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Det Kongelige Teater Review

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Det Kongelige Teater

Address: Tordenskjoldsg. 3, Downtown, Copenhagen
Phone: 33/69-69-33; 33/69-69-69 for tickets
www.kgl-teater.dk

The Royal Danish Theater

Category: Arts/Performance Venues
Location: Downtown

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Fodor's Review:

The stoic, pillared, and gallery-front theater is the country's preeminent venue for music, opera, ballet, and theater. Nearly all theater works performed are in Danish, while operas are in their original language with Danish over-titles on a screen above the stage. The Royal Danish Ballet performs on the older stage in the main building; its repertoire ranges from classical to modern works.

The current building was opened in 1874, though the annex, known as Stærekassen (Nesting Box) was not inaugurated until 1931. The Nesting Box got its name due to an obscure likeness to a birdhouse. Statues of Danish poet Adam Oehlenschläger and author Ludvig Holberg—whose works remain the core of Danish theater—flank the facade. Born in Bergen, Norway, in 1684, Holberg came to Denmark as a student and stayed. Often compared to Molière, he wrote 32 of his comedies in a "poetic frenzy" between 1722 and 1728, and legend has it that he complained of interminable headaches the entire time. He published the works himself, made an enormous fortune, and invested in real estate. In the mid-'90s an annex designed by Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn was planned for construction on the eastern side of the theater, but it has yet to open. The theater closes for the summer months.

Cost: Guided tours DKr 75
Open: Guided tours Sun. at 11; no tours May 27-Aug. 5

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