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Flagstad – Triumph and Tragedy

Written and directed by Einar Bjørge (Norway, 2013). A one-woman play presenting an intimate portrait of the world famous Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad (1895 – 1962), portrayed by Norwegian co-producer and actress Nina Bendiksen, Flagstad – Triumph and Tragedy utilizes rare live recordings and newly released source material, including personal correspondence, to illustrate Kirsten, the woman, as well as the artist Flagstad – considered the voice of the century.

Highlighting key moments in Flagstad’s life and career, the play presents, in her own words, confessions and reflections that she never once shared in public during her lifetime.

The play first opened in June 2013 at The Flagstad Festival in Hamar – Flagstad’s birth community – and has since been performed at numerous venues in Norway. This production, performed in Norwegian, has also been shown at Kirsten Flagstad´s summer residence Amalienborg in southern Norway, as well as during the Oslo Opera Festival in 2013. Flagstad – Triumph and Tragedy also marked the end of the Flagstad Jubilee Year – commemorating the soprano’s 1913 debut – at the National Theatre in Oslo in December 2013.

About the Playwright and Director
Einar Bjørge holds a Master of Arts degree with honors in Theater and Opera from University of Oslo. He started his career as a theater director in 1986 with a production of The Little Prince based on the book by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry. In 1996 he founded Oslo Project Theatre – an experimental theatre company for young actors in Norway.

Since directing The Little Prince, Bjørge has directed more than 80 theater and opera-productions. His recent work includes the operas La Traviata (2009), Carmen (2010), and Hansel and Gretchen (2011); the operetta Csardasfurstin (2012); and Lanford Wilson’s play Burn This (2013). As a playwright, his other plays include Nijinsky (1990), Alive (2001), and Waiting for James Dean (2005).

His close collaboration with Liv Ullmann as assistant director includes the 2009 theater production of Streetcar Named Desire with Cate Blanchett as Blanche, which traveled to Sydney, Washington, D.C., and New York; and Uncle Vanya in Oslo (2013).

From 2007 – 2012 Bjørge worked as repertoire advisor for Oslo Opera Festival; in 2009 he became a Member of the Board and an artistic representative of the Festival. He worked as artistic director for The International Ibsen Award from 2008 – 2011, advising the jury on candidates and nominees from all over the world.

Critically acclaimed for his work, in 1997 Bjørge was awarded the Jury Special Prize for the text and production of Callas – La Divina – a one woman play about Maria Callas. He has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards from The Norwegian Government including Governmental Artistic Work Grants for young artists 1999 – 2001 and then later for established artists in 2009.

Bjørge is currently working on a new opera about the Norwegian painter Edward Munch with the Norwegian composer, writer, and musician Ketil Bjørnstad, slated to open in 2015.

About the Actress
Nina Bendiksen began her career as an actress in 1992 and has over the last 20 years been engaged at many major theaters in Norway, including Riksteatret, Hålogaland Teater, Hordaland Teater, and Oslo Nye Teater.

She has produced and performed in productions such as Auxocrom-Cromofor (1997; based on Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s diary), in connection with the exhibition of Frida Kahlo’s work at Henie-Onstad Art Center near Oslo; and Southbound – a tango performance where she toured in Norway in 2011 and 2012 with an ensemble of 6 Argentine musicians and dancers. Bendiksen still tours all over Norway and Argentine with concerts as a singer and dancer based on excerpts from this production.

Her film work includes Pelle the Policecar/Pelle politibil (2002), where she played the mother Kristine and Away for the Occasion (2007). Bendiksen also appears in Blue Skies/Himmelblå (2008), the successful NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) TV drama based on the BBC production 2000 Acres of Sky (2001 – 2003).

The exclusive New York City performances are made possible by contributions and funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Arts Council Norway (Fund for Sound and Picture). 











When: Thu., Apr. 24, 2014 at 7:30 pm
Where: Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America
58 Park Ave.
212-779-3587
Price: $20 ($15 ASF Members)
Buy tickets/get more info now
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Written and directed by Einar Bjørge (Norway, 2013). A one-woman play presenting an intimate portrait of the world famous Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad (1895 – 1962), portrayed by Norwegian co-producer and actress Nina Bendiksen, Flagstad – Triumph and Tragedy utilizes rare live recordings and newly released source material, including personal correspondence, to illustrate Kirsten, the woman, as well as the artist Flagstad – considered the voice of the century.

Highlighting key moments in Flagstad’s life and career, the play presents, in her own words, confessions and reflections that she never once shared in public during her lifetime.

The play first opened in June 2013 at The Flagstad Festival in Hamar – Flagstad’s birth community – and has since been performed at numerous venues in Norway. This production, performed in Norwegian, has also been shown at Kirsten Flagstad´s summer residence Amalienborg in southern Norway, as well as during the Oslo Opera Festival in 2013. Flagstad – Triumph and Tragedy also marked the end of the Flagstad Jubilee Year – commemorating the soprano’s 1913 debut – at the National Theatre in Oslo in December 2013.

About the Playwright and Director
Einar Bjørge holds a Master of Arts degree with honors in Theater and Opera from University of Oslo. He started his career as a theater director in 1986 with a production of The Little Prince based on the book by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry. In 1996 he founded Oslo Project Theatre – an experimental theatre company for young actors in Norway.

Since directing The Little Prince, Bjørge has directed more than 80 theater and opera-productions. His recent work includes the operas La Traviata (2009), Carmen (2010), and Hansel and Gretchen (2011); the operetta Csardasfurstin (2012); and Lanford Wilson’s play Burn This (2013). As a playwright, his other plays include Nijinsky (1990), Alive (2001), and Waiting for James Dean (2005).

His close collaboration with Liv Ullmann as assistant director includes the 2009 theater production of Streetcar Named Desire with Cate Blanchett as Blanche, which traveled to Sydney, Washington, D.C., and New York; and Uncle Vanya in Oslo (2013).

From 2007 – 2012 Bjørge worked as repertoire advisor for Oslo Opera Festival; in 2009 he became a Member of the Board and an artistic representative of the Festival. He worked as artistic director for The International Ibsen Award from 2008 – 2011, advising the jury on candidates and nominees from all over the world.

Critically acclaimed for his work, in 1997 Bjørge was awarded the Jury Special Prize for the text and production of Callas – La Divina – a one woman play about Maria Callas. He has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards from The Norwegian Government including Governmental Artistic Work Grants for young artists 1999 – 2001 and then later for established artists in 2009.

Bjørge is currently working on a new opera about the Norwegian painter Edward Munch with the Norwegian composer, writer, and musician Ketil Bjørnstad, slated to open in 2015.

About the Actress
Nina Bendiksen began her career as an actress in 1992 and has over the last 20 years been engaged at many major theaters in Norway, including Riksteatret, Hålogaland Teater, Hordaland Teater, and Oslo Nye Teater.

She has produced and performed in productions such as Auxocrom-Cromofor (1997; based on Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s diary), in connection with the exhibition of Frida Kahlo’s work at Henie-Onstad Art Center near Oslo; and Southbound – a tango performance where she toured in Norway in 2011 and 2012 with an ensemble of 6 Argentine musicians and dancers. Bendiksen still tours all over Norway and Argentine with concerts as a singer and dancer based on excerpts from this production.

Her film work includes Pelle the Policecar/Pelle politibil (2002), where she played the mother Kristine and Away for the Occasion (2007). Bendiksen also appears in Blue Skies/Himmelblå (2008), the successful NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) TV drama based on the BBC production 2000 Acres of Sky (2001 – 2003).

The exclusive New York City performances are made possible by contributions and funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Arts Council Norway (Fund for Sound and Picture). 

Buy tickets/get more info now