September 24, 2019

Norway – Experiencing a Ballet at the Oslo Opera House

Let me tell you, I have never felt more cultured and high brow than going to a ballet performance at the Oslo Opera House in Norway. Not only does the Oslo Opera House host world-renown opera and ballet performances, but it is also an architectural feat in which you can walk on the top. It shouldn’t surprise you to know that I loved the entire experience – from dressing up and walking on the exterior to enjoying an apple cider before the show and watching the ballet in an intimate atmosphere. And one of the best things about seeing an opera or ballet in Norway? Not an ounce of Norwegian is required to enjoy! I highly recommend checking performance dates when you travel to Oslo and let me tell you why…

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Walking on top of the Oslo Opera House

We took a tram to the main train terminal in downtown Oslo. From there is about a 10-minute walk to the Oslo Opera House. This is how most people attended the performance because upon the curtain closing, there was a large, well-dressed crowd heading for the train terminal. There is a spot when you cross the street where you are somewhat diagonally across from the Opera House. This was one of my favorite spots to take photos because you can capture the entire Opera House. Once you get closer or are on top of the Opera house, you can get interesting architectural shots, but you lose the sense of scale or the fact that you are taking photos at an angle. A fascinating dilemma.

I highly recommend walking around the exterior of the Opera House and to the top of the building. Be careful as you do because there are uneven parts and routes for the rain to drain. We walked closer to the main window on the way up (great opportunity to get a shot in the reflection of the windows here) but opted to walk down the stairs on the way back. The top of the building has a view of Oslo worth exploring. Once up a little higher, you start to notice the other fascinating architectural buildings around. Also, look out for a fjord-side sauna that I am eager to check out in the future – KOK Floating Sauna.

At a Glance:

Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars – would do it again in a heartbeat!
Intensity: Cute outfit with heeled sandals
Location: Oslo, Opera House
Cost: Depends on the seat you choose (500 – 800 NOK)
Restrooms: Inside the Opera House
Timing: 4 hours

Highlights:

Walking around and top of the Opera House before attending the performance
Feeling fancy and cultured in an international city
Seeing the gorgeous athleticism of ballet in a relatively close space
Enjoying a cider before the performance has begun or during an intermission

The interior design of the Oslo Opera House is very different than the exterior, but uses minimalist materials and organic shapes to create visual interest.

Window selfie at the Oslo Opera House with my mother. You can walk up the building and look right into it's massive windows.

Hanna looking into the blue glass windows

Hanna walking up the roof of the Oslo Opera House. The slope is gentle enough to walk up, but steep enough that you need to watch our step.

Hanna standing at the entrance of the Oslo Opera House in Norway with its sloping roof that you can walk on top of.

Thoughts on the Architectural Design

The pure white exterior of the Opera House is interesting from an art perspective. It very much reminded me of the Bøyabreen glacier that I saw in Fjaerland in shape and color. With the slant of exterior dipping directly into the fjord, it makes me wonder how well it matches the environment in the deep winter when the fjord has a covering of ice sheets. Much shorter than the surrounding buildings, it is beautifully simplistic yet modern. It is hard to believe this design is over 10 years old because it feels so fresh. With the ability for the public to walk on the roof of the Opera House and so many windows to peek into, I feel like the Opera House is achieving a goal to become more inviting to a younger generation.

Pre-Show Delights

Once you’ve gone on the roof, it’s time to head inside for a bit of pre-performance exploring. First, you must shed your outer layer in the stunning coat “room” which is the area toward the front of the building that gets pinched as the building dips into the fjord. Your ticket will have your coatroom number, which is one of those small organizational details that make it so enjoyable to be in a modern opera house. So simple, so organized.

I recommend getting a drink from the bar to sip in the entrance lobby while waiting for the music cue to come in. With a beverage in hand (I chose an apple cider), admire the wooden layering of the different levels, windows above and people peeking in while walking on the roof, and interestingly designed 3-dimensional walls that provide lighting and visual interest. Also, be sure to visit the fancy bathroom before the call time. Hot tip: the soap dispenser is a hidden sensor under the mirror/lighting. Both my mother and I couldn’t find it the first time but wisened up by the second intermission. Beautiful, but dark decor.

Finding our seats

Music will sound when it is time to find your seats for the performance. We were in the exact middle of our row, which made for many “excuse me” and “so sorry” and “pardon”’s. Though spacious when seated, there is simply not enough room to climb over people – everyone had to stand. We were certainly one of the first back to our seats after the intermissions! The rows above the ground floor were only one or two seats deep, making it seem like every seat would have a good view. According to Arch Daily, the main auditorium can hold roughly 1,370 visitors, which is surprising considering how intimate it felt.

Hanna's mother enjoying a cider before the La Bayadere ballet performance

Hanna walking along the interesting interior wall design with geometric three-dimensional shapes and gradient lighting from green to white.

Before the performance begins, you see an impressive stage covering with staggered seating at the Oslo Opera House

The Ballet Performance – La Bayadere

We watched the performance of La Bayadere on Tuesday, September 24. Although its set design, costuming, and character names were exotic, the storyline was simple to follow. A classic Romeo & Juliet-esque plot of forbidden love to death. To be honest, when reading through the program, I was very concerned I wouldn’t be able to follow the storyline. But once it began, the body movement and facial expressions told me everything I needed to know at any given moment. If you’ve never been to a ballet performance, it is like watching a live silent movie.

By far and away, the first act was my favorite. Drama happened at every turn – a secret love affair, a rejected love, an arranged royal marriage, and plot by multiple people to thwart the not-so-secret-anymore love affair. The second and third acts fell flat in terms of the plot, which was generally just man in anguish deciding between two absolutely stunning women. But, what they lacked in plot, these two acts made up for in beautiful athleticism. The second act features a moment when over 25 female dancers take the stage. My eyes danced around the stage from one graceful angel to another. And the third act was short with an unexpected ending.

Going to a Ballet…

If you’re reading this and planning a trip to Oslo, you’ll likely be unable to watch the same ballet that I did. However, the experience would be very similar. The level at which these dancers performed was at the highest levels to the point that they made the dancing look effortless. The only time I could the effort going into such dances was when a midriff-bearing dancer had a complicated series of moves followed by a period of standing still and we could see her catching her breath. It was enthralling to watch the fabrics float about the stage. Overall, just stunning.

International Ballet – What to Wear

I felt so fancy attending a ballet performance while on an international trip. Oh, la la. But it was quite a challenge to figure out what to pack! Usually, I try to find items I can wear again, but I didn’t wear the dress or shoes again, primarily due to the cold weather. Perhaps if you’re going at a different time of year, you’ll be able to re-wear some of the items! It was a bit of a mix in terms of what everyone else was wearing. I didn’t see anything extremely formal; everyone looked well-put-together in neutral tones and structured clothes. So don’t stress about bringing something too formal!

My long dress was second-hand from Free People. It was a smart idea to wear a maxi dress because I could layer underneath, and no one would know!
Or consider a tank top to wear UNDER your maxi dress for extra warmth.
Fleece-lined tights that are skin-toned would have been ideal!! I’ve seen people layer the fleece-lined tights with sheer black pantyhose on top for a natural appearance.
Then on top, you can layer a cute cardigan with an outer jacket. The cardigan is optional because it was warm enough to go without it once we were inside, but I had it with me for other days, and it was nice to wear while taking photos outside. Some similar cardigans are this one on Free People, a formal attire cardigan at Anthropologie, or even this one from Amazon could work.
Extra large scarf or scarves! H&M typically has some cute chunky scarves each fall.
Cute shoes were the toughest part, and I opted for some lightweight flats that could pack down nicely. The ones you see in the photos look good but are often not warm enough! Consider some cute but functional shoes from Clarks or Sorel.

Hanna's mom standing outside the mirror walled building

Hanna pointing out a sculptural shipwreck

Hanna walking along the blue windows of the Oslo Opera House in a lilac grey dress and black shoes.

Hanna standing on top of the Oslo Opera House in Norway with a lilac gray dress and brown scarf.

Hanna looking back over her shoulder at the Oslo Opera House in the distance. The dark grey colors of the fjord reflect the blue windows of the Opera House.

Full Transparency

My mother and I received complimentary tickets for this ballet performance, and I wanted to discuss for a moment how this affected my experience. First off, in my full transparency manner, I am not sure I would have attended the ballet without these tickets. Having never gone to a ballet performance, I was unsure how much my mother would like it. However, I should have known that she would love it as much as I did. We both liked it to the point that going to the ballet was our favorite thing to do in Oslo! With seats available at various price points, seeing a performance at the Oslo Opera House is worth the experience. And by “the experience,” I mean dressing up, walking on top of and around the opera house, and seeing the performance. Although you can visit the Opera House for free, it is a marvel to watch a performance inside its well-designed auditorium.

Prime Seating

I initiated contact with the Oslo Opera House to be a possible treat during our short visit to the city. The La Bayadere was nearing the end of its run at the Opera House but luckily fell right on the dates we were in town. My contact at the Opera House chose our seats for us. We sat in the fifth row and dead center. At times, when the curtains were closing for each act, I swear the dancers were staring into my soul. Though we couldn’t see down into the pit where the musicians were, we could hear every note. At the beginning of each Act, the audience clapped for the composer, and his head would pop up from the railing in front of the first row. I do wonder what it would have been like to watch the performance from above, but also greatly appreciate being able to see every facial expression cross the dancer’s faces. Something to consider when you purchase tickets.

The audience is not allowed to take photos during the performance, which kept me in the moment. I thought it was incredible that during the entire performance, I never once hear a phone go off or saw anyone take photos. Norwegian courtesy, perhaps? Other than the prime seating, I am not sure anything else about my experience would be different than yours. I feel so fortunate to receive the complimentary tickets and to be able to share the ballet as a way to experience Oslo cultured international city with fantastic architecture – something I am not sure I would have done without the opportunity.

Other Things to do in Norway

While this is the only blog post I wrote about Oslo, I did a ton more activities in the fjord area near Flam and Bergen, such as:

Overall Thoughts: Ballet at the Oslo Opera House

One thing that I have yet to mention about the performance we saw was it was a full house… or at least every seat on the auditorium floor was definitely taken (I couldn’t tell with the balcony seats). Such a fantastic turnout for a mid-week performance that was nearing the end of its run! Going to the ballet, especially with my mom, was an absolute treat that allowed me to appreciate both art and architecture in Oslo. The experience of going to a performance reminded me of the Fortress Concert in Salzburg, Austria – also a delight. The La Bayadere performance was lovely, but I greatly enjoyed making the entire Opera House the focus of our evening.

To see more of what the Opera House has to offer, be sure to check out its website or Instagram. The Opera House also offers tours in English each day at 1 pm that speaks about the architecture and takes you behind the scenes. If we had more time in Oslo, I would have loved to go on the tour just to see the backstage of the performance I was about to see!

Are there any stunning Opera Houses where you’ve seen a ballet performance? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? This ballet made me feel fancy, cultured, and I cannot wait to do it again. Let me know in the comments below where you recommend!

Happy Travels,

Hanna

Filed Under: Artsy Exploring, Norway