November 29.–January 17

Peer Gynt

Performed in Norwegian / Texted in Norwegian and English

3 hours / 1 intermission

Photographs credit: Erik Berg

«Who are you?» That is the question Peer Gynt asks the Bøyg, the Mountain King and the Sphinx, receiving only the answer, «Myself». But who is that, and who is Peer Gynt? What does it mean to be Norwegian in 2014, 200 years after we gained our first written constitution? What or where is the core, the seed? Is there one at all?
Few works have so embodied what it means to be Norwegian as Ibsen’s Peer Gynt. Not only is it a key work in the Norwegian literary canon, it is also one of Ibsen’s most frequently performed plays on the international theatrical scene. Grieg’s setting of Ibsen’s text is still Norway’s best known dramatic music. But what does this legacy mean for us today?

Estonian composer Jüri Reinvere explores this question in a completely new Peer Gynt. This is not an operatic version of Ibsen’s dramatic verse play, but a new interpretation, with Reinvere providing both the music and libretto. In his Peer Gynt, Ibsen’s characters have different encounters and travel to new places. The famous verse play meets elements from other Ibsen pieces – as well as lines from the Edda and Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
This work is a commentary on the position of the Peer Gynt phenomenon as a national and international Norwegian symbol. It is the story of the search for an identity that constantly escapes us. Our past and our memories, on the other hand, we carry with us whether we want to or not. The story of the evasive Peer Gynt shows that we have to face them in order to better understand ourselves. With Reinvere’s work, staged by young Norwegian director Sigrid Strøm Reibo, we confront the Peer Gynt legacy in Norway today.
Premiere discussion one week before the premiere / Fiore Lecture Show / free introduction one hour before the performance

CAST

Nils Harald Sødal as Peer Gynt
TENOR

Following a busy freelance career, Nils Harald Sødal joined the Norwegian National Opera ensemble in 2012. Sødal has appeared on many European opera stages and has received complimentary critiques in international publications such as Opernwelt and Opernglas.
His 2012 debut at the world famous Semperoper in Dresden was received with enthusiasm, and when the Norwegian National Opera performed Peter Grimes at the Savonlinna Opera Festival that same year, Sødal impressed the Finnish press in the title role:
«From start to finish he convinces and gives us an insight into Peter Grimes’ inner life and conflicts.»
His major roles with the Norwegian National Opera include the title roles in Peter Grimesand Robin Hood, Rosillon in The Merry Widow, Alfred and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Alfredo in La traviata, Don José in Carmen, David in The Fourth Watch of the Night, and Godpa in the new opera Khairos. This season, Sødal gives us an insight into the inner life and conflicts of Erik in The Flying Dutchman. As well as being an opera singer, Sødal is also a critically acclaimed author.

Marita Sølberg as Unge Solveig
SOPRANO

«Norwegian soprano Marita Sølberg is an unforgettable Mimì of the highest international standard.» This was how Opera Now’s critic described her debut in the role in Stefan Herheim’s La Bohème, for which she also received the Critics’ Award. In spring 2014 she made her debut in the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, and returned to the stage as Mimì in La Bohème.
A former winner of the Queen Sonja International Music Competition, Sølberg worked with the Opera in Stuttgart for two years before becoming a soloist with the Norwegian National Opera in 2008. Sølberg has starred in roles like Pamina in The Magic Flute, Giulietta in a concert production of I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Kathrine Sigismund in The Fourth Watch of the Night, Female Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia and Nedda in Pagliacci.
In autumn 2013 she sang the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, a reprisal of her role in the autumn 2010 production, which she also performed for the first time last year at La Fenice in Venice. She has also sung at major opera festivals in Salzburg and Glyndebourne, and has toured in many countries as Solveig in Peer Gynt. This fall she will sing a whole new Solveig in Jüri Reinvere’s Peer Gynt. In addition, she will perform Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann.

Ingebjørg Kosmo as Mor Åse/Gamle Solveig
Mezzo Soprano

From the fiery title role in Bizet’s Carmen to the careful Suzuki in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, from children’s songs to the Berlin Philharmonic – Ingebjørg Kosmo’s range is extensive.
The Norwegian National Opera has been pleased to have Kosmo as a soloist since 1997. Her long, rich history with the ensemble includes roles as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, Idamante in Idomeneo, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Sylva Varescu in Die Csárdásfürstin, Gudrun Skjeggesdatter in Søderlind’s Olav Tryggvason, Charlotte in Werther, Sextus in Julius Cæsar, Eboli in Don Carlo and Ellida in Søderlind’s opera The Lady from the Sea. With her solid experience, in 2013 she played the roles of Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro and Bianca in The Rape of Lucretia. This season, she plays Antonia’s mother in The Tales of Hoffmann, Mor Åse/Gamle Solveig in Peer Gynt and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.
Kosmo is a sought-after concert singer, and has performed as guest soloist in prestigious settings such as the Salzburg festivals and with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Her lyrical mezzo gives voice to Anitra in the recording of Peer Gynt with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. She also performs in Tveitt’s The Turtle with Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.
In 2013 she released a CD of children’s songs, Mamma synger – Sanger som går i arv, together with three fellow singers. A new solo release is coming in 2014.

Kari Ulfsnes Kleiven as Ingrid/Den grønnkledde/Anitra

SOPRANO

Kari Ulfsnes Kleiven comes from Melhus in the Sør-Trøndelag area of Norway, and is a soloist with the Norwegian National Opera starting in the 2014/2015 season, when she performed Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro and Amor in Orfeo ed Euridice.

Ulfsnes Kleiven is trained at the Norwegian Academy of Music and the National Academy of Operatic Art in Oslo. During her studies, she sang the roles of Despina in Così fan tutte, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Serpetta in La finta giardiniera, Erisbe in L’Ormindo and Sister Genovieffa in Suor Angelica. She has received various scholarships, including scholarships from the Ruud-Wallenberg Fund.

David Hansen as Bøygen/Cheshirekatten/
Knappestøperen

Thor Inge Falch as Smed/Herr Trumpetstråle/Huhu
TENOR

This spring Thor Inge Falch had great success with Eli Kristin Hanssveen, Hege Schøyen og Øivind Blunck in Hege og Øivind går til Operaen. Last autumn he the audience and the press as Piet The Pot in Le Grand Macabre. Aftenposten described the way he brought mortal fear to life: «with lots of vibrato and a tone that switches between warm and cold.»
Originally from Ballangen in the Nordland area of Norway, Falch has been a soloist with the Norwegian National Opera since 2007. His roles here include Eisenstein and Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Count Boni in Die Csárdásfürstin, Canio in Pagliacci, Robert Boles in Peter Grimes, Jon Bisp in Olav Trygvason, Passepartout in the premiere of Around the World in 80 Days, Prince John in Robin Hood and Herod in Salome.
Falch has also sung the title role in the opera Life with an Idiot at Malmö Opera and the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen, as well as the title role in Kejsar Jones at Göteborg Opera and at Ultima Contemporary Music Festival in Oslo. He has sung Cavaradossi in Tosca at Oscarsborg Fortress, and Calàf in Turandot and Manrico in Il Trovatore at Fredriksten Fortress.
Thor Inge Falch trained at Østlandet Music Conservatory, the National Academy of Operatic Art in Oslo and with Professor André Orlowitz in Copenhagen.

Johannes Weisser as Prest/Slakter/Hussein
TENOR

Johannes Weisser was born in 1980 in Norway. He studied at the Music Conservatory in Copenhagen and at the Royal Danish Academy of Opera in Copenhagen with Susanna Eken.
In the spring of 2004, at the age of 23, he made his debut at the Norwegian National Opera as well as at the Komische Oper Berlin, in both houses as Masetto in Don Giovanni. Since then he has established himself as one of the most exciting Scandinavian singers of his generation.
Engagements have brought him to Salzburg Festival, Staatsoper Berlin, Theater an der Wien, Théâtre de La Monnaie in Brussels, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Opéra national du Rhin Strasbourg, Opéra de Dijon, Opera Bilbao, Megaron Athens, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Komische Oper Berlin, Norwegian National Opera, Royal Danish Opera, Edinburgh International Festival, Innsbrucker Festwochen der alten Musik and Flanders Festival Bruges with roles such as the title role and Leporello in Don Giovanni, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Schaunard in La Bohème, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Mr. Flint in Billy Bud, Agamemnon in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Aulide, Giove in Cavalli’s La Calisto, Ramiro in Ravel’s L’heure espagnole, Plutone and Pastore 4 in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, King Theseus in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Valens in Handel’s Theodora and Achilla in Giulio Cesare.
Johannes Weisser is a much sought after concert, oratorio and singer and he regularly appears in concert venues and festivals throughout Europe. He has a considerable repertoire that spans music from the early 17th Century works of Monteverdi up to 20th Century works of Weill and Britten. He is an exceptionally communicative “Lied”-singer. His concerts have attracted much attention and have been highly praised, notably the concerts with the pianist Leif Ove Andsnes.
He has worked with conductors such as Rinaldo Alessandrini, Alfredo Bernardini, Fabio Biondi, Francesco Corti, Alan Curtis, Ottavio Dantone, Thomas Dausgaard, Stéphane Denève, Laurence Equilbey, Olari Elts, Adam Fischer, Patrick Fournillier, Eivind Gullberg Jensen, Philippe Herreweghe, J. David Jackson, René Jacobs, Tõnu Kaljuste, Fredrik Malmbrg, Michael McCarty, Juanjo Mena, Ingo Metzmacher, Marc Minkowski, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Andris Nelsons, Andrew Parrott, Kirill Petrenko, Vasily Petrenko, George Petrou, Trevor Pinnock, Daniel Reuss, Christophe Rousset, Kwame Ryan, Andreas Spering, Christoph Spering, and Lothar Zagrosek.
Engagements in 2011 included Garzia in Attilio Ariosti’s La Fede nei tradimenti in Vienna, Siena and Montpellier, Arsitobolo in Handel’s Berenice at Theater an der Wien, Agamemnon in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Aulide in Athens, Achilla in Giulio Cesare at Theater an der Wien as well as at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris, Ramiro in Ravel’s L’heure espagnole with Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung in Verona, arias by Mozart with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder in Hasselt (Belgium), Bach’s Mass in B minor in Leipzig and Zürich, Bach’s Actus Tragicus in Tromsoe and Handel’s Messiah in Oslo as well as in Trondheim.
Johannes has recorded the title role in Don Giovanni, Telemann’s Brockes Passion, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung and Bach’s St Matthew Passion – all with René Jacobs, Haydn’s Applausus with Andreas Spering, Achilla in Giulio Cesare and Licaone in Handel’s Giove in Argo with Alan Curtis, David in Staale Kleiberg’s David and Bathsheba and a highly acclaimed CD with songs by Grieg.

Ketil Hugaas as Dovregubben/Eberkopf/
Begriffenfeldt/Kirkegårdsvakt
BASS

Opera singer, composer and musical arranger. Ketil Hugaas has great musical range and drive. He has been part of the soloists ensemble at the Norwegian National Opera since 2008, starring in the title role in Don Pasquale, as Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Dr. Bartolo in The Barber of Seville, Ol-Kanelesa in The Fourth Watch of the Night, Atlantis in Khairos and Schigolch in Lulu. The latter performance led to a guest engagement at the Semperoper in Dresden, where he reprised the role. He did a critically acclaimed Nekrotzar in Le Grand Macabre at the Norwegian Opera & Ballet in 2013 – a role he also gave at The Royal Danish Theatre the spring 2014.
Between 2000 and 2008 he was a soloist with the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, and sang leading bass rolls in Don Giovanni, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Boris Godunov and Wozzeck.
Ketil Hugaas has written two musical plays about his home town of Sulitjelma in Nordland. He has been the organizer of the Soloists Christmas Concert here at the Oslo Opera House, and the CD Mamma synger. He also has extensive experience as a concert singer, with a repertoire including classical and contemporary music and jazz.
In the 2013/2014 season he made his debut in the role of Nekrotzar in Le Grand Macabre; in spring 2014 he can be seen as Daland in The Flying Dutchman.

SYNOPSIS

Act I