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Nordic Opera Tips
COPENHAGEN
Stay:
Nimb
This new boutique hotel in the Tivoli Gardens has 13 suites with fireplaces, plus a dairy, delicatessen, chocolaterie, and several more restaurants—all under one roof.
Bernstorffsgade, 5
45/88-70-00-00
RATES: $840–$1,480
nimb.dk
Front
For a room with a view—of the Opera, of course—check into the Front. With trendy public spaces and understated rooms, it’s handy for exploring Bredgade antique shops or the bars on Nyhavn.
Sankt Annae Plads, 21
45/33-13-34-00
RATES: $260–$420
front.dk
Eat:
Noma
Rene Redzepi’s greatness (and commitment to Nordic ingredients) is no secret, so reserve ahead, then take a short stroll to the new Opera House.
Strandgade, 93
45/32-96-32-97
Hear:
Copenhagen Opera
The stunning 2005 Opera House, on the fairly central island of Holmen, also boasts a rooftop restaurant, with great views of the royal palace, Amalienborg. Some highlights this season: Tristan and Isolde
with Danish tenor Stig Andersen directing and singing the hero, and the world premiere of Danish composer Bo Holten’s melodramic The Visit of the Royal Physician.
Ekvipagemestervej, 10
45/33-69-69-69
operaen.dk
Royal Danish Theatre
Once home to the Royal Drama Company, the Royal Ballet, and the Opera, this lovely 19th-century house now mostly hosts dance. But the Old Stage will get one opera this fall: Handel’s boisterous Partenope, October 4–27.
Kongens Nytorv
45/33-69-69-33
kglteater.dk
HELSINKI
Stay:
Klaus K
The theme here is the Norse epic Kalevala, with rooms categorized under “Mystical,” “Passion,” “Desire,” and “Envy.” There’s a spa and several restaurants, and it’s just a mile and a half up the Manner-heimintie to the Finnish National Opera.
Bulevardi, 2
358/207-704-700
RATES: $210–$380
klauskhotel.com
Eat:
Grotesk
A team of talented chefs from Michelin-starred Demo opened this trendy wine and tapas bar last year. High-end food at reasonable cost in a laid-back setting is a big hit with Helsinki’s art and fashion crowd.
Ludviginkatu, 10
358/104-702-100
Hear:
Alexander Theatre
The Alexander’s range includes opera and dance, and it’s an important venue for the late-summer Helsinki festival. This fall dare to try Kosijan Putti—Così Fan Tutte, in Finnish.
Bulevardi, 23–27
358/967-6980
aleksanterinteatteri.fi
Finnish National Opera
For a real immersion experience, score tickets for The Ostrobothnians, Leevi Madetoja’s 1924 “national opera,” Finnish folk song sung operatically—with surtitles.
Helsinginkatu, 58
358/940-302-211
operafin.fi
OSLO
Stay:
Scandic Byporten
The 239-room Scandic Byporten is not glam, but it has enviable views of the opera house and is near the airport train.
Jernbanetorget, 6
47/23-15-55-00
RATES: $210–$425
scandichotels.no/byporten
Eat:
Åpent Bakeri
The outstanding bread mixes local ingredients with traditional French baking techniques. Avoid the lunchtime squeeze.
Inkognito terasse, 1
47/22-44-94-70
Hear:
Den Norske Opera
Tickets for the inaugural fall season of this stellar glass box are coveted, and even sold out. In February, the company marks its 50th anniversary with a new production of Peter Grimes.
Kirsten Flagstads Plass, 1
47/81-54-44-88
operaen.no
STOCKHOLM
Stay:
Hotel Stureplan
This charming new place reflects centuries of Swedish design. The 102 rooms come in Gustavian style with high ceilings and Tiffany blue walls; contemporary lofts; and even windowless “cabin rooms” (for long, light nights). The champagne bar is a trendy pre- or après-opera stop.
Birger Jarlsgatan, 24
46/84-40-66-00
RATES: $310–$470
hotelstureplan.se/en
Grand Hotel
Conveniently close to the opera house, the Grand is always grand—but only if you get a room with a water view. With one of Sweden’s best chefs (Mathias Dahlgren), and the glamorous Cadier Bar, it’s tailor- made for an opera visitor.
S. Blasieholmshamnem, 8
46/86-79-35-00
RATES: $380–$740
grandhotel.se
Eat:
The Royal Swedish Opera
Stray no further than the four superb in-house restaurants: casual Bakfickan; the beautiful Jugendstil Operabaren, with traditional service; super-trendy Café Opera; or the classical French cuisine of Operakällaren.
Gustav Adolfs Torg
46/86-76-58-00
operakallaren.se
Hear:
The Royal Swedish Opera
The 2008 season gives (almost) equal weight to Puccini (three productions) and Wagner (the Ring Cycle, and Tristan).
Gustav Adolfs Torg
46/87-91-44-00
operan.se
Drottningholm
This inland island is easily reached by boat, bus, or subway from Stockholm. An hour’s ride on the Stadhusbron steamboat is also fun.
46/812-004-000
kstrommakanalbolaget.com
Eat:
Drottningholm's Vardus
A lovely traditional place across the street from the palace.
Malmbacken, 178–02
46/87-59-03-08
Hear:
Drottningholm's Slottsteater
The royal theater’s season runs May-August.
468/55-69-31-00
dtm.se
Nordic Design
The Scando-Finns love
their opera, but design is
in the blood. Here’s
what’s new up north.
COPENHAGEN
Anders Arhøj
Anders Arhøj, one ofthe city’s most distinctive graphic designers, has designed everything from children’s books to the interior of Denmark’s first tiki bar. This fall his latest T-shirt release, Avalon, will be a must-have.
Aaboulevard 9, 4TV
45/21-62-94-03
wovenflesh.com
Arken
This dramatic museum
of contemporary art just
outside Copenhagen
reopened in January
after two years of reno.
The additional 17,000
square feet include a
Damien Hirst room, and
(through January 11)
an exhibition of Scandinavian
and international
Surrealism.
Skovvej 100, Ishøj
45/43-54-02-22
arken.dk
Karriere
In a similar vein to New
York’s meatpacking
district, Copenhagen’s
meatpacking square,
Flaesketorvet, is now
a nighttime cultural hot
spot. This is largely
thanks to the success of
Karriere, artist Jeppe
Hein’s barresto, also a
gallery with work by such
stars as Olafur Eliasson.
Flaesketorvet , 57–67
45/33-21-55-09
karrierebar.com
Mohs Exhibit
Formerly known by
the more flippant name
of Doodletown, this
gallery shows work by
emerging artists, and
accordingly it’s in
the up-and-coming
Vesterbrogade area.
Valdemarsgade , 36
45/20-61-33-55
mohs.dk
Royal Danish Playhouse
Following the success
of the opera house, a
new Playhouse designed
by Danish architects
Boje Lundgaard and
Lene Tranberg opened
in February on the
opposite side of the
harbor. Like the opera,
it has a huge glass
facade that makes the
most of its waterfront
location.
Sankt Annæ Plads , 36
45/33-69-69-33
skuespilhus.dk
HELSINKI
Arabia Exhibition
The Finnish Design
Museum is staging
an exhibition on Arabia,
one of the country’s
most influential china
companies, founded
in 1873. Today its bestknown
products
include mugs decorated
with Moomins—the
hippo-like creatures
from the children’s
books by Tove Jansson.
October 17–January 18, 2009.
Korkeavuorenkatu , 23
358/96-22-05-40
designmuseum.fi
Archtours
If you really want to focus
on Nordic architecture,
Finnish travel agency
Archtours specializes in
tailor-made trips built
around architectural
themes, such as the life
and work of Alvar Aalto.
archtours.fi
Design District Helsinki
An organization that
promotes the 170 design
stores, galleries, antique
shops, and other places
of interest found on
25 streets in the center
of the city. Do check the
website, which regularly
profiles new stores.
designdistrict.fi
OSLO
Central Station
A competition to rebuild
the city’s central railway
station has been won by
a local company, Space
Group, with a stunning
design that suits the
company’s name. The
futuristic plans call for
soaring spaces to cope
with a doubling of traffic,
topped off with a huge
glass pyramid. Construction
will begin in 2013.
spacegroup.no
Norway Says
Since opening in 2002,
the firm Norway Says has
helped close the gap
between the Norwegian
design scene and that of
its Swedish and Danish
neighbors. Their store
has recently expanded
to the Web, making its
products like the well-known
plastic armchair
rocker more accessible.
Thv Meyersgate , 15
47/22-38-25-77
norwaysays.no
STOCKHOLM
ABBA: The Museum
Not since the reopening
of the Moderna Museet
in 2004 has a museum
sparked such frenzied
anticipation—though we’ll
have to wait till June
2009 for this one, housed
in a converted customs
house. Meanwhile, a
1970s revival is afoot,
including the reappearance
of mustaches on
Stockholm’s fashionable
young men.
Hausmannsgate, 16
468/155-333
abbamuseum.com
Acne
In the fickle world of
fashion, Acne not only
remains the coolest
jeans brand in Sweden,
but it also produces
everything from
ad campaigns (Volvo,
Burger King) to toys
and a fashion magazine.
To crown it all, its
flagship store is a former
bank where, in 1973,
a heist led to a hostage
situation that gave rise
to the term Stockholm
Syndrome.
Normalmstorg , 2
468/611-6411
acne.se
Nitty Gritty
Despite its location on a
sleepy street in Södermalm,
the southern part
of the city, Nitty Gritty
has become one of the
most influential stores
in Stockholm. Part café,
part clothes emporium,
part toy shop, it also
has a popular webstore
selling carefully selected
art books.
Krukmakargatan , 26
468/51-06-19-52
nittygritty.se
Grandpa
In 2007, the second
Grandpa store opened
in Stockholm, in the evermore-
trendy Kungsholmen
area. The atmosphere
is reminiscent of
a 1970s hotel, with
secondhand furniture, a
reception desk, and
an aquarium. In addition
to selling clothes,
books, and household
objects, there’s a small
coffee bar. Rather like
Nitty Gritty, it’s at the
forefront of a new retail
trend in Stockholm—the
store as hangout for
the culturally aware set.
Fridhemsgatan , 43
468/643-6081
grandpa.se
"Compass: Scandinavia" originally appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of Culture+Travel. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Culture+Travel's Fall 2008 Table of Contents.
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