Oslo

1989-01-23 La Boheme (Puccini), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Mimi = Solveig Kringlebotn
Musetta = Ingjerd Oda Mantor
Rodolfo = José Antonio Sempere
Marcello = Trond Halstein Moe
Schaunard = Per Vollestad
Colline = Svein Carlsen
Benoit/Alcindoro = Bjørn Lie-Hansen
Parpignol = Ola S. Isene

Per Åke Andersson, conductor



Solveig Kringlebotn (or Kringelborn as she is knowm internationally) and José Antonio Sempere was great as Mimi and Rodolfo.

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January 7, 1989: Die Fledermaus in Oslo

1989-01-07 Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Dr. Falke = Terje Stensvold
Alfred = Ragnar Ulfung
Adele = Solveig Kringlebotn
Rosalinde = Helena Döse
Eisenstein = Arild Helleland
Dr. Blind = Tor Gilje
Frank = Stein Arild Thorsen
Orlovski = Vesla Tveten
Ida = Gro Hundvin Eliassen
Frosch = Rolv Wesenlund

Zdenka Perharda, conductor




19 years after the performance, I say:

This operetta, The Bat (Die Fledermaus) is often played on New Years Eve or Day. Afterall it has a tune for Champagner as the King of Wine. This production was known for having Rolv Wesenlund, the famouse Norwegian comedian as Frosch. He is famous in Norway and Sweden. The old tenor master, Ragnar Ulfung sang Alfred and Swedish soprano Helena Döse was his wife. The new and now famous Norwegian soprano, Solveig Kringlebotn (or Solveig Kringelborn as she is called when she sings outside Scandinavia) was a wonderul Adele.

The operetta was upgraded to be set in the 1930's. Something that neither harmed it or enhanced it.

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November 30, 1989: Faust in Oslo

1989-11-30 Faust (Gounod), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Marguerite = Solveig Kringlebotn
Faust = Kåre Bjørkøy
Valentin = Jan Sødal
Mefisto = Oddbjørn Tennfjord
Siebel = Irma Urrila
Marte = Vessa Hanssen
Wagner = Jens Olai Justvik

Dag Nilssen, conductor

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For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com
If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

November 28, 1989: Otello in Oslo

1989-11-28 Otello (Verdi), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Otello = Osvaldo di Pianduni
Desdemona = Frøydis Klausberger
Iago = Knut Skram
Emilia = Torhild Staahlen
Cassio = Arild Helleland
Rodrigo = Stein Erik Sagbråten
Lodovico = Bjørn Mørch-Olsen
Montano = Jens Olai Justvik

Martin Turnovsky, conductor

OD Travel

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com
If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

September 28, 1989: Barbiere di Siviglia in Oslo

1989-09-20
General Rehearsal

Tuesday, September 28
DEN NORSKE OPERA
BARBEREN I SEVILLA (Il Barbiere di Siviglia)
by GIOACCHINO ROSSINI



1989-09-28 Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Rosina = Itziar Martinez Galdos
Almaviva = Neill Archer
Figaro = Trond Halstein Moe
Bartolo = Enzo Florimo
Basilio = Johann Tilli
Berta = Torill Carlsen
Fiorillo = Ulf Øien

Carlo Felice Cillario, conductor

Loved Itziar Marinez Galdos and Torill Carlsen as Rosina and Berta

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September 20, 1989: Barbiere di Siviglia in Oslo

1989-09-20 Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Rosina = Itziar Martinez Galdos
Almaviva = Neill Archer
Figaro = Trond Halstein Moe
Bartolo = Enzo Florimo
Basilio = Johann Tilli
Berta = Torill Carlsen
Fiorillo = Ulf Øien

Carlo Felice Cillario, conductor



1989-09-20
General Rehearsal

Tuesday, September 28
DEN NORSKE OPERA
BARBEREN I SEVILLA (Il Barbiere di Siviglia)
by GIOACCHINO ROSSINI

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September 5, 1989: Lucia di Lammermoor in Oslo

1989-09-05 Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Lucia = Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz
Edgardo = Giuseppe Costanzo
Enrico = Knut Skram
Raimondo = Svein Carlsen
Alisa = Torill Eriksen
Arturo = Ulf Øien
Normanno = Arild Helleland

Carlo Felice Cillario, conductor
Regie - Wilhelm Sandven (after an original konzept by Maria von Grosschmid) Scenography - Kathrine Hysing
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August 17, 1989: La Chulapona in Edinburgh

1989-08-17 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Playhouse Theatre (Edinburgh)

Manuela, jefa del taller de plancha = Lola Casariego
Rosario, oficiala y amiga de Manuela = Amalia Barrio
José María, novio de Manuela = Ricardo Muñiz
Juan de Dios, hermano de Manuela = Julio Incera
Señor Antonio, padre de Emilia y eterno enamorado de Manuela =José Luis Cancela
Doña Venustiana, madre de Rosario y prestamista = Rosaura De Andrea
El Chalina, organillero achulado y algo aprovechado = Rafael Castejón
Don Epifanio, padre de Manuela y pobre cesante = Luis Barbero
Emilia = Marisa Ruz
Organillero = Mario Martín
Lolita = Manolita Antolinos
Ascensión = Juanita Ruiz
Concha = Ada Rodriguez
Ist Guard = José Antonio Sanguino
2nd Guard = Ion Garyalde
Manolito = César Lucendo
Young man in tavern = José Varela
Drunkard = Jesús Alcaide
Flamenco singer = Maria "La Coneja"
Ganadero = José Antonio Sanguino
Cansino = José Sánchez Cela
Peasant = Carlos Rubio
Maravilla = Pilar Del Río
Guadalupe = Emilia Fuentes
Café owner = Andrés Fuentes
Sleeping man = Rafael Del Río
Guitarist = Francisco Bohollo

Dancers = Elvira Andrés, Nuria Castejon, Paloma Moraleda
Pilar Rubio, Carlos Fernández, Isaac Fernández, Juan Manuel Lillo, Ricardo Ocaña



Miguel Roa, conductor

National Opera of Spain, Teatro la Zarzuela, Madrid
Producer - Gerardo Malla
Designer - Mario Barnedo
Choreography - Goyo Montero
Light design - Eric Teunis


My first Zarzuela experience. It was wonderful. But if I understood Spanish it would have been even better. It had lot of dialogue and was funny too, but it was all in Spanish.

August 16, 1989: Montserrat Caballe in Edinburgh

1989-08-16 Recital Montserrat Caballe, Usher Hall (Edinburgh)

Montserrat Caballe, soprano
Miguel Zanetti, piano



(Vivaldi, Bellini, Mercadante, Rossini, Granados, Mompou, Obradors, Turina)
5 extras
1: La Paloma
2.
3. Los Clavelitos
4. Lunar...
5. Melanope

OperaDuets Travel

It was a painful experience. Baroque arias etc and then I was really sick, pain in my body. And we were sitting high up and far away in a balcony. I just remember the pain. But I am sure La Superba was simply superb. But all I wanted to be in bed and have some pain killers. She sang 5 extras so it must have been a great recital for those that were not ill.

May 3, 1989: Il Trovatore in Oslo

1989-05-03 Il Trovatore (Verdi), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Grev Luna = Jan Sødal
Leonora = Kjersti Ekeberg
Azucena = Vessa Hanssen
Manrico = Kåre Bjørkøy
Ferrando = Svein Carlsen
Inez = Eva Solheim
Ruiz = Ronald Sørvik

Dag Nilssen, conductor


1989-05-03
Den Norske Opera, Universitets Aula
Opera konzertant
TRUBADUREN (Il Trovatore)
by Giuseppe Verdi


Wonderful concert version. Great singing. Loved Vessa Hanssen as Azucena. She was amazing.

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April 27, 1989: Der Fliegende Hollender in Oslo

1989-04-27
Den Norske Opera
General Rehearsal of
Der FLIEGENDE HOLLENDER
by Wagner

Senta = Frøydis Klausberger


I used to be a Opera Friend of Den Norske Opera in my study years. Lots of opera possibilities as General Rehearsal. All I remember is that Frøydis Klausberger, our Norwegian soprano was a great Senta. And that I only enjoyed her aria at the spinning wheel. And then I had the program but no list of cast...

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April 6, 1989: Tosca in Oslo

1989-04-06 Tosca (Puccini), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Floria Tosca = Helena Döse
Mario Cavaradossi = Gardar Cortes
Baron Scarpia = Stein Arild Thorsen

Antonio Pappano, conductor



I did not get to see Plácido Domingo as Mario Cavaradossi in Oslo with Helena Döse as Tosca. But I got the Icelandic tenor Gardar Cortes. And strangely enough I got to see his son as the Duke of Mantua in Nordfjordeid in 2005.

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