Opera on the Move in the Nordic Countries during the Long 19th ...

112 Anne Reese Willén
New venues
The Hotel de la Croix (which was mainly a place of entertainment and not so
much a hotel in today’s meaning) became a very important venue for classical
concerts in the mid-nineteenth century. It was situated in a thriving
centre for entertainment, Brunkebergstorg in Norrmalm, a district known
for its population of higher-class citizens. The Hotel had one large and one
smaller hall, which were often used for meetings, events and concerts. The
main business was the café 28 , which became very popular in the 1840s and
1850s. The great hall was often hired out for concerts, among other things,
during which time the café remained open, serving food and drinks. The
hall was not ideal for classical concerts because of the disturbance from
the café and the not so favourable acoustics, as noted in several reviews
of concerts held there. Nevertheless it was often used, and seems to have
been easily available and accessible. The concerts were always individual
undertakings, as was common at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong>. The difference
was that many more people had to be involved and paid, which made it
more laborious for the entrepreneur. It also entailed greater financial risks
because, even if it was popular, it did not have the same institutionally fixed
location, influence and audience as the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong>, although in
terms of availability it was completely different. Most of the artists involved
were from the Royal <strong>Opera</strong> Orchestra. The musical elite of the city, including
the star singers and musicians at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong>, and other
major artists (visiting and resident) – regularly used the hall at the Hotel de
la Croix for their performances.
Another major venue for music and, for a time, classical concerts was
the entertainment establishment “Berns salonger”. It was established in
1863 as a restaurant, café and general place of entertainment. Music featured
heavily from the start, and this was the first establishment of its kind
in Stockholm to employ a full-time orchestra, which at times had around 30
musicians and played daily. The repertoire was mainly dance or lighter background
music. The conductor, August Meissner (1833-1903) 29 , had a rela-
28 More precisely the “Schweizeri”, a type of café that was common in Sweden by the
mid-nineteenth century and named after the Swiss pastry cooks who immigrated to
Sweden early in the century and established these businesses. A “schweizeri” served
coffee, tea, pastries and lighter meals, and also stronger alcoholic beverages including
liqueurs and Swedish arrack punch.
29 Meissner was born in Germany, but worked in Sweden from 1855 when he started
as a cellist in Czapek’s orchestra in Gothenburg (1855-1860), where he also played
at chamber-music concerts together with Czapek and Smetana. He worked at Nya
Teatern in Helsinki in 1860-1868, first as a cellist and later as conductor. He went to
Stockholm in 1869, where he was appointed conductor at Berns. (Tegen 1985-87).