Royal Danish Opera

Peter Konwitschny´s Elektra at the Royal Danish Opera

The Royal Danish Opera is located in Copenhagen. The main venue is The Copenhagen Opera House, inaugurated in 2005 and located on the Copenhagen waterfront. Baroque and chamber opera incl. Mozart are performed at The Old Stage.

Kasper Bech Holten and Michael Schønwandt were artistic and musical director, until 2011. Keith Warner was artistic director 2011-Jan 2012, where he quit allegedly due to recent budget cuts. The contracted music director Jakob Hrusa similarly chose not to come to Copenhagen. As of February 2012 the two positions are vacant.

THE PRODUCTIONS

Productions are usually updated and inventive. Major successes of past seasons include Peter Konwitschny´s Elektra (the best production I have ever seen at the Royal Danish Opera) and Kasper Bech Holten´s Maskarade and Nibelungen Ring (both released on DVD), all conducted by Michael Schønwandt. But also the baroque operas Giulio Cesare and Partenope were among the major successes of the past decade.

Also David McVicar´s staging of L´Incoronazione di Poppea and Francisco Negrin´s Giulio Cesare (released on DVD) were major successes with audiences and critics alike.

THE ORCHESTRA

The Royal Danish Orchestra is a first-rate opera orchestra, particularly in the German repertoire, most of all it is an outstanding Richard Strauss orchestra.

THE SINGERS
Notable members of the ensemble include sopranos Iréne Théorin, Tina Kiberg, Ylva Kihlberg, mezzosopranos Susanne Resmark, Tuva Semmingsen, Randi Stene, tenors Stig Fogh Andersen, Johnny van Hal barytones Johan Reuter, Audun Iversen and bass Stephen Milling.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The Royal Danish Opera schedule of the day is listed on two electronic blackboards on each side of the entrance to The Old Stage.

Further information and photographs on the Copenhagen Opera House here.
Further information and photographs on The Old Stage here.

Websiste of the Royal Danish Opera here.

Tickets:

The main box office is located next to The Old Stage. Another box office is located at the Copenhagen Opera House. A certain number of seats and standing room spaces are only available for purchase on the day of performance. Standing room stapce only available at the Copenhagen Opera House.

Tickets may be bought from the website and printed out at home.

The Copenhagen Opera House:

The Old Stage: