Opera Comique A/S

Opera Comique A/S (1918-1921) was Norway's first professional opera company. Benno Singer took the initiative to establish Opera Comique in 1918.

That a permanent opera was established in Oslo gave Norwegian opera singers the opportunity to develop at home. Several international guest performers also visited Opera Comique. 

Among the singers were Kirsten Flagstad, Katinka Storm, Erica Darbo, Erling Krogh, Sigurd Hoff, Carsten Ørner, Conrad Arnesen and Simon Edwardsen. Among the visiting artists were Erik Bye and Karl Aagaard Østvig, and central international names such as Lauritz Melchior, Leo Slezak, Heinrich Schlusnus, Emmy Leisner and Joseph Hislop.

Information

(Objekt ID 37742)
Object type Organization
Organization type Theatre company
Main focus Opera
Established 1918 (closed June 1921)
Website lokalhistoriewiki, Store Norske Leksikon

Contact information

Address Stortingsgata 16, Oslo, Norway

Other information

Legal entity Limited liability company/AS or ASA
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Opera Comique also hosted international visiting performances, including Die Walküre from Germany. Opera Comique A/S was responsible for the first Norwegian opera tour abroad, to Copenhagen the summer of 1919.

Opera Comique was located in Stortingsgata 16 in Oslo.

Sources:

Christiania Theatre, christianiateater.no, 22.11.2013,  http://www.christianiateater.no/node/20

Svendsen, Trond Olav. (2009, February 13). Benno Singer: expanded article from Norsk biografisk leksikon. Found November 22 2013 at http://nbl.snl.no/Benno_Singer%2Futdypning.

Co-productions (1)
Title Premiere
Værre og værre – July 8, 1921 – Jens Holstads Sommerteater
Contributors (1)
Benno Singer – Artistic director (fra 1918 til 1921)