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Oslo Opera Festival 2014 To Feature Star Musicians October 31st

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October 27, 2014

Oslo Opera Festival 2014 To Feature Star Musicians October 31st

On Friday, October 31st, Oslo Opera Festival will take over the grand hall of Oslo, the University Aula for one night only. The concert will feature Ketil Bjornstad, Hakon Kornstad and many more performing Ketil Bjornstad’s “A Passion for John Donne”.

John Donne was a poet of religion, metaphysics and the world of sensations. After having worked with John Donne’s poesy for many years, Ketil Bjornstad continues to find new dimensions in his poetry and texts, and in it he also finds music.

The language, rhythms, the silence between the sentences – a wish to find understanding and comfort in the human presence here on earth, Donne’s dramatic life is reflected in the texts, and in them rests a source of passion and music.

Three years ago Oslo International Church Music Festival invited Bjornstad to compose a passion of our time, and so this tribute to the English priest and poet came to be.

The work was premiered in Sofienberg Church, Oslo, on 16 March 2012.

Gjoril Songvoll, the festival manager, says, “The aim of the festival is to make opera more familiar to the people.” She believes that the reason many people have prejudices against opera is that they have little knowledge of it.

“I think opera is just as important as sports and other forms of entertainment, and this message will be communicated throughout the festival,” Gjoril concludes.

Photo of Festival Director Gjoril Songvoll by Tor Kjolberg (feature image on top)

The concert begins at 7pm. For tickets please visit: Billettservice.

Swedish Designer Lisa Hilland’s Leather Magic

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October 24, 2014

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Swedish Designer Lisa Hilland’s Leather Magic

It is no secret designer Lisa Hilland is fond of working with leather as one her favourite materials. Collaborating with Elmo, a leading manufacturer of exclusive leather based in Svenljunga Sweden, Lisa Hilland set out to explore how the beautiful qualities of leather can be showed off at its best.

“I started to experiment with the traditional chesterfield leather upholstery technique with fresh design approach, giving it a renaissance in a new pattern and updated design approach. The result is ’Halo Armchair’ with a luxorious feel made out of softest pearl Elmo leather. Nothing beats a natural material like leather; it’s softness, colour, the small varieties in its appearance and the wonderful smell. Leather has a long life cycle and ages beautifully when handled with care. I want this anyone who sits in this chair to feel really special – surrounded by a beautiful halo pattern with the great sensation of leather.”

As a part of this successful collaboration Swedish designer Lisa Hilland also experimented with a plissé pattern for a deries of bags and jewellery. First out in this series was ‘Diamond Plissé Clutch and Bracelet’. Made out of softest Elmo Leather these accessories are perfect for everyday use as well as the occasional party.

About Lisa Hilland
Lisa Hilland has gained a reputation for contemporary design with a poetic twist,
combining modern high-tech production techniques with artisan quality craftsmanship.
After graduating from Central St Martin´s College of Art and Design, she worked ten years
as a designer in London before setting up her own studio in Sweden in 2005.
Her current clients include renowned furniture producers such as
Klong, Olby Design, Gärsnäs, Gemla, and Svenskt Tenn.

Read more about Scandinavian design here:
100% Norway 2014
The Best Contemporary Design Shops in Copenhagen
Please be seated

Friends of an Artist

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October 23, 2014

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The title of this portrait of the Norwegian sculptor Anne Berit Nedland refers to her lifelong love for cats. She has sculpted cats in all imaginable situations.

Nedland received her formal training at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and the Academy of Fine Arts in Oslo and also received several scholarships during the period 1980 to 2001. She works with bronze, concrete, wood and paper mache.

Her works has been purchased by art galleries all over Norway . Born in the south of Norway in 1950, Nedland is now headquartered in the old firehouse at the former Oslo International Airport at Fornebo.

Boat with Spirits, by Anne Berit Nedland

At present she is working on a sculpture for the 200 Year Anniversary of Gyland Church in Flekkefjord, a sculture of a longship with people representing all ages from birth to death.

In 2005 her video exhibition “Old Habits Die Hard” was presented at Art in General, New York.

Anne Berit Nedland with cat carriage, Photo: Tor Kjolberg

Nedland’s work is authentic and her creativity is seemingly endless. She has experienced and lived what she depicts, and the title “Friends” refers to her lifelong love for cats. “Cats have followed me all my life,” she says, posing with her cat carriage, which eventually became a video presentation. Anne Berit Nedland is concerned by how animals are treated in general, and is a very nature conscious woman. The cats are certainly friends of an artist.

Dog's Watch, by Anne Berit Nedland — Dog’s Watch, by Anne Berit Nedland

When asked if she would like her sculptures to be exhibited in the new Oslo attraction, the Ekeberg Sculpture Park, initiated and sponsored by Kristian Ringnes, she replies, “Of course, but Ringnes has already bought five of my female sculptures, called Dreamtime. They are hanging on one of the walls in his Folketeateret; actually an odd location, since the women are supposed to be lying down to sleep.”

At the present time several artists have studios at Fornebu, Oslo. There is even a little street called the “Artists’ Road” where there are art studios side by side.

Feature image (on Top): Friends

The Vikings – Medieval Thugs or Merchant Traders?

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October 22, 2014

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The Vikings – Medieval Thugs or Merchant Traders?

The Vikings plundered their way into the annals of Scandinavian history. But archeology reveals there’s more to these raiders than meets the eye.

At first glance the Viking legacy appears to be little more than an impressive catalogue of violence and piracy. Archeological finds have, however, shed light not only on the way the Vikings lived (everything from the food they ate to the clothing they wore) but also on their burial tradition.

Today, the Vikings are recognized for their skills as craftsmen, traders and, of course, sailors.

The Viking longship, essential for both raiding and trading, was also used to bury kings and chieftains. Superb examples can be seen at the Viking ship museums in Roskilde, Denmark, and Oslo, Norway, where textiles, household utensils and other artefacts excavated from the burial mounds around the Oslo Fjord, are also on display.

In Denmark, Funen’s Ladby Ship Museum houses a magnificent burial ship with a dragon’s head and tail.

Sites and open-air museums such as those at Birka outside Stockholm, and Denmark’s Fyrkat and Trelleborg, offer a unique look into the daily lives of the Vikings.

Other places of interest include the burial ground at Lindholm Høje, Jutland, and Jelling in Zealand, with its runes and burial mounds, often referred to as Denmark’s “birth certificate”.

Snapshots of Scandinavia

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October 21, 2014

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Fjords, Vikings, reindeer, colorful fishing villages, northern lights, maybe a stave church, that is the images many travelers already may have of Scandinavia. But with the help of Daily Scandinavian you can be introduced to a few things you may not know.

Scandinavia has a lot to offer. Enjoy these snapshots of Scandinavia.

Scandinavia is a hands-on place, filled with active people, and travel there is all about experiences. More than half the residents of Copenhagen, for example, bike to work. Travel agencies having clients going to Scandinavia will have no trouble helping them to rent a bike, skis, kayaks, even a yacht with the help of Daily Scandinavian and its partners. We will personally help you arrange for them to canoe mountain waters, hike by midnight sun, climb a mountain, go whitewater rafting, go off-piste skiing or mountain biking, take a snowmobile safari or dogsled across frozen tundra.

In Northern Norway and northern Sweden, wildlife enthusiasts can meet and photograph bears in the wild. We have a dozen full of pre-planned itineraries especially designed to inspire travel agents, with themes covering every interest, including culinary, design, Viking heritage, island hopping, cycling, castles and Christmas. We are even planning an email course on Visiting Scandinavia.

Speaking of Christmas, don’t forget that Scandinavia has some of Europe’s best Christmas markets. Norway has a special relationship with Christmas, with Santa himself living at the North Pole

New Museums and Attractions
The Swedish band ABBA now has a state-of-the-art interactive Stockholm museum, where fans can sing and dance with ABBA holograms and record a song (www.abbathemuseum.com). Spritmuseum features alcoholic drinks, and along with exhibits and a tasting room, includes the Absolut Art Collection of works by modern greats, including Andy Warhol (http://spritmuseum.se/en/). Also in Stockholm, the new Fotografiska showcases the best international contemporary photography (http://en.fotografiska.eu).

Following close on Oslo’s recent opening of Renzo Piano-designed Astrup Fearnley Museum and the new harbor art district is Ekebergparken Sculpture Park, an outdoor collection with 30 works already in place. The artistic spectrum ranges from classical masters such as Rodin to Salvador Dali’s surrealism, to modern and contemporary styles (www.ekebergparken.com/en). Den Blå Planet is Denmark’s new national aquarium, with striking architecture that allows 360-degree viewing, and a new Maritime Museum has opened in Elsinore, next to Hamlet’s Castle.

See it by Sea
Along with what’s new, your clients will want to savor the favorite icons; none says Scandinavia like Norway’s historic Hurtigruten (www.hurtigruten.us), the ships that for 120 years have popped in and out of 34 towns along the fjord-cut coast each day. Part cruise, part scenic spectacular, part cultural immersion and all great fun, this journey is on every traveler’s bucket list. Each season brings different views and experiences, from summer’s midnight sun to winter’s northern lights.

You’ll find a lot more boat experiences for your clients. Regular ferries shuttle from Oslo’s harbor across to the museums of Bygdøy, even to Denmark and Germany. Boats weave among the islands of Oslo and Stockholm’s archipelago, and a century-old ship carries passengers along the Gota Canal between Stockholm and Goteborg. This is Sweden’s second largest city, on the west coast, a center for water play from crayfish or mussel gathering cruises to week-long kayak trips in the archipelago.

Clients can even stay at a floating hotel, Salt & Sill, on the small island of Klädesholmen (www.taberhols.co.uk), or relax after a shrimp safari in Gullmarsfjorden fjord, at the Vann Spa and Hotel (www.vann.se).

Hotel News
In Copenhagen it’s the reopening of grand dame D’Angleterre Hotel after the most ambitious hotel restoration in Danish history upgraded rooms and added a luxury spa and Balthazar champagne bar (www.dangleterre.com). The 5-star Kokkedal Castle Copenhagen has opened north of the city, a stately manor house transformed into a contemporary hotel with a restaurant, spa and meeting rooms. The castle experience is retained, with formal invitations instead of booking confirmations, and hosts replacing a reception desk (www.kokkedalslotcopenhagen.dk). Hotel SP34 opened this April, targeting “luxury Bohemian” business and leisure travelers with 118 rooms and a conference center (www.brochner-hotels.dk/our-hotels/sp34).

Oslo’s THE THIEF wows with a swanky new spa experience that targets men as well as women. The city’s largest spa, it features a pool, sauna, steam room, Oslo’s first hamam and a full gym (www.designhotels.com/hotels/norway/oslo/the-thief). THE address in Oslo, though, is Europe’s winner of this year’s World Luxury Hotel Awards, the elegant Grand Hotel, known for its opulent suites, the open-faced sandwiches served in The Grand Café and the Royal Guard parading past its door each day. Your female clients will especially like the dedicated Ladies Floor, Europe’s first (http://grand.no/en). On Norway’s west coast, Rica opened a new hotel this spring in the center of Bergen, the city’s largest with 370 rooms and modern conference facilities (www.rica.no/bergen).

Gothenburg will soon have Europe’s largest fully-integrated hotel, exhibition and conference facility, with the new tower added to the Hotel Gothia Towers. After completion the end of 2014, the three towers will have 1,200 rooms (www.gothiatowers.com). And, of course, new each winter is Sweden’s ICEHOTEL, 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle and built entirely of crystal-clear ice (www.icehotel.com).

Scandinavia Exports Urban Master Planning Expertise

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October 20, 2014

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Scandinavia Exports Urban Master Planning Expertise

Well-functioning cities require commitment from residents and strong architectural master planning. The capital cities of Scandinavia are role models for the rest of the world.

Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, the capitals of Scandinavia are international trailblazers when it comes to sustainability according to a joint study by the Economist Intelligence Unit and Siemens, and now rhey offer urban master planning expertise. The three cities are dedicated to minimizing environmental impact, reducing CO2 emissions and improving the lives of inhabitants; three factors that make the cities global models.

Scandinavian urban design is a strong source of inspiration for city planners around the world when it comes to implementing master plans. There is, among other things, widespread interest in Copenhagen’s bicycle infrastructure, which has led to a greater number of people travelling by bike. The purification of the water in Copenhagen Harbor is also a source of inspiration worldwide since it is clean enough for residents and tourists to swim in.

Scandinavia: a role model
“One of the reasons why Scandinavia is a role model is probably that the gap between rich and poor is small – and that people are happy at all levels of society. The happiness index shows that the Nordic countries are at the very top. People trust each other and expect that cities will be designed sustainably. We are aware of the importance of maintaining positive urban development – and we can help other cities to do the same,” said Lars Ostenfeld Riemann, Director of Buildings in Ramboll.

Ramboll has helped to define many of the sustainable attributes of Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, and we are involved in several master planning initiatives including Nordhavnen and Carlsberg in Copenhagen.

These experiences have been applied further afield, for instance at Chicago Lakeside in USA, where Ramboll developed concepts for district heating and cooling as well as waste and water.

More and more complex
“It is difficult to simply copy the Scandinavian model abroad,” explained Lars Ostenfeld Riemann. “Cultural elements vary from city to city as the populations live in very different ways. It is therefore important to understand the cultural elements and preferences, and together with architects, create a logical master plan.”

“Master planning has become an increasingly complex multidisciplinary task. Today, education, social life, and the healthiness are all taken into consideration. There is also an economic component. Instead of looking at the individual buildings, master planning is thought of as an economic investment for society. Models are changing from being based on costs and revenues to also taking softer values into account,” added Lars Ostenfeld Riemann.

He points out that there are two main challenges when creating master plans. In countries like China, the main priority is to build up huge cities from scratch at the same time as the population moves from rural to urban areas. In the western world, the challenge is to improve the sustainability credential of cities that have already been built, for example, by alleviating congestion and accessibility problems; inefficiencies that cost society huge amounts of money.

We must improve the way we live
According to Lars Ostenfeld Riemann, well-functioning and sustainable cities also depend on a strong social element. In order to solve problems such as deprived areas with elevated crime rates, unemployment and a high number of immigrants, large architectural master plans are required. However, local residents themselves also have to take responsibility for preserving and maintaining cities and neighbourhoods.

“Well-functioning cities are not just about creating sustainability and ensuring that we can continue to live. Sustainability also involves improving the way we live and improving the way we live with the benefits we have today. This requires a strong commitment from the people who live in and use the cities,” concluded Lars Ostenfeld Riemann.

Mr. McTattoo

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October 17, 2014

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A Norwegian teenager deserves the nickname McTattoo. As the story goes the 18-year-old from Lørenskog, outside Oslo, Norway, does well in the women department and his friends wanted to punish him for his luck with the ladies by diminishing his attractiveness so girls wouldn’t find him as desirable and demanded a tattoo of Barbie on his bottom or a McDonald’s receipt on his arm. He chose the latter.

We’re not sure why Stian telling his friends to go f*ck themselves wasn’t option #3, but Ytterdahl decided that the McDonald’s receipt tattoo was more “cool” than the Barbie tattoo. He got the fast food receipt and it will forever remind Stian of his unhealthy eating habits of his youth including his love for something called “Happy Cheese”.

It appears he decided to plump for a second unusual inking, after Sabelink Tattoo offered to inscribe the receipt for the tattoo on to his other arm for free.

Mr Ytterdahl revealed his new body art on his Facebook page under the post ‘new tat!’.

A tattoo artist from Sabelink Tattoo posted the photo on the store’s Facebook page, calling it “my weirdest tattoo ever.”

Ytterdahl’s tattoo became an internet phenomenon in 24 hours.

The tattoo includes the purchase of a cheeseburger for NOK 36 and a “Happy Cheese” for NOK 35, half a liter Cola for NOK 25, some toppings and also a “Nonstop Flurry”, for a total of NOK 143 (24 USD).

After the news appeared on the international media, the young Norwegian has suddenly become very popular. Talking to Norwegian newspaper VG, Ytterdahl said he had to turn off his phone because of enormous calls and messages.

Ytterdahl told the newspaper Romerikes Blad:

Now I’m a living billboard. But I think all this is just fun. Maybe it won’t be as fun when I’m 50 or 60 years, but it’s my choice, but at least I can tell my grandchildren where I ate my dinners. And so we can compare prices.”

Paul Robeson – In Memoriam

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October 16, 2014

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Experience the life, times and music of “Ol’ Man River” himself, Paul Robeson, performed at Cafeteatret, Oslo, premiering today. The play is written by Jason Nemor Harden and Cliff A. Moustache.

“No one told us about Paul Robeson when I was growing up in Texas in the 80’s!” says Jason Nemore Harden who is starring in the play “Ol Man River”. “Robeson has been a great inspiration to people all over the world, but we did not hear anything about him.” He is adding.

“Yes, it makes me sad in a way, or frustrated, but it also provides inspiration and motivation to work with the notion that more people may know about Robeson’s life and work”

Jason Nemor Harden in "Motown Revisited" at Norwegian Opera. Photo: Monica Santos Herberg — Jason Nemor Harden in “Motown Revisited” at Norwegian Opera. Photo: Monica Santos Herberg

Actor, singer and musician, Jason Nemore Harden was first acquainted with Paul Robeson when he worked at Nordic Black Theatre’s “Tribute to the Heroes” which was performed at The Norwegian Opera and Ballet in February 2014.

“After that I started reading about Robeson and soon realized that this was a show I wanted to do to convey his story and music.”

Paul Robeson is more or less forgotten today, but in his time he was one of the world’s greatest artists. The Afro-American entertainer and civil rights activist managed to lift his music from small local scenes in the United States to the most renowned stages across the world. He used his position to fight against the violent racism in the United States.

Harden was so inspired that he along with film maker Cliff A. Moustache prepared the script for this performance. This has become an intimate and moving story of Paul Robeson’s life and music, and the challenges he battled through a lifetime.

Robeson was educated lawyer before becoming a football player and artist. This he managed despite heavy segregation in the United States. Discipline and hard work took him to the top in the United States and on the world before his career was brutally stopped by McCarthyism and the CIA witch hunt for communists. He refused to change his opinions, which made him even more popular in the world.

Robeson was an inspiration for the next generation of freedom fighters such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.

The show is about Paul Robeson’s life and his music in a difficult time in America. The main role is played by the Afro-American musician Jason Nemore Harden, accompanied by Jerelene de Leon on piano and Tove Erikstad on Cello.

Editorial Drawing of Paul Robeson by artist, Charles H. Alston 1943

“This amazing man, this great intellect, this magnificent genius and his everlasting love for humanity is a devastating challenge to a society built on hypocrisy, greed and profit-seeking at the expense of common humanity.” (New York Times)

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the show, performed at Cafeteatret, Hollendergate 8, Oslo at 7:30 pm on the following dates in October: 16, 17, 18, 23 and 24.

Cool Off In Scandinavia

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October 15, 2014

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Why not escape to a cooler climate? Here’s a sampling of tours that offer a choice of chilling out in the cosmopolitan cities of Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm to the majestic fjords of Norway. A journey to Scandinavia promises spectacular scenery, cultural riches and cool breezes.

This is just a short sample cruise possible through the travel agency Authentic Scandinavia.

Glyptotek, Copenhagen, Photo: Tor Kjolberg

Copenhagen, Cruise & Oslo – 4 days
Explore two of the Scandinavian capitals, Oslo and Copenhagen. Enjoy an overnight cruise from Oslo to Copenhagen, including the beautiful Oslo Fjord. This short break is the ideal extension for tours starting or ending in Oslo.

Day 01: Oslo, the Capital of Norway

Arrival in Oslo. The Norwegian capital is beautifully situated at the head of the Oslo Fjord and surrounded by forested ridges. Arable fields, vast forests and the untouched nature areas. The city’s surroundings provide recreational opportunities that are frequently taken advantage of by the city’s inhabitants, as well as increasingly by visitors.
Oslo offers many well know sights such as the Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Viking Ship Museum, the Munch Museum and Oslo’s new opera house. We recommend one of the many sightseeing tours in Oslo . Accommodation in Oslo.

Day 02: Overnight cruise from Oslo to Copenhagen

Breakfast at the hotel. This day is at your own leisure before departure from Oslo in the late afternoon with a ferry from DFDS Seaways. Accommodation onboard.

Day 03: Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark

Breakfast onboard before arriving in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, at 09:45 hrs. In this charming city one thousand years of history awaits you in the medieval streets; the same streets walked on by every generation of the world’s oldest royal family, the same streets and canals which have inspired artists for centuries and been home and workplace to meticulous craftsmen and famous designers. The city offers many attractions such Tivoli, Nyhavn wharf, the Little Mermaid, the Gefion Fountain, the Royal Palace Amalienborg and much more.
Accommodation in Copenhagen.

Day 04: Departure from Copenhagen

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from Copenhagen according to your own itinerary.

Vikings’ Trade with Byzantium

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October 14, 2014

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Muslims conquests in Europe disrupted traditional trade, encouraging the Swedes to open up alternative routes through Russia.

Apparently the Slavs then begged them to take charge of their territory. “Our land is large and fruitful but it lacks order,” the message allegedly read. “Come over and rule us.”

By 900, Swedish influence radiated throughout Eastern Europe from their strongholds Novgorod and Kiev. The Swedes were soon assimilated under the weight of Slavic numbers, but they left an indelible mark in the name by which they were locally known, Rus.

Polygamy and primogeniture also shaped the Viking Age. Only a tiny proportion of Scandinavia was actually habitable, and farmland could only be subdivided so many times. The whole of patrimony generally went to the eldest son, or rather the eldest surviving son, so Swedish kings with 40 women in their harem, or Norwegian earls with a dozen sons by various wives and concubines, were sure recipes for orgiastic fratricide.

Harald Fairhair’s ascendancy, c. 890, went a long way towards defining Norway, but as he stropped and disbanded numerous lesser dynasties, their scions were compelled to try their luck abroad.

To begin with, Viking enterprise abroad was a matter of independent initiative, as epitomized by a certain Hasting. Born in Denmark, his first foray in 844 opened with a rebuff at La Coruña on Spain’s Atlantic coast, improved with the sacking of Lisbon, Cádiz and Seville, and ended with the loss of two ships crammed with gold, silver and prisoners to the Moors.

Now launching our Travel Partner

Day 02: Overnight cruise from Oslo to Copenhagen

Day 03: Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark

Day 04: Departure from Copenhagen