Oslo Opera House 13 February 2022 - Piano series - Håvard Gimse | GoComGo.com

Piano series - Håvard Gimse

Oslo Opera House, Main Stage, Oslo, Norway
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6 PM

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Important Info
Type: Classical Concert
City: Oslo, Norway
Starts at: 18:00
Duration: 2h

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Programme
Overview

For several decades, Håvard Gimse has been one of the rare poets at the piano. When he performs Chopin on the Main Stage, every note is packed with emotion.

The last time Gimse took the stage at the Oslo Opera House, it was to perform his Rakhmaninov interpretation during the ballet Anna Karenina. This time, he is performing a solo concert with a rich repertoire of Chopin’s piano pieces. 

“No one can sing on the piano like Chopin,” says Gimse. 

Even 170 years after the composer’s death, Chopin’s unpredictable, emotional, and technically demanding piano pieces make us feel as if we never really know what to expect. “To an accomplished virtuoso all tricks are permitted,” said Chopin – thereby giving Gimse free rein. 

A revolutionary
Most musicians are a little scared of the etudes, musical pieces originally intended as practice for specific challenges. This was before Chopin turned this demanding form of exercise into an art. 

The three etudes that Gimse will be performing during this concert are great examples of Chopin’s lyric poetry and sensitivity – as well as the composer’s revolutionary desire to continuously create something new. 

In the Aeolian Harp Etude, Op. 25/1, fingers skim over the keys as lightly as on a harp, and in the etude known as ‘The Bees’, Op. 25/2, the notes fly at a swift, technical speed from flower to flower – while all the while Gimse must keep the elegance and ease intact. 

When the news arrived that Poland had fallen during the insurrection against Russia in 1831, Chopin wrote the Revolutionary Etude. It opens with the sound of a shot – and what may very well be a Polish hero fighting against his Russian superiors. 

Chopin in 60 seconds
The program also includes such popular Chopin classics as his last major work Polonaise-Fantaisie. His emotional lullaby, Berceuse Op. 57, can also be expected towards the end of this full-length program. 

Gimse will also be performing the famous Minute Waltz, said to be inspired by a dog chasing its own tail. It is proven to be virtually impossible to complete the waltz within one minute, but it is definitely played at astonishing speed. 

Venue Info

Oslo Opera House - Oslo
Location   Kirsten Flagstads Plass 1

The Oslo Opera House is the home of The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, and the national opera theatre in Norway. The building is situated in the Bjørvika neighbourhood of central Oslo, at the head of the Oslofjord. It is operated by Statsbygg, the government agency which manages property for the Norwegian government. The structure contains 1,100 rooms in a total area of 38,500 m2 (414,000 sq ft). The main auditorium seats 1,364 and two other performance spaces can seat 200 and 400. The main stage is 16 m (52 ft) wide and 40 m (130 ft) deep. The angled exterior surfaces of the building are covered with marble from Carrara, Italy and white granite and make it appear to rise from the water. It is the largest cultural building constructed in Norway since Nidarosdomen was completed circa 1300.

In 1999, after a long national debate, the Norwegian legislature decided to construct a new opera house in the city. A design competition was held and, of the 350 entries received, the judges chose that of Snøhetta. Construction started in 2003 and was completed in 2007, ahead of schedule and 300 million NOK (~US$52 million) under its budget of 4.4 billion NOK (~US$760 million). The gala opening on 12 April 2008 was attended by His Majesty King Harald, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and President Tarja Halonen of Finland and other leaders. During the first year of operation, 1.3 million people passed through the building's doors.

The Opera House won the culture award at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona in October 2008 and the 2009 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.

The roof of the building angles to ground level, creating a large plaza that invites pedestrians to walk up and enjoy the panoramic views of Oslo. While much of the building is covered in white granite and La Facciata, a white Italian carrara marble, the stage tower is clad in white aluminium, in a design by Løvaas & Wagle that evokes old weaving patterns.

The lobby is surrounded by 15 m (49 ft) tall windows with minimal framing and special glass that allows maximum views of the water. The roof is supported by thin angled columns also designed not to interfere with views.

Interior surfaces are covered in oak to bring warmth to spaces in contrast to the coolness of the white exterior. The main auditorium is a horseshoe shape and illuminated by an oval chandelier containing 5,800 handmade crystals. Seats include monitors for the electronic libretto system, allowing audiences to follow opera libretti in Norwegian and English in addition to the original language.

Several art projects were commissioned for the interior and exterior of the Opera House. The most notable is She Lies, a sculpture constructed of stainless steel and glass panels by Monica Bonvicini. It is permanently installed on a concrete platform in the fjord adjacent to Opera House and floats on the water moving in response to tides and wind to create an ever-changing face to viewers. The work was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Sonja on 11 May 2010.

A perforated wall panel which covers roof supports in the lobby was designed by Olafur Eliasson. It features hexagonal opening and is illuminated from below and behind to create the illusion of melting ice. Other artists involved in the construction include Kristian Blystad, Jorunn Sannes and Kalle Grude, who designed the shape of the pavers on the forecourt and roof; Bodil Furu and Trine Lise Nedreaas, who created a film and video project; Marte Aas, Talleiv Taro Manum, Tom Sandberg, Gerd Tinglum and Nina Witoszek Fitzpatrick, who created the art book Site Seeing; and Linus Elmes and Ludvig Löfgren, who created the foundation stone.

The main stage curtain is the work of Pae White who designed it to look like crumpled aluminum foil. White scanned a crumpled piece of foil into a computer which translated the information to a loom that wove the curtain from wool, cotton and polyester to create a three-dimensional effect. The curtain was manufactured by the German-based theatrical equipment company Gerriets GmbH. The finished curtain measures 74 ft (23 m) wide and 36 ft (11 m) and weighs 1,100 lb (500 kg).

Important Info
Type: Classical Concert
City: Oslo, Norway
Starts at: 18:00
Duration: 2h
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