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MAY 16: NEW OPERA
For a long time it has been discussed in Sweden that Stockholm needs a new opera house. The old one doesn´t fill requirements of today and other Scandinavian capitals have newish opera houses. An association has been formed, called Masthamsoperan, to get the new opera to Swedish capital. Drawing have been done and idea has been presented to authorities and companies. The question is, who pays the building expenses, 450 million euros. Sponsor are being sought. The Masthamsoperan association, and Dagens Nyheter newspaper´s culture chief have an idea: IKEA owner Ingvar Kamprad. It is not known what is Kamprad´s attitude to the idea. The opera supporters have also been in contact with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, who have positive attitude towards the idea.
MAY 16: KRISTINA SURVEY
Finnish people now have chance to win tickets to KRISTINA. Svenska Teatern has a survey where you must answer to quite some questions about the musical and it´s sponsors.
Tickets for autumn 2012 are selling out. Svenska Teatern suggests Swedish people to try via ferry companies Slja Line and Viking Line, who may have some tickets left.
MAY 13: PÅ SVENSKA
Svenska Teatern has let four major Finnish language reviews (Helsingin Sanomat, Ilta-Sanomat, Aamulehti and Turun Sanomat) to be translated into Swedish. They can be found here.
MAY 8: SVENSKA TEATERN CHAIRS
Finnish media has been writing about the chairs in the loges in the balconies of Svenska Teatern. People get pain in feet an back after long performance of KRISTINA. Architect who is responsible for rebuilding of the theatre says that the antique style of chairs do not suit for the way that today´s people sit on chairs, and it takes time til the repaired chairs get worn a little and become more comfortable to sit on. However Svenska Teatern will try different kind of chairs.
Do note that this problem applies only to limited number of separate chairs in the balconies, most of the seats of the theatre are comfortable.
MAY 8: COWBOY BENGTS
CowboyBengts new album comes out May 16.
MAY 2: COWBOY BENGTS
CowboyBengts, who released a childrens´album on Mono Music in 2002 came out today with new humour CD, ”CowboyBengts vender tilbage”.
Behind the band is BAO member Göran Arnberg along with Tomas Bergkvist och Magnus Fermin. Arnberg has written all the music. Some quite wellknown people appear on the album, with slightly different names than usually. For ex the song MIA FRANZEN in a duet between Gelén Heaeux and H Rulofson accompanied by GAO, in other words Helen Sjöholm, Lars Rudolfsson and BAO. Lotha P (=Lotta Engberg) and accordion player B. Andersen do the song ”Getabocksfamn” together. Also artistes called Mor A Kalléus and Orsa Specimen can be heard on the new album.
APRIL 26: KRISTINA TICKETS
The sales of KRISTINA 2003 tickets have begun brilliantly. Lippu.fi´s best selling tickets at present are naturally Ice Hockey World Championships in May in Helsinki . KRISTINA tickets for next year are second best selling tickets! Amazing!
APRIL 25: TOMAS LEDIN
Universal Music is preparing a carefully made 2 CD set of Tomas Ledin´s whole career. Ledin recently celebrated 100th performance of his show SHOWTIME at Rondo in Gothenburg. At his website is mentioned that Frida has seen the show. Björn attended the premiere.
APRIL 25: MORE KRISTINA 2013
Price group for some seats has changed compared to 2012 season. You can compare here:
APRIL 20: KRISTINA 2013
Tickets for KRISTINA Helsinki for spring 2013 were released today.
Tickets prices are now 86€ / 75€ / 57€
Performance days (65) are:
January 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
February 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 26
March 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20
April 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30
May 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,
If you have chance, do call as by phone you usually get better place than from online store.
APRIL 20: BENNY AND MONA
Benny and Mona attended on Wednesday the event that Filmhuset arranged to remember the legandary actor Erland Josephson, who recently passed away. Benny said that he has many good memories of Josephson, he must have been the funniest man in Sweden, a very fine person
APRIL 14: BENNY AT RELEASE PARTY OF FRIDA HYVÖNEN´S ALBUM
APRIL 14: HOW COLLOBRATION BETWEEN BENNY AND FRIDA BEGAN
Couple of years ago Benny Andersson phoned Frida Hyvönen telling he likes her music and that he has heard that she is looking for a new record company. Hyvönen liked the little cosy record company and chose to join them. Hyvönen tells that during process for the new album Andersson has been a support and positive strength. She says it is nice to work with a record company chief who knows what it all is about when creqating a record, and who likes more music than money. APRIL 8: FRIDA RECORDS FOR BENNY´S LABEL
Frida Hyvönen new album TO THE SOUL is released on Mono Music´s new label, RMV Grammofon. Benny does not appear on the album, but has popped in to the recordings at Riksmixningsverket.
APRIL 3: DOCUMENTARY CANCELLED
Planned screening of ABBA -DANCING QUEEN TV documentary during easter has been cancelled due to copyright problems.
APRIL 2: KRISTINA 2013
Svenska Teatern will start selling tickets for spring 2013 during April. Exact date has not yet been announced. Original plan was to put them on sale during March.
Svenska Teatern has a long tradition for subscribtion series, where a private person can reserve a certain chair for some performances. In 2013 KRISTINA will be added to this system.
Best seats for autumn 2012 are sold out, but seats on balconies are available and of course unpaid tickets occasionally return fotr sale so one should keep an eye at ticket agency´s page.
MARCH 29: KRISTINA TICKETS
Some returned A-class tickets for KRISTINA on May 9, 10 and 16 are now available!
MARCH 29: NEW KRISTINA VIDEOS
MARCH 28: NICE OLD FRIDA PICS
MARCH 26: "BJÖRN´S WIFE" (latter link fixed March 27)
Nice set of KRISTINA pics at this flickr account. Among the photos a pose of Björn with legendary actress Birgitta Ulfsson, 84, who is mentioned as Björn´wife.
Another nice flickr set.
MARCH 25 : MORE MORAEUS
Kalle Moraeus will record eight new "Moraeus med mera" TV shows next summer. No guest artistes are announced yet.
By the way, this year is 25th anniversary of collobration between Benny Andersson and Orsa Spelmän.....
MARCH 25 : CHILD ACTOR
Isac Linden, 11, has been interviewed by local newspaper of his hometown Kauniainen
Which role are you playing?
-I play several childroles, but my main role is Johan, a child of Kristina.
How do you describe your role?
Johan in nice and polite, but wild.
What are you doing in the rehearsals?
-We kids usually rehearse in different room, because on stage people are running around. No we are nor rehearsing anymore, we only have performances.
What do you think about other actors?
-They are nice and good singers and actors. I try to learn from them as they are so skilful
Why do you like of this play?
-I have previously been in the plays Cabaret and Aurora Karamzin, but this is clearly the best as it has been doone on different way. There are major change of sets, in a scene there can be a mountain and for the next we are in a big boat. And then good music and lots of audience.
How did the premiere go? Were you nervous?
-It went really well, but of course I was nervous. We all tried to be calm and think that it was an ordinary performance though it wasn´t. Lots of camera flashes because there were also photographers.
Have you met Björn and Benny?
-Yes, I took a photo om myself and Benny. They were quite stressed, but I can understand that. They are nice.
What do your friends think of you having a role in this big a play?
-They think it is cool and those who have seen the play say that it is really good. Many of them also like Björn and Benny.
Do you recommend that one should reserve tickets for this play?
-Yes! It is good. But once there were some problems with the sound and the performance had to be stopped. It was a shame because people from North-Finland had arrived and they had to go home, but they now have received new tickets.
MARCH 24 : MARIA SID
MARCH 22 : RATATA
Mauro Scocco writes in his latest blog entry that he and the other former Ratata member Johan Ekelund are working to get together a reissue of the Ratata catalogue. Scocco would prefer a box set, but record company Universal is the one who makes the final decision in what format the reissue will be done. Frida made a very succesful duet with Scocco on Ratata´s SÅ LÄNGE VI HAR VARANN in 1987. An English version - AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU- was put out on B-side of Ratata´s 7" and 12" singles OM DU VAR HÄR. Scocco doesn´t mention in the blog will rarities like ALAIHY be included and will there be DVD with videos in the reissues.
MARCH 22 : ROBERT NOACK
For fans of Robert Noack: his live-in Josefin Reinhard has a blog where you can find nice private pics and stories of Robert trough the years. Then there´s nice short film Septimo, where Robert plays a man who fells in love with a man who turns out to be a werewolf. Robert plays really well in this little film. Trailer is here
MARCH 18 : JIMMY ERIKSSON
Jimmy Eriksson, who took the official presentation photos of KRISTINA cast and creative team in February 2011, has many alternative shots from the session in his website´s portofolio.
MARCH 17 : HUOMENTA SUOMI
Maria Ylipää guested MTV3´s morning show Huomenta Suomi last week. She tells that rehearsal process was surprisingly painless. And she wasn´t as nervous around premiere as she usually is. And the brilliant reviews both in Sweden and Finland are of course rewarding. Before premiere Ylipää did not want to see previous versions. Now she plans to see the films.
MARCH 17 : IIRIS
New Finnish ladies´magazine Iiris has a praising article about KRISTINA in their new issue. Article writer Pirkko Vekkeli had heard Finnish superstar singer Jari Sillanpää to perform GULDET BLEV TILL SAND a few years and had deciced if a chance to see the musical appears, she will see it.
MARCH 16 : PLATINUM
Benny Anderssons Orkester´s album O KLANG OCH JUBELTID has reached platinum status in Sweden!
MARCH 16 : BENNY AT MOVIES
Benny attended last week the premiere of Peter Dalle´s (he adapted MAMMA MIA! into Swedish and Benny wrote music for his film Skenbart)) new thriller film ETT FIENDE ATT DÖ FÖR
MARCH 14: MERCHANDICE AND PHOTOS (updated)
Please note that the page where merchandice is presented, is indeed a presentation page, not place where you can order things! If you read carefully our news item from yesterday, we write about buing things from sales tables that are around the theatre on performances days. We do not know will Svenska teatern sell products via mail order some day.
At the official KRISTINA site it is now possible to have a look at the merchandice that has been manufactured. Klick to skjorta or program or sånger to see the product. T-shirt is available both as white (for ladies) and black (for men) versions. Theatre has lots of shirts manufactured and and if suitable size is not on the sales tables, the staff will gladly pick the correct sized shirt from the stock room. The prices are rather fair ones.
Nice set of pictures from the performance has also been added to the official site.
MARCH 13 : PHOTO PROVIDED BY SVENSKA TEATERN
Finland´s president (at that time) Tarja Halonen and her husband Pentti Arajärvi with Benny, Björn and Lars
MARCH 11 : TECHNICAL PROBLEMS
Even more details from Thursday´s problems at Svenska Teatern have been published. The very advanced computer system with which sets are operated, had errors. As the personnel did not know what was wrong, they decided that it was too dangerous for the actors if they go on with the performance. Leaders of the theatre decided to stop the performance after three attempts to start. Technicians, who were called from Tampere, came to Helsinki during night and found that two cables were loosely connected. There are 10.000 similar cables in the system so it is not that easy to find what´s wrong. Svenska Teatern says it is a nighmare for theatre to stop a performance and send people to home. Theatre is studying is it possible to pay travel expenses for those who came from long distance to see KRISTINA.
MARCH 10 : VANTAA
Newspaper Vantaan Sanomat, from Helsinki´s neighbour town Vantaa, has interviewed three KRISTINA performers who originally come from that town. Esa Aapro, 51, is seen as Nöjd and names WATERLOO as his fave ABBA song, because that is the song where the band´s success began and it was the last ESC that he watched. 57 years old Matti Pasanen, who plays Abbot says MAMMA MIA is his favourite among ABBA´s songs. DANCING QUEEN is best ABBA song according to Markku Luuppala, 50, one of the conductors of KRISTINA.
Luuppala says that Benny Andersson is unbelievable in creating melodies and he was nervous before meetin Andersson and Ulvaeus, wo then appeared to be calm guys.
The three men from Vantaa says that everything in KRISTINA works well.
In the same article David Lindström says that fans have begun to wait around the staff door after performence, which has not happened since HYPE in 1994.
MARCH 10 : NOACK AND NILSSON ON TV
Robert Noack and Oskar Nilsson were on Wednesday guests at Finnish TV´s Swedish department´s morning show Min Morning. Their interview starts around 18:15. Both gentlemen look a bit tired, which is natural as they had a long night playing at Svenska Teatern and wake up early for this programme. Noack tells that DUVEMÅLA was originally the reason why he started with singing. Tommy Körberg is his idol and has inspired him a lot. They told that they no longer think about the different dialects of the cast. As big part of the cast comes from Sweden to a completely new town, they associate also during free time. The first month was hard, it is the same wherever you move, says Nilsson. The two men live quite close to each other in Helsinki. Nilsson and Noack see no particular differences in working and living in Finland and Sweden, both are quite similar Nordic countries.
MARCH 10 : MORE DETAILS
More details about last nights problems at Svenska Teatern. At first there have been problems to raise the curtain. Then the machines that are used in moving the sets, began to work inproperly.
MARCH 10 : PROBLEMS FIXED
Svenska Teatern announced that the technical problems have been fixed during last night. So, today KRISTINA will be performed normally
KRISTINA obviously is very interesting thing for Swedish speaking folks in Finland. Report about technical problems yesterday, is newspaper Huvudstadsbladet´s second most read news items this week.
MARCH 9 : NEW KRISTINA PERFORMANCE
There will be an extra performance of KRISTINA on March 27. Tickets from yesterday´s performance, that had to stop after 20 minutes, can be changed into the new date´s performance, starting from Monday Marc 12. Really great that a replacing show could be decided so quickly.
MARCH 8 : KRISTINA HAS PROBLEMS
KRISTINA at Svenska Teatern has technical problems. Today the performance stopped quite soon after it had started. After 20 minutes it was announced that problems are are so big that they can´t perform and audience was asked to go home. Svenska Teatern attempts to arrange an extra performance where audience of today will be invited. The audience is asked to safekeep their tickets.
The translation plates have also had problems and on Wednesday they were not at all available for the audience.
Birthe Wingren, who plays Ulrika, got ill last week and had to be replaced by cover at least the performance on Friday.
MARCH 2 : FINNISH PAPERS
Ilta-sanomat
Iltalehti
Helsingin sanomat
MARCH 2 : HALONEN
Benny and Björn with Finland´s previous president (by the moment of taking the picture she still was Finland´s president) Tarja Halonen and her husband Pentti Arajärvi.
MARCH 2 : AFTONBLADET´S REVIEW
People at Svenska Teatern can be more than happy with all reviews of KRISTINA in Finland and Sweden being excellent. Latest one to join into chorus is Aftonbladet´s Jens Peterson, who gives full points, ***** of *****, for KRISTINA. He praises practically everything in the production. The cast and chorus are impressing. Peterson ends his review by saying it is easy to reach Helsinki, and Svenska Teatern is very worthwhile destination.
MARCH 1 : EXPRESSEN´S REVIEW
Philip Their writes that Oskar Nilsson is brilliant as Robert. Maria Ylipää´s dialect maybe makes Kristina´s longing for home even more stronger. Wingren is one of the evening´s biggest stars, she has never sung that well.
MARCH 1 : HUVUDSTADSBLADET´S REVIEW
Mats Liljeroos writes that Lars Rudolfsson direction down-to-earth and stylished. Robin Wagner´s downscale scenography offers magical moments. Andersson´s music, tastefully orhestrated by Anders Eljas, has got inspiration from nay different directions, but still sounds like Andersson and no-one else. Ylipää has not been praised in vain by creators. She sounds like a dream. She and some others in the ensemble could have worked even a bit harder with Swedish language for the spoken parts, but she sings so irresistably that one quickly forgets those minor things. Also male roles are optimally casted. Noack sings well, while Nilsson with his light tenor voice provides maybe the performance´s best vocals. Wingren sounds good as always.
MARCH 1 : DAGENS NYHETERS REVIEW
Jens Liljestrand in major Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter calls Svenska Teatern´s KRISTINA as very beautiful, intimate and emotional performance. Liljestarnd reminds how passionately Vilhelm Moberg was involved into Finland´s situation during the second World War. The reviewer says that in the beginning the mixture of different dialects of Swedish language sound unusual, but gives quickly a poetic tone to the staging.
When Liljestrand saw the musical for the last time in Stockholm, it felt like done with routine. Now on smaller stage KRISTINA becomes again explosive and exciting. One hears every nuance and instrument. In many scenes every detail can be seen clearly.
Acting is of high class all way long. Ylipää works hard to take over the main role from Sjöholm. Noack unfortunatley feels a bit anonymous Karl Oskar. Birthe Wingren is a very good Ulrika. And Oskar Nilsson is a real find. Cutting the Indian scene is something that Liljestarnd find a good thing.
MARCH 1 : SWEDISH RADIO p1´S REVIEW
Per Feltzin writes that as there are now less musicians in the KRISTINA orchestra, the attacks in music become more solistic. It is only good, it gives energy. New cast is fresh. Feltzin, from Stockholm, has some problems taking the variety of dialects of songers. As singers Ylipää, Noack and Nilsson are brilliant. Sjöholm made Kristina melancholic while Ylipää makes her more agressive.
MARCH 1 : APU
Breaktrough of Maria Ylipää, is headline for Apu magazine´s article about press premiere of KRISTINA. Singers and and the performance are praised as worldclass.
MARCH 1 : TURUN SANOMAT´S REVIEW
Ilona Kangas in important newspaper Turun Sanomat is also very pleased with KRISTINA in her review.
She thinks she has never seen as ready, sure and strong performance as KRISTINA. Everything falls in place: singers, singers´voices in duets completing each other, orchestra, scenic design, costumes.
Though the Utvandrarna sttory may not touch the Finnish people´s sould as it dies fir Swedes, the genious musci will. Beautifl melodies by Benny and perfectly fitting lyrics by Björn. Singers are perfect for their roles according to Kangas. Ylipää is sovereign as Kristina, her voice flows like a stream. Though Ylipää is a positive performer, she can deliver Kristina´s deepest emotions, longing for home and pain. Robert Noack is handsome, charming and strong singer and his career gets a flying start. Oskar Nilsson is at least as good as Peter Jöback and the way he shows amotions and puts himself into the role is irresistible. Birthe Wingren´s charismatic performance is touching. Scenic and lighting design and Lars RUdolfsson work also receive praising words.
MARCH 1 : HELSINGIN SANOMAT´S REVIEW
Like big Swedish paper Svenska Dagbladet, also Finland´s biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat gives brilliant review for KRISTINA
More opera, less ABBA
Male main actor has problems with his lower register. One of the scenes of the performance lasting over four hours diffres on a clumpsy way from the totality. One of the 28 supporting roles is acted badly. They could also have left Jesus alone.
And then, which everyone who have seen promotional photos already know, Maria Ylipää´s wig is horrible.
Otherwise I am ready to admit, that "ABBA men´s", Benny Andersson´s and Björn Ulvaeus´KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA is one of the best musicals that I have ever seen, and most likely the most touching.
Jan Mark´s and director Lars Rudolfsson´s script is based on Vilhelm Moberg´(1898-1973) Utvandrarna- novel series, which has in Sweden similar national treasure´s poisition like Väinö Linna´s Pohjantähti trilogy.
The story of emigrant who move to America has touching points also to our history, and it is not hard to see the connection between people who escape religional...and hunger to the present ....and in so called ....problem.
The story is not only big, but also surprisingly lively. Main character Kristina´s will and desire become as to her faith in the end, though after several children and many losses , like ...for a marriage full of love and fully lived life.
Thematic precense of physics is maybe one reason, that the pathetics of the performance which is very emotional doesn´t feel too....one isteads let´s it take oneself with pleasure.
Even more reason is of course the music.
Andersson´s compositions and Anders´Eljas´massive orchestrations lend ...from psalms to hard rock, from roadway to gospel and Swedish and Amrican folklore to opera, like Puccini and Verdi. Easy hits can´t be seen in the twisting totality, but sometimes melodies flow pain making beautiful, and in the performance, as part of the totality, they work brilliantly.
Effect, that I don´t feel for, is using of lectric guitar in some more rocking songs of KRISTINA. Using electricity and metal sound makes one ..every time that when they ..into softness of strings and...Ear gets used quickly , but sometimes one thinks that less hardening would be enough. This applies specially to the scene, where Indian require the land and settklers once again escape.
Ulvaeus´finely written song lysics also they reach from ligh pop lyrics to breathtaking longing and ...telling.
There are almost 40 songs, over 30 singers, 24 musicians at the same time, and brilliantly trained chorus like at National Opera.
Closest, though propably unbeatable, piece in the same...both what comes to content and music, is LES MISERABLES. Over 50 million people have seen it around the world and it has been performed in London soon 30 years.
That KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA is now seen in much smaller scene than previously in Sweden and as slightly shortened, doesn´t matter at all. The story comes close, acoustics works great and ...have power that give give goosepumps
The scale is obviously familiar to scenic design veteran RObin Wagner, who knows personally the many, partly surprisingly small Broadway theatres. Sceinc desing by several times Tony winner Wagner and scenic images of stony Småland landscapes, sail and steam boats, and corn fields raising from black, lightened brilliantly by Linus Fellbom, are essential parts of the visual sense pleasure of Svenska Teatern´performace.
Wagner was involved already in all three Swedish versions, which enjoyed reat success, in 1995-1998, aswell as director Lars Rudolfsson.
Without seeing the oprevious interpretations one can only say that Svenkan´s performance works brilliantly flowingand professionally. There are close and wide images, faster and slower moments, warmth, humour and heartbreaking tragics.
The only thing that I don´t get warm for, are the four dancers. Lena Josefsson´s choreographies are fortunately ...but I would not miss movements even as emotional echos behind the scenes, a job that the director seems to give for them.
Main actors anyway almost make one faint.
Maria Ylipää, 29, sings in the big main role simply brilliantly. Voice is overly clean, more warm than before and in different emotions all the time beautifully, strongly and easily. Ylipää also makes nuances skillfully and when her shiny stage precense, one coould not hope much more from an international musical star.
Almost equal impression is made by 23 years old Swedish Oskar Nilsson in his smaller role. For the traagicc gold digger character Robert has been written oone of the most ..song of the musical, GULDET BLEV TILL SAND, which the young singer performs really strongly and touchingly, with intensity that one can´t resist.
No wonder, that in Tuesday´s press premiere, Nilsson´s perfromance resulted tears in the eyes and massive applause.
During auditions was found also the actor for main male role, Kristina´s husband, Robert Noack, 27. ALso he sings wery well, but the beautiful tenor voice register is still relatively narrow and leaks in lower parts.
Warm voiced and always interestingly acting Birthe Wingren makes once again fine musical role as Ulrika. She is the only one from the four who has previously performed at Svenska Teatern (ABBATODAY:his is mistae, Ylipää has been working at the theatre before)
KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA has been a big work and certainly expensive for Svenska Teatern which has just completed 50 million euros repairement, but also really big triumph.
Because theatre despite of additional seats is still reletively small, performances of spring are almost 100% sold out. As interest outside Sweden is exceptionally big, one could expect long life for the revival of this Swedish musical, even years.
Because of production and financing strcuture of the theatre, that is likely not possible. Due to present knoowledge, KRISTINA will be performed two years, then one has to live with the original cast recoding madein Malmö in 1995.
Review by Suna Vuori
FEBRUARY 29 : CHESS IN GOTHENBURG
Cast for CHESS, based in the Stockholm 2002 production, at GöteborgOperan has been announced:
Anatoly: Philip Jalmelid
Freddie: Christopher Wollter
Florence: Evelyn Jons
Svetlana: Nina Pressing
Conductor: Anders Eljas
Tickets for September-November 2012 will be released March 5, for December 2012-March 2013 later on.
FEBRUARY 29 : DETAILS
MTV3 has news item of new collobration between Svenska Teatern and Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden in Stockholm, better known as Dramaten. Both theatres bring one productioper year to each other´s scene. KRISTINA can´t be taken to Dramaten as there is no room for it in the schedule and tehcnique of Dramaten is much older than Svenska Teatern´s.
But in the article is told that 97% of KRISTINA tickets for the spring are sold. For autumn 72% of the tickets have been sold. Theatre´s chied Johan Storgårds dreama that Russian translations could be added to tre translation plates.
FEBRUARY 29 : SUOMEN KUVALEHTI
FEBRUARY 29 : KRISTINA REVIEW IN BORGÅBLADET
**** of ***** by Egil Green.
KRISTINA is a parade example of music´s ability to touch a human being more than any other form of art. Maria Ylipää has worked out her Swedish brilliantly. Robert Noack sings unbelievably well. Birthe Winger shines time after time. Long mainly praising review.
FEBRUARY 29 : SUOMEN KUVALEHTI...
...has nice slideshow of pics from Tuesday performance of KRISTINA
FEBRUARY 29 : STT
Finnish newsbureau STT has published an article about press premiere of KRISTINA. Sanna Nikula writes that very seldom in press premieres audience raises to give standing ovation. She says that KRISTINA is memerable proof of talent from ABBA men, director Lars Rudolfsson and singers & choir. Maria Ylipää is so good in her role that Nikula thinks it would be no surprise if she would be hired to productions in Sweden. Also Noack and Nilsson are praised. Further on is written that many amazing solos like DU MÅSTE FINNAS and GULDET BLEV TILL SAND is included and further on blood stopping chorus songs.
The article tells that 62.000 tickets have been sold, of which 15.000 to Sweden.
FEBRUARY 29 : KRISTINA REVIEW IN SVENSKA DAGBLADET
Bo Löfvendal writes that KRISTINA often makes one cry, but is never banale and is not one of those musical where one tune is used time and time again. Robin Wagner´s scenography fits brilliantly even to Svenska Teatern´s stage, write Löfvendal.
Robert Noack as Karl Oskar is believable and is very good in his role. Oskar Nilsson´s performance as Robert is so strong that both the man himself and audience shake.
SvD writes Maria Ylipää doesn´t try to imitate Helen Sjöholm but does her own Kristina. She is fantastics in scenes where she is furious and has a versantila voice. Birthe Wingren makes a very fine Ulrika.
The critics says that variety of dialects is refreshing and beautiful. Mainly there are variations of Finland´s different Swedish language dialects, but also dialects of Stockholm, Småland and Finnish speaking people. All of them fit naturally in same scene.
The performance is fine and worth making the trip to Finland. The only thing that gets negative word in Svd is the wig of Kristina.
FEBRUARY 29 : YLE
YLE´s Swedish department has news item with slideshow and links to videos of some songs of the musical
FEBRUARY 29 : PREMIERE
Quite some famous people attended KRISTINA premiere in Helsinki:
Finland´s former president and winner of Nobel Prize for Peace, Martti Ahtisaari and wife Eeva
Minister of defence Stefan Wallin
Minister enviromental things Ville Niinistö with Swedish politician wife Maria Wetterstrand
Current number two of president elections in Finland, Pekka Haavisto with partner
Lena Ulvaeus
Ludvig Andersson and wife
Peter and Nanne Grönwall
Anders Eljas
Göran Arnberg
Tommy Körberg
Kristina Lugn
Actor Bengt Bauler (Stockholm MM! and producer of MM! in Denmark)
Actress Lia Boysen, former wife of Anders Ekborg
Singer Arja Saijonmaa
Singer of The Rasmus, Lauri Ylönen and wife Paula Vesala (singer, music writer, and translator of KRISTINA lyrics for plates)
Other Finnish celebrities: Lenita Airisto, singer Sonja Lumme, Per Stenbäck, actors Tommi Korpela and Elina Knihtilä, actor Ville Virtanen (husband of Birthe Wingren)
FEBRUARY 29 : ILTALEHTI
Nice Finnish newspaper Iltalehti has video interview with Benny made yesterday.
FEBRUARY 29 : HUVUDSTADBLADET
Nice picture slideshow in Huvudstadsbladet´s article about press premiere yesterday. Lars Rudolfsson says that they are overly happy after performance. Oskar Nilsson got one of the longest applauses of the night after GULDET BLEV TILL SAND. He said that this warmed his heart.
Huvudstadbladet had interviewed actress Sissela Kyle, and she tells that she has seen KRISTINA three times in Sweden and listen the music at home aswell. She advices the audience in Helsinki to take kleenex to the performance.
FEBRUARY 29 : NWT
Kaj Haglund from KRISTINA ensemble (he plays Per Persson and is cover for Abbot) has been interviewed by NWT. He says that working with legends Benny and Björn have been really fun. They are calm and cool persons who create calmness around themselves. At first it was a bit nervousing to work with them as Haglund has grown up with music of B&B. Haglund has seen KRISTINA four times in Sweden, with his pals Åsa Berg, Frida Bergh and Carina Söderman on stage.
FEBRUARY 29 : SKÅNSKAN
Swedish newspaper Skånskan has published an interview with Robert Noack. It has been made last week´s Wednesday at press conference at Svenska Teatern. Noack says that he will stay one year in Helsinki as Karl Oskar. At first, then it will be seen will he continue.
FEBRUARY 29 : PRESS PREMIERE
Press premiere yesterday had some famous guests. From Sweden arrived: Sissela Kyle (famous actress who got a song from Benny Andersson when she did a one woman show at Benny´s hotel Rival a few years ago) and Stockholm´s MAMMA MIA!´s Donna, Gunilla Backman. From Finnish celebrites were seen legendary actress Birgitta Ulfsson, member or parlament Leena Harkimo and singer Riki Sorsa. Like in Friday´s preview, Anders Eljas has been at Svenska Teatern and like always, has been very kind and funny when meeting fans.
At foyer have been for sale KRISTINA original 3CD, highlights CD, black T-shirts, white T-shirts, programme book, lyric booklet, notebook. At least now in the beginning these items have not been sale at box office.
After performance of Kristina, Andersson, Ulvaeus and Rudolfsson have again come on stage, joined by costume designer Kersti Vitali and some other other people of artistic team.
Benny Andersson, Maria Ylipää, Oskar Nilsson and Robert Noack have been very nice for fans who have met them. They all have patiently signed autographs and posed for photos.
FEBRUARY 28 : HUVUDSTADSBLADET
Today´s Huvudstadsbladet interviews Sten Palmgren, chief of Svenska Teatern´s Fond, about economics of KRISTINA
How big economical risk is KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA?
-It would be a big risk, if we weren´t selling well. It is an expensive production. But in this case it is also unique and excellent production.
What happens if ticket sales do not cover costs?
-The plan was that one would start with presales of tickets and start with that. From early stage it looked that they will be covered. We count that costs and incomes are equal. The aim of the theatre is not to do profits. We hope to export the performance with theatre´s export company Ace-Productions and with that to do some profits. Then the profits go for the theatre.
Is there a plan B if KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA in non-profitable?
-No, at this stage it looks very promising!
How many performances must be done that the performance stop being unprofitable?
-It is somewhere between 180-200 performances. Now one has sold 60.000 tickets
FEBRUARY 27 : KRISTINA PIC
Nice picture published by Svenska Teatern, taken by C. Portin.
FEBRUARY 25 : SAMARBETE
The magazine Samabete has article about KRISTINA and these lovely photos. Maria Sid describes KRISTINA as something between musical and opera. Music starts where words are not enough.
Benny says it wonderfully fun to stage KRISTINA on a Finland´s Swedish scene.
"It was long time since we made KRISTINA in Sweden, it feels unbelievable to be able to do it again in another country. In addition in the same language!"
Benny also likes the idea that audience can follow the musical in Finnish or English with tranlation plates.
Benny is convinced that they did the right thing when chose Maria Ylipää to play Kristina.
-Kristina in on stage almost without break and Maria Ylipää is very pure actress. That is needed when one plays Kristina, one may not have mannerisms.
Those ABBA fans who expect something like MAMMA MIA! will not be disappointed , according to Benny. But one must be prepared for completely different music style.
-I believe that those who like ABBA will also like the music in KRISTINA. I am the way I am and have always been, but 2000 pages of Moberg can´t be done with pop music. In KRISTINA the music is moe substantial."
Everyone involved in the production look forward to premiere in the renovated theatre. Says Benny:
-It will be interesting to see how it comes out, it is unbelievably fine theatre. My wish for the New Year was that everything will go well."
FEBRUARY 25 : PUTOUS
Finnish TV channel MTV3 has shown three seasons crazy sketch character show Putous. Nopw they have made a humour music CD where they make THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL. Recently they gave signed copies of the CD to Benny and Björn in Helsinki.
FEBRUARY 24 : KRISTINA CHANGES
The first act of KRISTINA is shorter than in the original production. Lots of minor lyric changes have been done to many songs along the musical. Some songs have been shortened, and the role of Fina-Kajsa is also smaller than in the original production. SUNDAY IN BATTERY PARK is heard as fastened version like in the English concerts. The song of Kristina and Karl Oskar longing for each other during sea trip has been cut. I GOTT BEVAR is like on stage versions before, where Karl Oskar sings more, on the record some of his his lines were sung by Kristina.
FEBRUARY 24 : KRISTINA PREVIEW
Finland´s president Tarja Halonen has attended the KRISTINA preview today. Benny and Björn have entered te stage during curtain call. Usially the Bs come on stage during premieres, not previews.
FEBRUARY 24 : KRISTINA MERCHANDICE
Following products will be on sale at Svenska Teatern
-programme book 5€-mug 8€
-T-shirt 15€
FEBRUARY 24 : APU
Finnish magazine Apu has nice set of pics from KRISTINA press conference this week.
FEBRUARY 24 : ANNA
Maria Ylipää is front cover lady of big ladies´magazine Anna this week.
She is asked when she danced to ABBA music for the last time. That was during autumn 2011, she was a few times in Stockholm to rehearse the material of KRISTINA. She stayed at Rival hotel and ABBA double disc is avaiable in the hotel rooms. Always before going to rehearsals she put on volume and danced wildly.
During rehearsal period Maria´s husband has it hard. At work she must behave, so all the stress and pressures explode at home to husband. She almost wants to apologize in beforehand. After premiere Maria takes more psrt in the responsibilities at home, so her husband has again more time to do his own things.
FEBRUARY 23 : X3M
X3M has two articles:
1.) They have asked Benny what he thinks of Björn. Benny says that the other B is funny so one begins to laugh, but above all he is nice. When they work together B&B mainly think the same way, but outside work they think differently about most things. Benny calls Björn as his brother, despite he isn´t perfect, people are different and one must accept that.
2.) Maria Ylipää has been asked what has been hardest thing for Finish speaking person to learn in the Swedish sung musical. The reply is: Korngrynsgröt och stora feta klädlöss som gömmer sig i underkjolen
FEBRUARY 23 : HUVUDSTADSBLADET
Another new article in Huvudstadsbladet. Benny and Björn are asked what has been most surprising in this first production of KRISTINA outside Sweden. Björn replies that the fact they found so good actors for the main role, they cope over expectations.
Further on Andersson/Ulvaeus are asked how it feels to hear KRISTINA sung in Finland´s Swedish. The answeris wonderful.Two actors from the ensemble describe Lars Rudolfson as phenomenal firectod, he works with both heart aand brains, and he never uses papers, he remembers everything
FEBRUARY 22 : MORE PRESS
YLE´s Swedish department´s video report
Uutisaalto has a set of photo of KRISTINA press conference photos.
FEBRUARY 22 : MORE PRESS
Kyrkopressen has large interview with Maria Ylipää. She says she is not particularly worried for critics as an Finnish speaking actress who got main role in Swedish sung musical. She can understand critic in a speaking role where pronouncing is important part of the character. In KRISTINA there´s some dialogue but more singing.
Ylipää is asked what kind of feeling the main song DU MÅSTE FINNAS raises in her:
-At first when I read the lyrics I wasn´t so impressed. Belief and doubt are maybe not the sexiest things to write a hit song about.
But when she heard the music and read the story, she understood.
-It was fine music, it just raises one from the floor. And naturally I can identify myself with Kristina´s questions of God´s existens. It is a question we all bear inside all the time.
FEBRUARY 22:MORE PRESS
Suomen Kuvalehti has set of photos taken at KRISTINA press conference today
Österbottens Tidning has small preview for thëir report in tomorrow´s paper.
FEBRUARY 22: TV4
Finnish TV4 ´s news has feature about KRISTINA.
They also have some other news items:
1) Here Benny praises Maria Ylipää, how good a singer and never out of tune. Benny tells that they have done long days with KRISTINA in Helsinki. They start in the morning and after sing troughs at 11 pm, they go things trough with mixing folks and orchestra.
FEBRUARY 22: HUVUDSTADSBLADET
Huvudstadsbladet has interview with B&B. They and Lars have had tight artistic control over the process. Björn says it is important that one doesn´t let loose, then the result is what one wants to. When it is time for premiere, one only needs to worry for technical things. The ensemble is stabile and will most likely not do strange things.
No plans to export KRISTINA to England does not exist. Some theatre people from England are coming to see KRISTINA in Helsinki, it remains to be seen if they are interested to the musical on stage in England. Björn says that in Los Angeles and on Broadway they can´t cope with a musical that lasts 3,5 hours and requires more thinking from the audience.
FEBRUARY 22: 45 MINUTES
MTV3´s 45 minuuttia programme included great material from KRISTINA. Clips of DUVEMÅLA HAGE and MIN LUST TILL DIG etc. Interviews with Benny, Björn and Maria. Nothing really new in the interviews. Svenska Teatern´s chief Johan Sorgård was also interviewed and it appeared that also he has relatives who moved to America and that partly explains his interest to get KRISTINA in Finland. He told how booking from all around the world came long before premiere. 60.000 tickets have been sold. Stogård also explained how warm people Benny, Björn, Lars and Görel are.
FEBRUARY 21: MORE TV
Finnish TV3´s 45 minuuttia programme will have a KRISTINA feature tomorrow.
FEBRUARY 21: COUNTDOWN ...
Soon, it is time for Svenska Teatern to show their KRISTINA for the world. Previews begin this week and next week on Tuesday there´s first premiere mainly for the press and on Wednesday it is time for the actual premiere.
FEBRUARY 20: MARIA INTERVIEW ...
...that we referred yesterday, is now available online
FEBRUARY 19: MARIA INTERVIEW
Newspapers in Finland have today published an interview with Maria Ylipää, by Finnish News Bureau.
In the interview Ylipää tells the main lines of Kristina´s story. About Benny and Björn she says that she in privileged to get a chance to see how they work. She is too young to be original ABBA fan, but she realizes that B&B are legends. Ylipää thinks as the Utvandrarna story is not familiar for her since youth, as for all Swedes, she may have a new light view into the role of Kristina. For Maria Ylipää reading the books was a huge experience and she recommends the Utvandrana series for everyone. The musical she describes as something between musical and opera with tones from Swedish folk music.
FEBRUARY 16: BIRTHE WINGREN (updated twice)
Birthe Wingren is interviewed in todays´issue of Uusimaa newspaper.
Wingren describes her role for the paper and says that if the musical would be made on Broadway, they would have focus on Ulrika, as her story is like an real American dream, she has miserable life in Sweden and finds happiness in the new country while Kristina never really learns to livein America.
Wingren has read the Utvandrarna books during summer couple of years ago. In he home county it is usual to have relatives in America. Wingren has experienced that the Utvandrarna story is better known for ex. in the Southersn Ostrobothnia area, than among Swedish speaking people in Southern Finland.
Birthe has not seen KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA. Assistant to director suggested her to go to auditions, Wingren herself was doubtful as she considered that age of 45 she is too old for the roles. In the auditions people sang for Benny, Björn, Lars and conductor, who listened without interrupting . After singing feedback discussion was done in friendly atmosphere.
Actress admits that seeeing benny and Björn live was the final reason to take part in auditions. She got excited about ABBA after hearing WATERLOO for the first time. One year later Birthe and her friend Ulrika performed as Frida and Agnetha at a school perty. They had rehearsed their own choreography and sang ABBA songs playback.
FEBRUARY 15: ANDREAS LÖNNQVIST
Dagens Tidning had back in 2010 interview with sound designer Andreas Lönnqvist who does sound design for KRISTINA at Svenska Teatern. Lönnqvist and some other persons from Svenska Teatern went to see KRISTINA concert in London and there he met Benny and Björn for the first time. Lönnqvist was impressed how well Benny Andersson knows and remembers all details about KRISTINA since the premiere in 1995. Andreas Lönnqvist says that it feels great to work with big names like Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. And like all others who work with B&B, says that at the same time it feels very usual and normal as Benny and Björn are completely down-to-earth persons with no signs of superstar behaviou.
FEBRUARY 15: ROBERT NOACK
The nice picture below is included in interview with with Robert Noack in Norrköping Tidningar late last year. Here some of the questions made to Noack:
What are your expectations for 2012?
-Hard question. I must wait and see where this leads me. I have hoped for this project and I am liking it. My hope is that I will feel this well along the whole way.
What will be the top moment of next year?
-If you are thinking about DUVEMÅLA, then next year´s top moment will be the week before the premiere and the premiere. It is indeed always interesting when one has gone trough that long a process and have been one big collective group and put together a performance and one notices that premiere is getting close. Everything must be completed. There is satisfaction in it.
What is the biggest challenge?
-I am not used to do music theatre. I am used to do theare and have sung quite some, but it is completely different thing when one will play and set songs into scenes.
The paper writes that some music from the original production has been cut. but some has also been added
FEBRUARY 15: MATILDA AMBRE
February issue of Jönköping Nytt´s magazine has two page article about Matilda Ambre. She plays in the ensemble of KRISTINA and if for some reason Maria Ylipää will not be playing Kristina, she will take over.
Ambre says it feels fun to move to another country (Finland) when one knows it is not forever. It would be different if it was like for Kristina who would never again see family and friends.
FEBRUARY 15: OSKAR NILSSON
Oskar Nilsson, who will play Robert in KRISTINA in Helsinki will be one of the artistes in the show "Så ska det låta" of Swedish Tv on February 26, at 20:00.
FEBRUARY 14: GRAMMIS
Benny Anderssons Orkester won today Swedish music award Grammis in the category Danceband of the year.
These Grammis awards have been given to former ABBA members / people closely connected with their records:
1987: Folkmusic of the year: Benny Andersson / KLINGA MINA KLOCKOR
1989: Intrumental of the year: Benny Andersson / NOVEMBER 1989
1992: ´Jury´s honour prize: ABBA / Stikkan Anderson / Michael B. Tretow
1996: Composer of the year: Benny Andersson
1996: Album of the year: KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA with Helen Sjöholm, Peter Jöback, Anders Ekborg and others
2003: Special prize of the year: Michael B. Tretow
2004: Schlager/danceband of the year: Benny Anderssons Orkester med Helen Sjöholm: BAO!
2005: Music DVD of the year: ABBA: ABBA - THE MOVIE
2006: Schlager/danceband of the year: Benny Anderssons Orkester: BAO PÅ TURNE
2007: Danceband/Schlager of the year: Benny Anderssons Orkester / Helen Sjöholm/Tommy Körberg: BAO 3
2008: Export prize of the Goverment: Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus
2012: Danceband of the year: Benny Anderssons Orkester
FEBRUARY 14: ESA AAPRO
Swedish Radio´s Finnish department has an interview with Esa Aapro who plays Brusander and Nöjd at Svenska Teatern´s KRISTINA . Also Aapro tells, like Ylipää, that B&B attend rehearsals when some important point in the producion is being worked. Aapro says Andersson and Ulvaeus are completely normal persons despite being superstars.
FEBRUARY 13: KRISTINA TICKETS
Now there are some A-class tickets available for day performances on April 23 and 26.
FEBRUARY 12: KRISTINA COMPETITION
If you live in the Helsinki area and have the card S-etukortti, you can enter here
a competition where you can win one of the three 2 ticket sets for KRISTINA.
FEBRUARY 11: MARIA ON TV
Maria Ylipää guested Finnish TV1´s morning programme. Maria says that her feelings are good at present as there´s three weeks to premiere.
Nothing really new in the interview. But the good thing is that Maria tells quite nicely and charmingly about the plot and characters of KRISTINA. Much better than has been written in previous media reports.
Most interesting thing in the interview was to get to know how much the Bs have been involved. In the beginning of rehearsals when music was rehearsed , Benny and Björn attended a lot. Then when the stage rehearsals started, Lars took more over the responsibility of running things and Benny & Björn came sometimes to look at sing trough of scenes and think about details, like how some scenes would work better etc. Now during final weeks Andersson/Ulvaeus again attend more.
Maria says that strong invovelment of B&B in the production did not bring excitement or pressures, just the opposite, it gives strength.
Ylipää admitted that she of course hopes that working with B&B will help her in getting to work abroad.
FEBRUARY 9: ACE
In the new issue of Svenska Teatern magazine there´s an article about Svenska Teatern´r agency company, Ace Production AB. It is written that Ace owns rights for KRISTINA in Russia, Poland, Lithunia, Latvia and Estonia. During the spring Ace starts to have a look at Russia and Poland with KRISTINA
FEBRUARY 9: SVENSKA TEATERN MAGAZINE this news item was updated several times during evening!
The latest issue of Svenska Teatern client magazine includes quite some KRISTINA stuff:
1.) the interview with Maria Ylipää that we referred a few days ago, it includes the photos below
2.) we get to know that KRISTINA mug will be on sale
3.) Svenska teatern is searching the Finnish lady who left Stockholm production after first act she though the show was over, Lars Rudolfsson told about this case when rehearsals began in Helsinki. She is now wanted to give a new chance to see even the second act.
4.) Interview with Lars, Benny and Björn:
In the interview is told how Lars approached B&B early 90´s when he heard about the plans for a musical about Utvandrarna. He offered his theatre Malmö Musikteater as place to stage the musical. Rudolsson and dramaturg Jan Mark became gradually more and more involved. Original idea for Utvandrana as a musical was Benny´s. KRISTINA was played five years in Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm. Then is told how Svenska Teatern´s chief Johan Storgårds approached B&B, but they were sceptical was it possible for a theatre with so small stage and number of seats to have economical recourses to produce such an extensive plays as KRISTINA is. In the end Andersson/Ulvaeus approved, as Storgårds did not give up. B&B see Helsinki production also as a chance to create a version of the musical, that can be played at smaller theatre and by then maybe could be exported elsewhere.
Lars says that smaller format at Svenska Teatern is inspiring and raises up new qualities of the musical. He says that some details can be done better and now he tries to do that. There are some completely new things, while certain things have to be the same as before. But in details everything is new. It is impossible to repeat feelings, gestures and movements. That Moberg is not as known in Finland as in Sweden, is according to Lars mainly interesting. It gives a chance to see how the story works for an audience who maybe doesn´t know the background history that well. It puts the structure of the story into a test.
Rudolfsson tells that when the script was being build, one began to read books and pick up parts that could work as scenes. The books are built on story ...on different levels, in thoughts, dreams, feelings and reality. On stage these are made visible with scenography, music, movements, dance and with more or less realistic scenes.
Musical itself is unique on it´s form. Benny says that he has tried to describe with his music how he feels for the people that this story handles. When asked why KRISTINA makes most people to have goose bumps, Björn says that as text writer his job is to under the skin of the people of the story. When music and lyrics go hand in hand and describe human dilemma or feeling, then one gets goose bumps.
Benny, Björn and Lars all three think that there still today are Kristinas and Karls Oskars, as many people around the world have to leave their home countries in hope for a better life.
5.) Interview with Robert Noack
What do you think about the musical?
-It is a music piece where different themes are used and reused in different forms. Certain tonings that are in the beginning, return later on when characters recall things , and it is great and cool.
Does the previous success set pressures for you?
-Not at all, and I don´t know why, but it is really great to feel that there are no expectations that I have to live up to. We are making this on a completely new way and Lars Rudolfsson is very good in creating a rehearsal climate that is open. It is important for everyone that one doesn´t ground what one is creating into something that one knows from previous staging.
Karl Oskar gets many years older during the musical. How it is noticed?
-One doesn´t notice that so much on Karl Oskar, but in the relationship between him and Kristina. In the beginning they have newly fallen in love and are nervous and can´t stay aprt from each other. They they go into a partnership where they have need for each other in order to survive. But a normal day never comes, they all the time fight to survive.
What is in your opinion the most important message of the story?
-It tells about refugees and how they are treated because they are immigrants. It reminds one that there is a reasn why refugees leave their homes and everything they love, a reason that is bigger than we maybe can understand. It makes one think.
Why one should see KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA?
-It is a musical where music and lyrics synch really well, they support each other and because of that the result is a very well told story.
6.) Interview with Oskar Nilsson
What is you relation to the musical?
-I have the record at home and have also sung some songs in different concerts, at school and church concerts. Especially I like of singing UT MOT ETT HAV.
How it is to play Robert?
-He is a good character for me to play, sometimes I can feel that I am just like him, a bit daydreamer. Robert doesn´t like to work as farm hand, he mainly dreams during days and is the one who comes up with the suggestion to move to America. He want to go on all the time and is never really satisfield.
The most important message in this musical?
-Those who emigrated were really unbelievably courageous people. That they dared to do it is really wonderful and moving. They didn´t content but wanted to fight for something better.
What have you done during autumn to make yourself ready for the role?
-I have read the script many times and tried to get myself into how Robert thinks. I have listened Utvandrana books as sound books and just tried to get everything inside me.
Why one should see KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA at Svenska Teatern?
-It is a moving story with fantastic music and huour. During rehearsals we all sit and cry during certain songs because they are so beautiful, there are so many feelings in this musical. If one wants to cry and laugh, one mus come and see KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA.
7.) Interview with Birthe Wingren
You have read Vilhelm Moberg´s Utvandrarna books. What did you think of them?
-I like huge books where one get into others´ lives and follow them for a long time. The though to come to an unknown and untouched country is exciting, that chance no longer exists. One gets goose bumps when one reads how Karl Oskar walks into forest and finds the place that will become their home.
Does the previous success set pressures for you?
-We make an interpretation with the people and constallation that exist in this ensemble, it by then automatically becomes a completely different thing. It is selfclear that this is we, and noone else, who play these roles and that we speak Finland´s Swedish and not Småland dialect of Swedish language.
Tell about your role
-Ulrika is the whore of the village, when they still existed in Sweden. She tries to get out the old and create a new life, and I think that Ulrika´s determination and strenght for her daughter are really fine, she is a real fighter. In the USA she and Kristina become best friends, something that would have been impossible in Sweden.
What is the most challenging in the role of Ulrika?
-I have a very strong vision about Ulrika from the books. To find my own way to do her is the most challenging, I think. I notice it is good to put aside the books and see what comes out from the situation.
Has the story give any insights?
-Ulrika´s role gives thoughts about how one treats other people. In a crisis situation, like when they emigrate, there no room for judge anyone or to say that with that one we don´t want to be with.
FEBRUARY 5: SVENSKA TEATERN
In todays´Helsingin Sanomat, chief of Svenska Teatern, Johan Storgårds, says that by cutting down the musical´s length and making the orchestra half smaller than in Sweden, the budget could be put on size that it made KRISTINA possible. Still the musical is the most expensive production ever for Svenska Teatern. The exact sum is not announced. The theatre has also rights for the Finnish version of KRISTINA, but Svenska Teatern doesn´t want to unveil details where and when Finnish production will be done.
FEBRUARY 5: YLIPÄÄ IN HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Maria Ylipää wonders in today´s Helsingin Sanomat, how much work Benny and Björn want to do at a mature age. She admires also how professional and effective they are at their work. Björn comes quickly with new lyrics and Benny can just like that throw a new idea for vocal arrangement.
FEBRUARY 5: HELSINGIN SANOMAT (this news item was edited several times during the day!)
There´s big interview of B&B in Helsingin Sanomat today. Another wonderful promotion thing for KRISTINA, country´s biggest newspaper, on Sunday when people have time to read long articles. Here the most important things of the report:
Björn tells that sometimes he does nothing else but enjoys his (five) grandchildren for weeks. However, he is not intending to retire, creative work is therapeutic, he would like to continue making music til the end, for how small audience whatsoever.
Reporter thinks that the Bs clearly have new projects in mind, but they don´t want to talk about them yet. She says to Benny and Björn that you are like an old married couple, do you ever have quarrels? The answer is that sometimes they disagree, but as they met in 1965, so they already know each other quite well. They don´t call to each other every day, but rather weekly. But certaily no family dinners together every Saturday evening.
Benny tells to Helsingin Sanomat that three of his grandfather´s brothers moved to America.
Like in 2009, when KRISTINA Helsinki was announced, Benny compares Vilhelm Moberg´s books to Finnish author Väinö Linna´s novels. And to Finland´s national epic Kalevala. Benny tells that he loves Kalevala, and the staging in Swedish at Stockholm city theatre, which Lars Rudolfsson directed a few years ago, is one of the finest performances that Benny has ever seen. It looks like Benny has been reading quite some Finnish literature.
When asked are Benny and Björn surprised that Finland has this lively two language culture life, Benny answers that he rather is surprised that people talk so little Swedish in Helsinki. Outside Svenska Teatern one mainly has to use English. He thinks that it propably would be different in the Pohjanmaa area of Finland. He claims that most Swedes know that Finland has two official languages: "Your Swedish just sounds different, exciting"
Andersson/Ulvaeus praise Maria Ylipää also in this interview. Benny tells that before auditions they decided that if equally good singer for the main role is found both from Finland and Sweden, the Finnish one will be chosen. But Maria was clearly above anyone else, and Birthe Wingren is also brilliant, says Benny. Björn says that day after day she likes more and more Maria´s voice.
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APRIL 15: KRISTINA
B&B told in London that if KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA in Helsinki in 2012, in smaller theatre, less people on stageand smaller theatre, works well, they may do the musicaö in Stoclholm again. After Helsinki they will think about a West End production.
APRIL 15: NO MORE KRISTINA FOR HELEN?
Helen Sjöholm says in Swedish press that the performance at Roual Albert Hall will be her last KRISTINA appearance. She has done the stage version 500 times and sung the music in concerts. At the same time she admits that if the show was staged in London, it would feel strange to see someone else doing the role of Kristina.
APRIL 12: BENNY WRITES FOR ROYAL WEDDING?
Aftonbladet claims that Benny Andersson will write a song for the Royal wedding the coming summer. The paper has contacted Benny in London and he says he is writing nothing new at present. It is natural if he denies the whole thing as details of the concert are tried to be kept secret. The song is expected to be performed at the concert the day before the wedding.
APRIL 7: AGNETHA
APRIL 6: AGNETHA 60
Björn says in Swedish press that he doesn´t know where Agnetha celebrated her 60th birthday. That has taken place in a secret place.
MARCH 20: FRIDA IN NEW YORK
MARCH 15: N.Y.
Frida told last night in New York that she is recording an album with a musician, and it will come out gradually. She didn´t tell more but obviously the project with Jon Lord is going on. She sometimes gets nostalgic and listens old ABBA songs at nights.
Frida mentioned some of her favourites at Hall of Fame: Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner and Gladys Knights, but avove all Dusty Springfield. Frida thinks Roxette would fit in the Hall of Fame.
Agnetha had sent greeting s via Frida that she is equally proud as Frida to be among the few women who are accepted to Rock Hall of Fame
Benny said that Kraftwerk would deserve a place in Rock Hall of Fame. He had had a nice meeting with Bee Gees, the previous time was 31 years ago.
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