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

Staging a national language
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In order to demonstrate Röske-Lund’s transformation from Agatha into a
good-looking singer, Ahlgrensson drew a picture of her face and her hair in
his letter.
Röske-Lund seems to have been more flexible than Hebbe about her
roles. Arlberg was enthusiastic about the prospects of having Linda Röske-
Lund as his counterpart, because if Röske-Lund would come, then “any
opera could be given”, 13 especially Ernani, which Arlberg also wanted in
the repertoire.
Eventually, the opera company was complete and the opera at the Christiania
Theatre officially opened in November of 1874 with Don Giovanni.
Linda Röske-Lund sang Donna Anna’s role and Fritz Arlberg, Don Giovanni’s.
Josephson remembers the premiere as a success. All the singers did
their best. Even Thorvald Lammers, a Norwegian bass, performed decently
Figure 1. Linda
Röske-Lund before
and after a “brushup”.
(Ahlgrensson
to Josephson, 23
October 1874,
NLS.)
13 “Väl vore om Herrn finge Röske, då kunde som sagt allting gifvas” (Arlberg to
Josephson, 10 October 1874, KB).