Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Culture in Sweden 2016
Opera on tour, putting the story first With a mission to bring opera to the people, Skånska Operan takes classical operas, removes the grand set designs and performs in Swedish. The result is an intimate experience that puts the story first. “When you take opera on tour, you can’t have flying dragons,” says producer Åsa Jensen. “Everything has to fit in a van – we simply have to get to the core of the stories.”
A performance of Bizet’s Carmen from last year.
When Skånska Operan was founded in 1993 by Christian Fürst Myrup, it was one hundred per cent enthusiasm and not a whole lot of organisation. Then Åsa Jensen joined as producer, and things have steadily picked up since. Together with the artistic leader Ola Hörling, she has set a very clear goal: to make opera accessible to a wider audience. This year, Askungen (Cinderella) will take to the stage. “We’ve talked a lot about the fact that today, more than ever, there’s a need for a story with a happy ending, a story where something real and genuine actually wins in the end,” Jensen explains. “This is a classic story, and our concept remains the same: an intimate chamber
By Linnea Dunne Photos: Håkan Röjder
performance which we hope will really move people.” Powered by the passion of people who love opera and are happy to sacrifice big pay cheques for an intense learning experience, Skånska Operan takes issue with the idea that opera has to be performed in the original language. “If you want to tell a story,” the producer poses, “what good is Italian if the audience doesn’t understand it?” With its headquarters in Malmö, Skånska Operan tours its home country every summer, this year with 22 performances from 2 July to 9 August across various castle grounds. “Meeting the audience where they are, in a different environment, is our key strength,” says Jensen. “You get incredibly close.” For more information, please visit: www.skanskaoperan.se
A world filled with stories, laughter and surprises Junibacken is a fairy tale world based on Astrid Lindgren’s and many other famous Scandinavian authors’ books for children. Step into a colourful world full of fun and meet Pettson and Findus, Moomin and many others. By Sara Wenkel | Photos: Junibacken
Junibacken was established in 1996. The idea was developed by actor Staffan Götestam, who always found museums boring as a child. He had a vision to build a children’s museum that was anything but ordinary – something playful and interactive. He shared his thoughts with the late Astrid Lindgren, whose work he admired and wanted to incorporate and showcase. She agreed, but on the condition that other writers and creators were involved as well. This year, Junibacken hosts an exclusive exhibition about Moomin and his family. “It feels very special to be able to offer a setting here at Junibacken based on the celebrated works by one of our biggest artists, Tove Jansson. We hope 56 | Issue 86 | March 2016
that a new generation of Moomin lovers will play, explore, get inspired to read and have a lot of fun,” says Maria Reuterskiöld, communications manager at Junibacken. In addition to the exhibitions, Junibacken boasts a hugely popular multilingual children’s bookshop, and it is also the proud owner of one of Sweden’s largest children’s theatres with several performances daily. If you are travelling to Stockholm by plane, you will have another opportunity to play with Moomin and his friends as Junibacken is opening a new children’s lounge at Arlanda airport in April. Other famous characters at the lounge will include Jerry and Maya from The JerryMaya Detective Agency.
For more information, please visit: www.junibacken.se