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

Gendered agendas and the representation of gender …
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tion. The Dannebrog critic found the concept of women only productions
exciting as well as compelling and therefore inclined to prefer only ladies
on stage in honour of the graceful and piquant (29 August 1895). Politiken
even claimed that the ballet would be better without men: “Imagine what
a relief it would be to drop the bald-headed and pot-bellied gentlemen constituting
the majority of the Danish ballet” (29 August 1895). However, the
pen name Camille in København (25 August 1895) deemed it rather doubtful
that women could add anything of artistic value when it came to how men
should be portrayed on stage.
A production by women trying out new fields
Contrary to the exhibition’s music section, which according to Kvinden og
Samfundet: Udstillings-Tidende (13 March 1895, no 8) deemed it impossible
to put together an all-women’s orchestra that would satisfy artistic requirements,
the drama section had managed to assemble just such an ensemble.
It was made up of local, musically-gifted young women and primarily
consisted of strings and a few wind instruments with piano support conducted
by Orpheline Olsen. The Dannebrog critic “Vir & Co.” argued that
“[Olsen’s] routine and practice in swinging the baton, […] made her the
obvious choice for female Chef d’Orchestre” and predicted that “her delicate
ears would know how to avoid all harsh dissonance from this randomly
assembled orchestra” (28 August 1895). Dagens Nyheder’s critic pointed
out that he experienced the exhibition’s female composer, orchestral musicians,
conductor and playwright as pioneers, more so than the singers and
dancers (29 August 1895). As pointed out by Berlingske Tidende, “Fortunately,
[Olsen] had previously led so many musical performances that one
felt fairly confident seeing her as the head of this lovable orchestra” (29
August 1895). Before moving to Copenhagen, Olsen had led the music association
from her manor “Lille Grundet” in Vejle. 10 Rumours had it that her
relentless enthusiasm more than once had led Vejle’s women to real artistic
triumphs. Producing concerts and performing fragments of operas, she rehearsed
and directed “this good city’s cohort of small misses keen on singing,
pharmacy assistants and saleswomen” (Dannebrog, 28 August 1895).
Ballet music composed by a lady’s hand should sound very light
Among the reviewers, there was broad consensus that the ballet music was
a success. Avisen’s critic stated that he believed in advance “ballet music
10 The town Vejle is situated in southeast part of Denmark at the Jutland Peninsula