Ibsen’s Ghosts at Den Norske Opera & Ballett

How many lies can a person tolerate? This is the question posed by Henrik Ibsen’s drama Ghosts, which has been transformed into a ballet by theatre director Marit Moum Aune and choreographer Cina Espejord.

“A moving experience,” said the VG newspaper following the premiere in 2014. The performance also gained international approval: “Ghosts is an amazing dance artwork,” wrote Dance Europe’s reviewer, who also deemed the work the ‘best premiere’ of the season. Marit Moum Aune was nominated for best libretto in the prestigious Benois de la Danse, and in Norway Cina Espejord received the Critics’ Award for the choreography. Ghosts soon became sought-after internationally, and The Norwegian National Ballet toured to Houston and Berlin. Now the performance finally returns to the space it was created for – the Main House at the Oslo Opera House!

Oswald Alving returns from a bohemian existence in Paris to small-town life on a Norwegian fjord. A newly-built orphanage is to be dedicated to his father’s memory, ten years after his death. Mrs Alving welcomes her long-awaited son home, but gradually uncovers the secrets that weigh heavily upon the family. In Ghosts, figures of the past and present dance side by side.

“Ghosts is a psychological thriller in which the characters learn more and more about their own stories. It’s about how that which remains unspoken can grow, and turn into something insurmountable. Immense courage is required to make peace with one’s delusions, and sometimes it is too late to do so,” says Director Marit Moum Aune. “Lies and concealment stifle these people, and make the house and home into a dangerous place, especially for the children,” she says.

Moum Aune and Espejord have created a narrative performance using the language of contemporary dance. The choreography has been developed through a close collaboration with the dancers, based on improvisation and the study of Ibsen’s play. Here, The Norwegian National Ballet’s dancers exhibit their strong interpretive qualities. Camilla Spidsøe’s portrait of Mrs Alving was hailed as “an incredible performance,” while Dance Europe’s critic named her ‘Dancer of the Year’ and called Andreas Heise’s interpretation of Oswald an “outstanding performance.” The music is by Nils Petter Molvær, who performs it on stage together with Jan Bang. You will not leave the Opera House unaffected by Ghosts.