Classical Music
Kungliga Operan (The Royal Opera)
The Royal Opera is Sweden’s national theatre for opera and ballet, founded by the King Gustav III in 1773. Today, it is a limited liability company wholly owned by the Swedish state.
The beautiful opera house is from 1898 and it was built on the same site as its 18th century predecessor. The building was designed in neo-baroque style by the Swedish architect Axel Anderberg, who drew much inspiration from the Paris Opera.
Every year, several productions are staged here: everything from brand-new works to classical masterpieces. Usually, the original language is used in the plays with translations to Swedish on a display.
In Stockholm, there is also another opera – Folkoperan from 1976 – in the rebuilt, beautiful cinema theatre Ricardo from 1928. Though, its performances are mainly in Swedish.
If you want something to eat before an opera performance, you’ve three very good restaurants in the Royal Opera building (“Some Restaurants”).
Konserthuset (the Stockholm Concert Hall)
The great Kungliga Filharmonikerna Orchestra (the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1902. Since 1926, it has been based at the beautiful and blue Konserthuset (the Stockholm Concert Hall). The hall was built by the Swedish architect Ivar Tengbom in 1926. It is considered, along with a few other buildings, to be one of the most prominent examples of Swedish classicism of the 1920s. Several of the leading Swedish artists and designers of the 1920s contributed to the design of the interior. Outdoors, there is a bronze fountain – the “Orfeus-brunnen” (the Orpheus Well) – by the Swedish sculptor Carl Milles (see page Art Along...)
The hall is used for many other activities than classical music. Annually, the Nobel Prizes are awarded here (established 1901 and the ceremony in the hall from 1926) added by the Polar Music Prize (established in 1989 and the ceremony in the hall from 2004). Many pop and rock concerts by famous artists have taken place in the hall. Also, jazz concerts are regularly performed in the hall (“Blue House Jazz").
Stockholms Konserthusstiftelse (the Stockholm Concert Hall Foundation) owns and manages the hall. The Region Stockholm is the foundation's main financier.
Berwaldhallen (the Concert Hall Berwald)
The Berwaldhallen, with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Choir, is part of Swedish Radio and one of the country's most important cultural institutions. As the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, this orchestra has a reach far beyond the country’s borders.
The Berwaldhallen was built due to the political lobbying by the Swedish Radio in the mid-1960s; an own concert hall with rehearsal rooms was needed for the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Through public broadcasting fees, the hall was finalized in 1979. Due to the protests among locals prior to the construction, the Swedish architects
Erik Ahnborg and Sune Lindström had made the three floor building to 2/3 below the ground level. The interior’s hexagonal shape was partly for acoustic reasons. A tunnel connects the hall to Radiohuset (the House of Radio Sweden). The American embassy is located next to the hall. Originally, there were two name suggestions for the hall: the composer Franz Berwald and the world famous opera singer Jenny Lind from the 19th century (both Swedish).
Since 2003, the Östersjöfestivalen (the Baltic Sea Festival) in late summer each year is based at the Berwaldhallen for a series of events.
Drottningholms Slottsteater (the Castle Theatre of Drottningholm)
Drottningholms Slottsteater (the Castle Theatre of Drottningholm) was built in 1766 at the request of Queen Lovisa Ulrika and is one of the world's best-preserved theatres from that time. The Swedish architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz designed the theatre after a former theatre building on the site burned down. The heyday of the theatre began in 1777, when King Gustav III took over the palace Drottningholm. After he was assassinated in 1792 at a masquerade ball at the opera house in Stockholm, the building came to be used as a warehouse. Giuseppe Verdi wrote the Un ballo in maschera in 1859 as an opera in three acts based on this assassination.
In 1922, the theatre was restored to its original state with paintings and an unique 18th century machinery made entirely of wood and which is still operated by hand.
Every summer, a number of operas, theatres and dance performances, and concerts are held – all based on the 18th century performances. It is very difficult to get tickets to the performances, but you can also visit the theatre in a guided tour. If you get the chance to come here, do visit the other sights in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Drottningholm (55 min drive from the Metz' Cottage).
Confidencen
In the lush garden just outside of Stockholm is the theatre of Ulriksdal's (the Valley of Prince Ulrik) Palace: the Confidencen. Originally, it was built as an arena for the royal family to learn to ride in the early 1670s. When the Queen Lovisa Ulrika received the Ulriksdal palace as a wedding gift she commissioned the architect Carl Hårleman to turn the building into a theatre of European standard. It was finished by his disciple Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz in 1753 with the latest rococo fashion. The theatre got a similar fate as the Drottningholms Slottsteater when King Gustav III was assassinated in 1792.
The name of the theatre come from its "table à confidence" in the largest royal hall. This table could be lowered into the basement and, after the table had been re-tabled, raised again through a hatch in the floor. Thus, the royal guests were able to have confidential conversations – a confidence – without being overheard by outsiders.
There was an interested in reviving the Confidencen too in the 1920s, but there was no funding. In the mid-1970s, the Swedish opera singer Kjerstin Dellert made it her life mission to restore the theatre to its original splendour.
Today, the theatre is the Sweden’s oldest one that hosts concerts, theatres, ballets and operas from April to October. If the weather allows it, it’s nice to bring a picknick in the garden or eat a lunch at Ulriksdals Slottsträdgård (the Castle Garden and Coffee House). The nearby inn Ulriksdals Värdshus is opened occasionally. Do book a table in advance to both places. With car from the Pearl Cottage: 30 min.
Dalhalla
Well, Dalhalla is way out of Stockholm; almost four hours by car from the Pearl Cottage. We inform about it anyway, because it's so special. If you happen to go there, do visit the Falu koppargruva (the Copper Mine of the town Falun) and stay for the night in the little village Tällberg at either "Klockaregården" or "Åkerblads". During mid-summer (“Swedish traditions”), the right place to be in is: the province of Dalarna (the town Rättvik or village Skattungbyn or Furudals Bruk for instance), on Resarö, or Skansen (“Extra in Stockholm”). Do book a room and tickets to Dalhalla well in advance, and think about that in June the nights are not dark but in August there are (different feelings).
Between 1940s and 1990, limestone was extracted outside the town of Rättvik (the province of Dalarna) in a large open-mine. In 1991, the former Swedish opera singer Margareta Dellefors got the idea that the open-mine with shape of an amphitheatre could become an outdoor stage. The acoustic was excellent. The municipality of Rättvik and the county of Dalarna granted support for the preparation of the concert stage, the Swedish architect Erik Ahnborg (the same as Berwaldhallen) designed it, and in 1995 Dalhalla was officially inaugurated.
The choice of name Dalhalla was a mixture of: the Swedish old religion during the Viking age with the gods’ hall Valhalla, inspiration from Richard Wagner's operas, and the site's geographical location in Dalarna. Dalhalla became – and still is – a fantastic outdoor arena for theatre, concerts, and opera performances.