2006 Spring - Norway

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1 2006 spring
news of norway
geotourism –
a pure escape
page 4-7
design
page 8
Volume 64

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editor’s note
Spring is the perfect time to plan your vacation. In this issue we make
every effort to “tempt” you to make your way to the Norwegian fjords
this summer. Maybe to one of many eco-friendly locations – more
accurately: geotourism destinations – where the focus is on increasing
tourism while preserving the environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and
the well-being of its local residents (page 4-5).
And for your children or grandchildren Why not consider a Norwegian
language and culture camp (page 10). But if you can’t make it to Norway
this year, come travel with us anyway – in spirit – walking Norway's western
fjords (page 6-7).
Another way to make the “trip” to Norway is by attending one of many
cultural events taking place in the U.S. and Canada this year. A good
place to start is at the theater: As we are entering the designated
“Ibsen Year 2006,” we focus on playwright Henrik Ibsen’s life and life’s work.
Hundreds of plays, seminars, lectures, films, and festivals will honor Ibsen’s
life – and hopefully make his life’s work more present for all of us.
Among several highly anticipated productions this spring are Robert
Wilson’s “Peer Gynt” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in April (page
3), and Oscar-nominated actress Cate Blanchett’s performance as Hedda
Gabler in March, also at BAM. Please see page 16 for a sampling of Ibsenplays
and events in your area and www.norway.org/ibsen for a complete
and updated listing.
ARILD STRØMMEN | EDITOR
Royal Norwegian Embassy
2720 34th. St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 333-6000
www.norway.org
AMBASSADOR
Knut Vollebæk
HEAD OF PRESS AND CULTURE
Erling Rimestad
EDITOR
Arild Strømmen
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Thor Englund
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PHOTO COURTESY OF HENRIKBJORNSTAD.NO
golf expedition technology jazz
Norwegian golfer Henrik
Bjørnstad surprised everyone
with a very solid start of the U.S.
PGA tour. The first Norwegian to
qualify for the tour, his highlight
so far was a 10th place in the
tournament in La Jolla, Cali., in
January, after leading for most of
the final day. “I have played really
well, and I was battling with
the best almost all week... What
more can you ask for only a few
weeks into the new year”
Bjørnstad wrote in his blog. He
later got a 12th place in FBR
Open in Scottsdale in February.
2 | news of norway | spring 2006
PHOTO BY RUNE GJELDNES/SEAL.NO
Rune Gjeldnes set a world record
for the longest unsupported ski
trek in history, in January, after a
3,880 kilometer (2,425 mile) trek
across the South Pole. He arrived
at his goal by the Terra Nova Bay
in February, after having skied
for 90 days straight, covering atotal
distance of 4,800 kilometers
(3,000 miles) – longer than the
distance from New York to
Seattle. Gjeldnes used a kite to
cover up to 180 kilometers (112
miles) every day. Gjeldnes is one
of very few explorers who have
reached both poles unsupported.
PHOTO BY OTTAR CATO OLSEN/THINK NORDIC
We all know that water is essential
for humans, but now cars can
also benefit from a sip. A
Norwegian company has created
a car that only emits pure water.
The new car Think Hydrogen
made its debut on Norwegian
roads in February. The company
behind the innovation is Think
Nordic AS, which is using a ”battery
electrical fuel cell hybrid,”
which combines the original elmotor
engine with a hydrogen
fuel cell that can recharge the battery.
The final result of this technology:
pure water vapor.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KJETIL MØSTER
Tenor saxophonist Kjetil Møster
has been drawing lots of attention
for his work with the Trondheim
Jazz Orchestra. The 29-year-old
horn man blew into New York
and Washington, D.C., in January
fronting a quartet with pianist
Erlend Skomsvoll, bassist Steinar
Raknes and drummer Håkon
Mjåset Johansen. In New York,
Møster received the 2006
International Jazz Award for New
Talent, awarded by the
International Jazz Festivals
Organization. The award recognizes
a rising artist under 30.

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Peer Gynt in Brooklyn
Robert Wilson is the mastermind behind a new version of
Peer Gynt, opening at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on
April 11. His interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic received
rave reviews when playing in Oslo and Bergen.
Wilson was invited to direct the Ibsen
play at the Norwegian National
Theatre in Oslo and the National
Venue of Theatre (Nationale Scene) in
Bergen. He has been an important figure in
the international theater world since the late
60s. He is also an architect and sculptor.
Visual imagery is a central element in his
works both on and offstage, and at the
theater, his actors create innovative
and original images through
elaborate patterns of movements,
adding to the depth and
complexity of the play.
“What makes the play
interesting is that the text has
so many dimensions and is full
of time, either its past, present, or
future,” the director said. The play
was a great success when playing in
Norway, and is now making its way across the
Atlantic to be performed at the Brooklyn
Academy of Music (BAM) in April.
Although the play draws heavily on
Norwegian culture and nature, Wilson has no
doubt that the play is relevant for people
from elsewhere. “The local elements in the
play, which Ibsen perhaps thought were hard
for people from other places to understand,
can in fact make the play even more understandable
and relevant to others,” Wilson said.
“Peer Gynt is so multi-dimensional that
people in all cultures can relate to the text. In
different countries you can easily replace the
typical Norwegian folkloristic elements with
imagery that is more familiar. The local element
is what makes the play international in
nature, and Peer Gynt a clear international
appeal,” he said.
For actors, collaborating with Wilson is a
unique experience from what they are familiar
with. In contrast to most theater productions,
preparations for Peer Gynt did not start
with reading, but rather with choreographing
the actors’ movements
across the stage. Wilson introduces
the text only after actors
have practiced the movements
for weeks. “In this formalistic
theater, we try to open a mental
landscape by expressing
energy through body movement,”
Wilson said.
“We try out different patterns of
movement without thinking about what scene
to play. It's only later in the process that we
connect these movements with the text to see
if the two fit together. If they do, the two different
ways of expression create a whole that
is much more powerful than in a play where
the movements just illustrate the text – which
is dreadfully boring. My body language might
be closer to that of an animal, where the mind
is more of a muscle. Animals don’t just listen
with their ears, they listen with their entire
bodies.”
– THOR ENGLUND
wilson’s peer gynt
Directed by Robert Wilson
(above), Music by Michael
Galass. Co-production of the
National Venue of Theatre in
Bergen and The Norwegian
Theatre of Oslo.
ibsen
Where: Brooklyn Academy of
Music (BAM)
When: April 11-16, 2006
Tickets: 718.636.4100 ($25-30)
www.bam.org
PHOTOS BY DEN NATIONALE SCENE/LESLEY LESLIE-SPINKS
www.norway.org/ibsen | 3

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“
“
geotourism – a pure escape
BY ARILD STRØMMEN
Geography dealt the Norwegian coastline a good hand when it
comes to remaining unspoiled. Rugged terrain, cool, wet climate,
difficult access, and a short tourist season keep development
pressures comparatively low. It helps, too, to be in a sparsely populated
country with one of the world’s best environmental track
records,” Director of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable
Destinations, Jonathan Tourtellot, said,
when the Norwegian fjords were rated
best out of 115 travel destinations worldwide.
“It’s no surprise that Norway’s
fjords lead the top-scoring destinations,
thanks to a combination of luck and wise
stewardship,” he said.
As part of a push to promote sustainable
tourism – preserving environment,
heritage, and local culture – Norway
became the second nation (following
Honduras) to sign the National
Geographic Geotourism Charter. Gunn Ovesen, CEO of Norway’s
tourism and business development agency, Innovation Norway, cosigned
the charter with Tourtellot. Geotourism is defined as tourism that
sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place – its environment,
culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.
“The signing of the charter demonstrates that Norway is committed
to being a leading geotourism travel destination,” Tourtellot said.
Geotourism is a principle that countries and destinations work by, it is
not a fancy logo or an empty buzzword. Among several examples of
Geotourism: tourism that sustains
or enhances the geographical character
of a place – its environment,
heritage, aesthetics, culture, and
the well-being of its residents
geotourism-type programs already undertaken in Norway are an officially
designated national scenic road and Norway’s initiative to promote
traditional farm foods and local products and raw materials.
Queen Sonja met with president and CEO of National Geographic
Society, John M. Fahey, in a ceremony to celebrate the charter last fall.
The Queen, who relishes outdoor activities, also made a presentation at
the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington, D.C.
She showed her own pictures from
her trips hiking the Norwegian mountains
and fjords. “I’m not a professional
photographer,” she said, “but I try to
capture what is special about our country,
and I love to share it. It’s great if my
presentation makes people want to go
to Norway,” Queen Sonja said, following
the speech.
With a high number of Norwegian-
Americans and with a population concerned with eco-friendly tourism,
the U.S. is an important market for Norwegian tour operators and destinations.
“Americans are very attractive tourists,” Innovation Norway’s
Director of Tourism–Americas, Arne Hjeltnes, said. “It takes 3.4
Germans to create as much revenue for the Norwegian tourism industry
as one American tourist. Americans don’t complain much, and have
good things to say about Norway when they return home.” This spring,
Hjeltnes is launching several campaigns to entice more Americans to
vacation in Norway, including opportunities within geotourism.
4 | news of norway | spring 2006

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more
travel
• Travel Portals:
www.norway.org/travel
www.visitnorway.com/us
www.norway.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF INNOVATION NORWAY
After Norway became the second nation in the world to sign the
National Geographic Geotourism Charter last fall, Queen
Sonja met with president and CEO of the National Geographic
Society, John M. Fahey to mark the occasion. The Queen also
made a presentation about hiking in Norwegian mountains and
fjords, complete with a slide show of her own pictures from
these trips, at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
PHOTO BY MARK THIESSEN/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
• Destinations:
Oslo: www.visitoslo.com
Bergen: www.visitbergen.com
Trondheim: www.trondheim.no
Ålesund: www.visitalesund.com
Stavanger: www.regionstavanger.com
Tromsø: www.destinasjontromso.no
Fjord region: www.fjordnorway.com
Hardanger: www.hardangerfjord.com
Flåm region and Flåm Railway:
www.visitflam.com
Finnmark/North Cape:
www.visitnorthcape.com
Lofoten Islands:
www.lofoten.info
• Tour operators
www.coastalvoyage.com
www.globusjourneys.com
www.nordicco.com
www.countrywalkers.com
www.bortonoverseas.com
www.norwaynutshell.com
To receive tourist brochures about
Norway in the mail, please contact:
Innovation Norway — Tourism
655 Third Avenue, Suite 1810
New York, N.Y. 10017
Phone: 212.885.9700
E-mail: usa@invanor.no
Two Norwegian fjords, Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord (at right), were added to
UNESCO’S “World Heritage List” in 2005. Already on the list were five cultural attractions:
Bryggen (the old Hanseatic wharf in Bergen), the 12th century Urnes stave
church, the petroglyphs at Alta, the old mining town of Røros, and the Vegan
Archipelago.
National Geographic Traveler Magazine put the Norwegian fjords at the top of its
list of the 115 greatest unspoiled travel spots in the world. The experts on the selection
panel were asked to evaluate places they knew personally, using six criteria to
assess the destinations: ecological and environmental quality, social and cultural
integrity, the quality of historical buildings and archaeological sites, aesthetic attractiveness,
quality in tourism management, and future prospects. Around the same time,
Chicago Tribune included Norway’s fjords on its list of “Seven Wonders of Nature.”
The Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway have been listed among the world’s top 20
paradise islands by British newspaper The Observer, which wrote: “The main tourist
islands, Austvågøy, Vestvågøy, Flakstad, and Moskenes, appeal to writers and artists as
well as outdoor enthusiasts, with climbing, hiking, riding, canoeing, biking, rafting and
fishing highly popular. Puffins, cormorants, guillemots, eagles and seals bring in the
wildlife watchers.”
This year, the Lonely Planet travel guide named the Norwegian Coastal Voyage,
known as Hurtigruten (at right), as the most beautiful voyage by ship in the world.
Passengers enjoy a panoramic view of the Norwegian fjords and may experience the
midnight sun during the northernmost stretch of the journey. The journey lasts 11 days,
beginning in the west coast city of Bergen and ending at Kirkenes in the far north.
Along the way the ships make 34 stops. Passengers may board for parts of the journey.
PHOTO BY TERJE RAKKE/INNOVATION NORWAY
PHOTO BY HARALD VALDERHAUG/HURTIGRUTEN
www.norway.org/travel | 5

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walking
norway’s
western
fjords
my foot just wanted to go. The stones meander
in a sort of staircase – as indeed that is what
they are – designed by 12th century Cistercian
monks to traverse a steep portion of the 3,000-
foot climb between their monastery on the
banks of Sørfjorden and the plateau high
above. Hundreds of stones, hundreds of steps,
616 to be exact. Did the monks organize themselves
into a sort of ecclesiastical chain gang
and quickly put them in place Or, perhaps, it
was the duty of every monk heading up from
Sørfjorden to hoist an additional stone until it
was eventually done. Thoughts to ponder
while catching one’s breath.
Not only the Cistercians’ feet wore the
stones smooth, although they had 327 years to
do so. Fishermen, hunters and trekkers have
used the steps as a route into the
Hardangervidda Plateau, now Norway’s
largest national park, for hundreds of years.
Our boots were but the latest in the centuriesold
parade.
With 12 others, I was traipsing through
Norway's lacey network of western fjords on
an itinerary as much devoted to understanding
the culture of the country as to a leg-stretching
adventure. With guides Vidar Rasmusen and
Arjen Meurs leading the way, it was day five
of our seven-day trek when we reached the
misy plateau to spread our picnic by the edge
of a rushing stream. Folly to jump in, even if it
had been a rare day of Norwegian warmth; the
rush of water feeds into the aptly-named
Skrikjo¸ which translates to “Shriek,” a waterfall
that, were it not divided by a rock interference,
would be the highest in the world.
Skrikjo helps irrigate the orchards of
Hardanger, Norway’s fruit basket, that stretch
6 | news of norway | spring 2006
BY YVONNE HORN
he stones were rough, some much larger
than others, some a bit of a leg stretch from
Tthe next. But each had a worn spot where
for miles along Sørfjorden. Our stream-side
picnic included Hardanger cherries grown
plump and sweet in the long days of the farnorthern
summer. The monks not only lugged
about stones but planted Sørfjorden’s first
orchards.
“Norway: Bergen and the Western Fjords,”
is a recent addition to the dozens of treks
offered by Country Walkers, a Vermont-based
company with the motto: “Explore the world
one step at a time.” On this trip, our first steps
took us through Bergen’s historic center, a designated
UNESCO heritage site beside the
city’s inner harbor, Vågen, the heart of Bergen
since its beginnings. Following a city guide we
visited sites that the German Hanseatic merchants,
who made Bergen one of Europe’s
great entrepots during the 15th century, would
easily recognize: the fortress of Bergenhus
with its burly Rosencrantz tower; the pointed
gables of Bryggen, the Hanseatic’s surviving
offices and warehouses and the incomparable
natural setting – facing the sea, back cradled in
the arms of seven mountains.
Each first Sunday in June, thousands of
locals take to the hills with the goal of reaching
every summit in a single day. We took on
but one, and – feeling a bit guilty about abandoning
so soon “one
step at a time” – that
aboard Fløybanen, the
funicular that whisks
passengers to the top
of Mount Fløyen for a
bird’s eye view of the
city and its surrounding
fjords with the silvery
shimmer of the
Norwegian Sea beyond.
Our city walk was
but a warm-up for the
next day’s trek into
the Bergen Norwegian
Arboretum
incorporated into 125
acres of rocky gorges
and mossy hills along
the Fanafjord. Following a picnic lunch, Vidar
and Arjen changed into their Speedos to dive
into the fjord. “When you see the sea, you have
to jump in!” Vidar jubilantly explained as he
dried off from what is evidently not just a
Norwegian thing to do as Arjen, a Hollander,
expressed equal enthusiasm for his icy laps.
It is the rare Norwegian, from commoner to
king, who doesn’t relish their unspoiled countryside.
The right to do so is ensured by the
PHOTOS COURTESY OF INNOVATION NORWAY/ WWW.VISITBERGEN.COM/WWW.SOLSTRAND.COM

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OPPOSITE PAGE:
1. Lake Loen
2. Hiking by Bøyabreen Glacier
travel
PHOTOS COURTESY OF INNOVATION NORWAY/ WWW.VISITBERGEN.COM/WWW.SOLSTRAND.COM
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT:
1. Solstrand Hotel.
2. Hiking in the hills overlooking Bergen.
3. Kayaking in Loen.
4. Bryggen (The Wharf) in Bergen
1957 “Lov om friluftslivet” (Outdoor
Recreations Act): “At any time of the year,
outlying property may be crossed on foot,
with consideration and due caution.”
Shouldering their rucksacks, they stay in a
cabin or lodge – hytte – located at the crossroads
of the country’s extensive network of
trails.
With “consideration and due caution” we
approached, not cabins but two luxurious
country hotels for our overnight stays. Our
first, Hotel Solstrand, has welcomed vacationers
for more than 100 years at its idyllic location
overlooking Bjørnafjorden. Borrea
Schau-Larsen, the third-generation proprietor
of the family-owned hotel, greeted us saying
that not only does she, too, enjoy a good walk
but also shares Arjen’s and Vidar’s zeal for
leaping into the fjord, which she does every
Wednesday with friends: “Blowing and snowing,
no matter. We jump in. And it is good!”
Hotel Ullensvang, owned by the Utne family
since its founding in 1846, was the base
the second half of our trip. Located in the village
of Lofthus on land claiming a long
stretch of Sørfjorden’s eastern shore, it was
here that the 19th-century composer Edvard
Grieg found inspiration for many of his compositions.
His “composing cottage,” selfdescribed
as “no more than a wooden box
with a piano and a stove” remains in the
hotel’s garden. One evening after dinner, we
walked through the stillness of the village to
Lofthus’ 12th-century stone church for an
organ and piano concert featuring works by
Grieg.
Grieg traveled the Hardanger by foot and
horse with internationally acclaimed violinist
Ole Bull – ”the Nordic Paganini” – the two
finding themes for their music in the region’s
centuries-old melodies and traditions. A short
ferry ride delivered us to Ole Bull’s Lysøen
island, where we walked the 13 miles of trails
that wind their way through fjords and fauna
to end up at his idiosyncratic house, an architectural
gem that marries Moorish flavor with
Norwegian simplicity.
One day’s walk followed a fjord-side path
One step at a time we
had plunged deep into
Norway’s spectacular
beauty and cultural soul.
to the village of Os to visit the boat works
where the light, flexible, fast and strong
“Oselvar” boats used along the Norwegian
coast for nearly 2,000 years continue to be
crafted. Another day’s trek included a visit to
a 12th-century “stave” church. Only 29 of the
original 750 ornately carved structures survive,
and they are among the world’s oldest
wooden buildings. Before dinner one night at
Hotel Solstrand, Jan Boettcher, an acclaimed
rosemaling or “rose painting” artist shared
examples of the artistry with which
Norwegians have decorated their furniture
and implements since medieval times. “I
learned from my grandfather who learned
from his father who learned from his father,”
she said, adding that only recently have
women participated in the rosemaling tradition.
Kjersti Bondhus greeted us at Ola Løo, a
traditional farmhouse where a lunch of perfectly
poached salmon freshly pulled from the
sea, boiled potatoes just emerged from the
earth, and a salad of greens harvested from the
farm garden awaited – fuel for a walk into the
Bondhus Valley, following the cascading
rockiness of the rushing Bondhus River to the
mirror reflections of Bondhus Lake with the
blue and green ice of Bondhus Glacier streaming
out of the mountain ahead. All indications
that Bondhus is far from a new name on the
edge of Maurangsfjorden.
Reaching the lake, we were given the
option of being rowed across by Arjen or continuing
on toward the glacier via the lakeside
path with Vidar. Yet another example, as with
every day’s walk, of options made available
for varying levels of hiking endurance and
expertise.
Had it been May 17 instead of mid-
August, Bondhus Glacier, an arm of the
famed Folgefonn, would have been dotted
with skiers in national costume annually celebrating
their country’s frozen landscape with
a day devoted to skiing across the ice flows.
Risky business, it would seem, given the cautionary
signs we encountered warning of the
glacier’s deep and wide crevasses hidden
under covers of snow.
Our trip ended where it began, in Bergen.
Looking at the map, our boots had not taken
us far from the “Gateway to the Western
Fjords,” as the city calls itself. Yet, one step at
a time, following Arjen and Vidar, we had
plunged deep into Norway’s spectacular beauty
and cultural soul.
www.norway.org/travel | 7

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:34 AM Page 8
OLEANA, STOKKE,
AND AUTOSOCK
are winners of the
Norwegian Award
for Design
Excellence — for
their aesthetic
and functional
products
AWARD FOR DESIGN EXCE
OLEANA
Traditional Norwegian arts and crafts
often inspire modern design. This is
particularly the case at Oleana, a
fashion design firm based just outside of
Bergen.
“Our clothes are inspired by
Norwegian culture and traditional
costumes, as well as
by modern trends,”
Oleana’s chief designer,
Solveig Hisdal, said. “We
don’t copy the traditional
outfits, but rather draw inspiration
from them.” Hisdal is
considered one of the premier
textile designers in Norway.
Oleana’s designs combine cultural
heritage with contemporary use of
textiles. As an example, the Rosendal
knitwear collection, (featured at a design
exhibit during the annual festival,
Norwegian Christmas at Union Station, in
Washington, D.C.), incorporated patterns
and colors found in the porcelain,
design, and rose garden at the renaissance
barony of Rosendal on the
west coast of Norway.
“Norway has a very rich
clothing tradition,” Hisdal
said. “Many Norwegians
travelled abroad and
brought new fabrics and
ideas back home with
them, creating a very
diverse and colorful range of
traditional outfits.”
Oleana clothes are designed
and produced in Norway combining
traditional handcraft and modern
technology, and about half of the production
is exported, among other places
to the U.S. and Canada.
8 | news of norway | spring 2006

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:34 AM Page 9
BY THOR ENGLUND
ELLENCE
AUTOSOCK
The idea of Autosock was born when
the inventor Bård Løtveit remembered
how his grandmother used to
don woolen socks over her shoes to get
more friction when she was walking on
ice. Autosock applies
the same principle to
cars: By wrapping tires
“
in fiber covers they get
a significantly better
grip on icy or slippery
roads. With the
extreme conditions
drivers might
encounter in Norway, it
is no surprise that
Autosock received
instant popularity when
launched in 2001, and
400,000 units have
been sold to date.
Design-wise, creating
a product that was
functional but also
aesthetically pleasing
and easily recognizable
was a priority from
the start.
“From a design
point of view, we wanted
Autosock to be
extremely easy to use,”
said Einar Hareide,
founder of Hareide Design Mill, an industrial
design firm based in Moss, Norway.
“One of the ways we did that was by
creating a user’s manual looking very
much like what you see on emergency
exits in planes, with easy-to-understand
stick figures performing the tasks, giving
the product a clear graphical identity.”
A former chief designer at SAAB in
Sweden, Einar Hareide is one of the most
internationally recognized Norwegian
industrial designers today.
“Design is always about function and
aesthetics, and striking a balance
between the two is our
My grandmother
used to don woolen
socks over her shoes
to get more friction
when she was walking
on ice. Autosock
applies the same
principle to cars.
”
Bård Løtveit, inventor
design
main challenge,”
Hareide said.
“A lot of things are
going on in
Norwegian design
today,” he said.
“If you only pay
attention to the
media, though, it
seems as the only
thing we make is furniture
and decorative
ornaments. However,
Norwegian industry is
increasingly trying to
gain a competitive
advantage through
the use of clever and
aesthetic industrial
design. One example
is in the ship-building
industry, where the
bridge is increasingly
made to feel like the
driver’s cabin of a car,
giving an increased
sense of control for
the staff onboard.”
Autosock has already won several
design awards all over the world, most
notably the International Grand Prix for
Technical Innovation from the
Association of European Technical
Journalists, as well as the Award for
Design Excellence from the Norwegian
Design Council.
STOKKE Xplory
Stokke Xplory is a new breed of
strollers, in which the needs of the
child, and not only the needs of the
person strolling, are equally important. It is
built by furniture manufacturer Stokke in
Norway, but designed by several young,
new and promising Norwegian designers.
“The Xplory Stroller was designed with
two main ideas in mind,” industrial
designer with Stokke, Hilde Angelfoss,
said. “We wanted a stroller that encouraged
contact and interaction with the
child in the seat, and also a stroller that
protects the child from exhaust fumes,
mud, and all other risks involved with
strolling a child in an urban area.”
To achieve this, the Xplory is designed
to raise the child up higher than most
strollers, giving the child a better view and
protecting him or her better from the elements
and from car exhaust.
“Our research showed that the child is
happier and less impatient if lifted up to
a level where it can actually see the
things around it,” Angelfoss said.
The seat can also be turned 180
degrees, so the child and parent can
interact more directly.
“It is not a stroller for joggers, we saw
that people with children in urban areas
often have very different needs than
what the “sports strollers” can provide,”
Angelfoss said. “So we designed it to
enable a child to sit in the stroller at a
table in a café or restaurant too, which
most strollers won’t allow.”
“Norwegian design is very much
focused on being practical and userfriendly,
but also aesthetic,” Angelfoss
said.
“But we need to be better at marketing
ourselves abroad.”
more
• For a list of distributors of
Oleana clothing, please visit:
www.oleana.no
207.363.9156
• To find retailers of Stokke
Xplory in the U.S. or Canada,
please visit:
www.stokkeusa.com
877.978.6553
• Autosock is currently not
available in North America
www.autosock.com
• Norwegian Design Council
www.norskdesign.no/english
www.norway.org | 9

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:34 AM Page 10
education
Language
Camps
The Norse Federation has offered its
Norgesskolen programs in Norway
since 2003, and every year the program
attracts more youth from all over the world to
Tomb Agricultural School, located just south
of Oslo. In 2005, 57 students participated in
activities such as 17. mai and Christmas celebrations,
classes in Norwegian language, history
and society, excursions, and outdoor fun,
as well as taking care of the animals at the
farm where the school is located.
Priya Kvam went to Norgesskolen for the
first time last summer. The 15 year-old has a
Norwegian father and an Indian mother, but
Now is the time to sign up for Norwegian summer programs.
Immersion courses in language and culture await for young
children as young as 7 to high school students.
has never lived in Norway. She appreciated
that most of the other Norgesskolen students
had a similar multicultural background.
“Outside of classes, people spoke all kinds
of different languages: English, Spanish,
Arabic, but classes were all conducted in
Norwegian. I think there was only one person
who was actually from Norway.”
The summer school’s theme was modern
Norwegian history, and Norwegian independence
from Sweden. “We had a very full schedule,
starting at 7:30 in the morning. Obviously
we learned about the language, the culture,
writing in Norwegian, gave oral reports and
saw Norwegian movies. We went on field
trips, visiting farms, Oslo, and a lumbermill.
We also celebrated all the Norwegian festivities,
like May 17 and Jul. We were even on
Norwegian TV.”
At the Norwegian village “Skogfjorden” at
Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota,
youth from across the U.S. have had the
opportunity to spend a summer in a
Norwegian setting since 1969. Now, for the
first time, the school offers programs in
Norway as well: Credits Abroad offers high
school students the opportunity to spend a
month in Norway, enjoying a fun learning
experience while at the same time earning language
credits for school. “The Credit Abroad
in Norway is a continuation of what we are
doing at Skogfjorden,” the dean of
Skogfjorden, Tove Dahl said. “While the students
can learn a lot about Norway in
Minnesota, actually going to Norway will
give them a taste of the real thing.”
While potential Credits Abroad students
are required to have Norwegian language proficiency
comparable to two years of high
school studies to enter the program, everyday
smalltalk in the unique Sogndal dialect will
surely add extra flavor to the skills of even the
most fluent students.
“You learn the Norwegian language, you
learn the culture, you meet a lot of new people.
It’s a pretty good way to spend a vacation,”
Priya Kvam said.
– LINDA PRESTEGÅRD
Norgesskolen
Age: 9 to 18 years
Location: Tomb Agricultural
School, south of Oslo
Duration: 3 weeks
When: July 9 to 28
Focus: Norwegian language
and culture
Phone: (+47) 23 35 71 70
www.norgesskolen.no
At the Norwegian village “Skogfjorden” at Concordia Language
Villages in Minnesota, youth from across the U.S. have had the
opportunity to spend a summer in a Norwegian setting since 1969
Concordia Language Villages
Age: 7 to 18 years
Location: Oslo and Sogndal,
Norway, and “Skogfjorden,” in
Minnesota
Duration: One-week exploratory,
two-week immersion, or fourweek
high school credit sessions
When: Start in June or July
Focus: Norwegian language
and culture
Phone: (800) 222-4750, ext. 312
www.concordialanguagevillages.org
10 | news of norway | spring 2006

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:35 AM Page 11
Norway pumps three million barrels of
oil from the North Sea daily, and is
now the world’s third largest exporter
of oil, after Saudi Arabia and Russia. But how
to save this wealth for future generations The
answer: Funneling the revenues into The
Norwegian Government Pension Fund.
Currently the fund receives attention not
only because it is one of the largest retirement
funds in the world, but also due to its newly
implemented ethical investment guidelines.
Tore Mydske, representing the
Norwegian Ministry of Finance,
which is responsible for the fund,
answers the ethical questions:
WHY DOES THE GOVERN-
MENT PENSION FUND
HAVE A STRONG ETHICAL
PROFILE The ethical guidelines
were adopted by the
Norwegian Parliament in 2004,
and are based on two premises.
First, the fund is an instrument
for ensuring that a reasonable
portion of the country’s petroleum
wealth should benefit future
generations. So it needs to be
managed with focus on generating
a sound return in the long
term. Second, the fund should
not through its investments contribute
to unethical acts, such as
violations of fundamental
humanitarian principles, serious violations of
human rights, gross corruption, or severe
environmental degradation.
HOW ARE THESE ETHICAL CONSID-
ERATIONS OBSERVED The ethical basis
for the fund is promoted through three different
measures. First, it is done through exercising
ownership rights in order to promote longterm
financial returns. This is done by Norges
Bank (the Norwegian Central Bank).
Corporate governance is a keyword here, and
the bank exercises its ownership rights and
voting power, for instance by fighting corruption
or poor leadership within a company.
Secondly, it is done through negative
screening – selling the shares in companies
that produce weapons which may violate
humanitarian principles. The focus here is on
the products the company makes, not on how
the company is run.
Thirdly, it can be done through exclusion
of companies where there may be a risk of
contributing to serious or systematic human
rights violations, severe environmental degradation,
gross corruption, or other particularly
serious violations of fundamental ethical
norms. The decision to sell shares in a company
based on negative screening or exclusion
is made by the Ministry of Finance.
WHO DECIDES WHAT IS ETHICAL OR
NOT The ethical framework is anchored in
the guidelines adopted by the Norwegian
Parliament – with broad political support. The
Ministry of Finance commissioned a Council
of Ethics to screen the companies the fund is
invested in. The council evaluates whether
investing in certain companies is consistent
with the Parliament’s ethical guidelines. The
council gives its advice to the Ministry of
Finance, which makes the final decision on
whether to sell or not. If deciding to sell, the
stocks are sold off quietly in order to not
influence the value of the company, and the
Finance Ministry’s decision is made public
only after all stocks are sold.
HOW MANY COMPANIES HAVE BEEN
EXCLUDED TO DATE AND WHY
17 firms from around the world have been
excluded from the fund. Most of these are
involved in production of nuclear weapons or
key components for cluster bombs.
ARE ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROFIT
Often there is no conflict between the two. In
terms of corruption, for instance, it is neither
ethically nor economically sound to invest in
a corrupt company.
WHERE IS THE FUND INVESTED To
put it simply, the net is cast as widely as possible.
We are not interested in risky stocks
with short-term gains. This fund is for our
children, and for our children’s children, and
therefore it is important that we have as low
risk as possible. We do this by investing comparatively
small sums in a broad array of companies.
This way we follow the larger tendencies
in the stock market. A little over half of
the fund is invested in bonds and equities in
Europe. The rest is spread out over America,
Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and South
Africa. The fund can hold a maximum of 3
percent of the shares in any company.
interview
HOW TO INVEST $200 BILLION ... ETHICALLY
PHOTO BY ARILD STRØMMEN
Tore Mydske, Counselor for Economic and Financial Affairs at the
Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.. The Heidrun platform
in the North Sea in the background.
WHY ISN’T THE OIL MONEY JUST
INVESTED IN NORWAY, SOLVING ALL
SOCIAL PROBLEMS We want to avoid
what is called the Dutch Disease: Historically,
nations which have suddenly become very
wealthy – particularly from natural resources
– have only rarely been able to manage the
wealth wisely. This has happened time and
time again in the history of the world, and it is
therefore absolutely vital for us not to become
dependent on – or even addicted to – the
wealth the oil has given us.
In the short term, pouring oil
money into the Norwegian economy
would result in overheating
the economy, an inflation spiraling
out of control and a large
portion of Norwegian industry –
the very basis of our current and
future economy – would be
forced to shut down or outsource.
We also need the money
to cover our social security costs
in the future. As with most other
industrialized countries, we are
facing an aging population and
vastly increasing costs of pensions.
Still, the oil fund will only
cover a third of these expenses in
the future, so we need to keep the
Norwegian economy healthy.
Some oil revenue is already
being used today, though.
According to a self-imposed
“fiscal rule,” the government can use the real
return of the oil fund to cover the “non-oil”
deficit in the national budget. This real return
is stipulated to be 4 percent of the total value
of the fund. Still, it is vital that we show temperance
and not use too much.
more
– THOR ENGLUND
• The Government Pension Fund
is currently worth more than
$196 billion.
• At the end of 2006, the fund is
expected to be worth $220
billion. That is approximately
$43,000 per Norwegian, up
from $1500 per Norwegian in
1996.
• At the current growth rate the
Government Pension Fund will
be the world’s second largest
retirement fund by the end of
this year.
• Income from the petroleum
sector accounts for 21 per
cent of the Norwegian GDP
• 47 percent of Norway’s
exports are petroleum related.
www.norway.org/business | 11

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:36 AM Page 12
what’s cooking
Author Diane Morgan went to the Wild Salmon Center in Lærdal, Norway,
as part of her research for writing "Salmon: A Cookbook"
The Portland, Ore.-based chef-turned-food
writer and has written 11 cook books, about
everything from pizzas to midnight
munchies. “My interest
in food came from a summer
job I had at a restaurant,”
Morgan said. “I had some
great mentors there who made
me really interested in food.”
Recently she published
“Salmon,” a cook book about
her epic but entertaining quest
to learn everything there is to
know about the feisty fish.
“I’ve always had a very special
interest in salmon,” said Morgan. “It’s
always been my favorite food, so when my
publisher approached me with a book project
about salmon I jumped right on it.”
Her adventure took her around the world,
from Alaska to Scotland, and finally to
Norway. “I had a great trip to Norway. I visited
the Wild Salmon Center in Lærdal, and
they’re doing very interesting work. I also
took the train from Oslo to Flåm, and it was
such a great way to see the countryside.”
“The visit to Lærdal was very helpful,
and it gave me a lot of background about
the environmental issues associated with
farmed fish,” Morgan said. At the center’s
observatory, she was able to
view wild salmon and trout
through panoramic windows
looking into the river itself.
“Farmed or wild,
salmon is extremely
healthy, and is the
ultimate source
of protein.”
“To me,
food is about a
passion
life,” said
Morgan.
“It is a way
to create
for
cultural exchange, and it’s a way for different
people to come together and experience each
other’s cultures.”
Hooked on Salmon
Shaved Fennel, Lemon, and Arugula Salad, with Pan-Seared Salmon
Vinaigrette
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine
the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and
juice, garlic, sugar, salt, and lots of pepper.
2. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to
blend.
The Salad
3 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb
(fronds reserved)
2 bunches arugula (about 1/2 pound
total), stemmed
4 salmon fillets (about 5 ounces each),
skin on and scaled, pin bones removed
1. Chop the fennel fronds and measure out
1/3 cup.
2. In a large bowl, combine the fennel,
¼ cup of the fennel fronds (saving the
rest for garnish), and the arugula.
PHOTOS BY CHRONICLE BOOKS AND DIANE MORGAN
3. Toss lightly to mix and set aside.
4. Season the salmon on all sides with kosher
or sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. Place a large, heavy skillet over mediumhigh
heat. When the skillet is hot, add 3 tablespoons
of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
6. Add the salmon, skin side down, and cook
until the skin is crisp, about 4 minutes.
Carefully turn the salmon and cook until the
fillets are almost opaque throughout, but still
very moist, or an instant-read thermometer
inserted in the center registers 125º to 130ºF,
about 4 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate and
set aside while you toss the salad.
7. Shake the dressing vigorously again and
then toss the salad with it.
8. Arrange the salad on 4 dinner plates. Place
a salmon fillet in the center, on top of the
salad, garnish with the remaining fennel
fronds, and serve immediately.
more
• Information about Norwegian
seafood and recipes
www.seafoodfromnorway.com
• Read about the Wild Salmon
Center in Lærdal
www.norsk-villakssenter.no
• More about Diane Morgan
www.dianemorgancooks.com
12 | www.norway.org/food

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:37 AM Page 13
Leaving Home to Save Home
In 1896, Norwegian immigrant Helga
Estby walked 3,500 miles to New York,
from Spokane, Wash., determined to win a
$10,000 wager – and save her family farm
from foreclosure. A mother of eight living children,
she attempted to save the homestead in
Eastern Washington after the 1893 depression
ravaged the American economy. Fearing
homelessness and poverty for herself and her
family, Helga responded to a challenge posed
by a woman working in New York’s fashion
industry: Walk across the U.S. and win
$10,000 to “prove the endurance of women.”
The rules stipulated that she could leave
home with a maximum of $5 and needed to
earn her way across the route. She had to collect
signatures of mayors and governors along
the way and reach New York in less than 7
months. In addition, she had to enter Salt Lake
City donning a bicycle skirt, a garment that
reached all of four inches above the ankle.
Helga Estby packed a Smith & Wesson
revolver, a pepper spray gun, no change of
clothes, a journal, a pen, a compass, a medical
kit, and a curling iron. Her satchel weighed
only 8 lbs. Estby set out with her 18-year-old
daughter Clara (picture at right), walking 25
miles a day along railroad tracks so they would
not get lost, and sleeping mostly in railroad
depots. Clara was not exactly thrilled about the
journey, but her mother encouraged her: “This
is better than a college education because you
learn about human nature,” she said.
Linda Lawrence Hunt, who for 21 years
Anew translation of Sigrid Undset’s trilogy
about Kristin Lavransdatter is out, to
rave reviews from literary critics.
“The English translation I read as a child
was from the 1920s,” translator Tiina Nunnally
said. “Unlike in Undset’s original, the language
was extremely archaic, there were serious
mistakes, and parts of the book were mysteriously
just left out.”
A Boston Globe critic, Katherine A.
Powers, agreed, calling the original translation
“a book to save for the nursing home years or
a stretch in prison.” Appropriately, the Globe’s
review of the new edition was called “No
Longer Lost in Translation.”
In order to write the new translation,
Nunnally went back to the source. After living
in Denmark, Nunnally speaks Danish and
Norwegian, and was able to read Undset’s
original edition. She translated the three books
between 1997 and 2000, earning a PEN/Bookof-the-month
Club Translation Prize for her
taught English at Whitworth College in
Spokane, tells the story about the 7-month
journey in “Bold Spirit: Helga Estby’s
Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America.”
“When I first heard about it I was curious
about what made the mother of 8 children so
desperate as to leave home to walk across the
continent. The answer was that she left home
to save home,” Hunt said. Sadly, home would
never be the same. Because when Helga and
Clara finally reached New York – within the
stipulated seven months – the benefactor
refused to pay the prize money.
Devastated, mother and daughter started
scrambling to earn money for their return trip.
A railroad magnate gave them train tickets to
Chicago, and from there they made their way
back to Spokane. But by the time Estby
reached Washington, two of her children had
died of diphtheria. The homestead was lost and
her husband had become a carpenter.
Shameful and disappointed, the family
“silenced” Estby’s story for generations. It was
not until a few old newspaper clippings turned
up almost a century later, causing Estby’s
great-great-grandson to hand in an 8th grade
paper titled “Grandma Walks from Coast to
Coast,” that the story resurfaced. Hunt’s husband,
also a professor, was given the paper
when he judged a historical essay competition,
and after reading it immediately passed it on to
his wife. “I was electrified with the story,”
Linda Hunt said. She spent 8 years researching
the story before publishing “Bold Spirit.”
Estby’s route from
Spokane to New York
“Kristin Lavransdatter” Gets Face-Lift
work in 2001. With the new deluxe edition, the
modernized trilogy is available in one book.
“I hope more Americans will rediscover
Sigrid Undset, because she is fantastic,”
Nunnally said. “American readers really crave
the good story, and the story about Kristin is a
real “soap”, in the best sense of the word.”
“Although these books are set in the old
days, the books are very modern in terms of
views of human relationships. There is so
much happening, and it’s so real. You are
dragged into the story, and get a personal relationship
with Kristin. She is in many ways a
flawed human and makes many bad decisions,
but that’s exactly what makes her so real.”
The new edition has an introduction by
Brad Leithauser, a literature professor and regular
contributor to the New York Review of
Books.
Undset wrote the trilogy between 1920 and
1922, and received the Nobel Prize in
Literature for her work in 1928.
PHOTOS COURTESY PORCH/BAHR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION
books
Bold Spirit
Helga Estby’s Forgotten Walk
Across Victorian America
By Linda Lawrence Hunt
Published by Anchor Books
$14
www.boldspiritacrossamerica.com
Kristin Lavransdatter
By Sigrid Undset
Translated by Tiina Nunnally
Published by Penguin Classics
$25.00 (CAN $35.00)
spring 2006 | news of norway | 13

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:38 AM Page 14
FELDSPAR BY ESPEN EIBORG
For a complete and
updated calendar of
events please visit
www.norway.org
east coast
exhibits
Frost: Life & Culture of the Sámi
– Reindeer People of Norway
WASHINGTON D.C., Through April
Norwegian Sámi photographer
Fred Ivar Utsi Klemetsen's photo
essay "FROST" documents the
life of those who still herd their
reindeer the traditional way. At the
Baird Ambulatory Gallery, National
Museum of Natural History.
Info: 202-633-1000
Elise Martens at Art Space Gallery
NEW HAVEN, CT., Through March 18
Elise Martens will show her prototype
rocking chair in steel, as well
as large scale digital photographs
in the project "Confinement and
the Arts of Decoration."
Info: 203-772-2709
Espen Eiborg
NEW YORK, Through April 28
Espen Eiborg exhibits internationally
and his paintings are part of
both private and corporate collections
worldwide. At the Clodagh
Collection Showroom.
Info: 212-780-5300
Designer Pia Myrvold in "The
Fashion of Architecture: Constructing
the Architecture of Fashion"
NEW YORK,
Through Mar. 11
The Center for
Architecture in
New York presents
new work
from leading
architects and
fashion designers
such as
Shigeru Ban and
Pia Myrvold.
Info: 212-683-0023
info@aiany.org
PHOTO BY JOHANNES WORSØE BERG
STILL FROM FILM BY NEDREAAS
Rune Olsen in "Archival to
Contemporary: Six Decades of
the Sculptors Guild"
BROOKVILLE, NY., Through April 8
Olsen is a new member of the
Sculptors Guild and the exhibition
is a survey of the guild's history,
spanning the course of six
decades.
Info: 516-299-4073
or museum@cwpost.liu.edu
Trine Lise Nedreaas
NEW YORK, Through March 25
Norwegian artist Nedreaas shows
her art work at the LUXE Gallery.
Info: 212-404-7455
music
Norway-Balkan Music, With
Students from Juilliard School
of Music
NEW YORK, March 2
Five young musicians are involved
in this project, among them
Norwegian Ola Gjeilo, at
Scandinavia House.
Info: 212-847-9740
Magnus Martensson & Friends:
Music & Comedy
NEW YORK, March 10 and April 21
Magnus Martensson, conductor of
the Scandinavian Chamber
Orchestra, invites three critically
acclaimed musicians to perform
with him in a new concert series
that will include great music as
well as what critics have called
"hilarious and clever comedy."
Info: 212-847-9740
ASF Fellows Concert: David
Coucheron & Ingrid Emanuelsson
NEW YORK, April 6
Ingrid Emanuelsson, a recent
graduate from Hunter College with
an M.A. in piano performance will
play with violinist David
Coucheron. At Scandinavia House
Info: 212-847-9740
PHOTO BY SCANDINAVIA HOUSE
munch
"Edvard Munch: The Modern
Life of the Soul" at Museum of
Modern Art (MoMA)
NEW YORK, Through May 8
The first major retrospective
devoted to the work of Munch to
be held in an American museum in
almost three decades.
Info: 212-708-9400
Edvard Munch: Symbolism in Print
NEW YORK, Through May 13
Highlights from the Munch exhibition
at the Museum of Modern Art,
at Scandinavia House.
Info: 212-879-9779
or www.scandinaviahouse.org
The Edvard Munch Biopic at
MoMA
NEW YORK, March 10 - 12
Info: 212-708-9400
A Collector's Perspective on
Munch
NEW YORK, March 21
Sarah G. Epstein, collector of
Edvard Munch prints since the
early 1960s, will give a slide lecture
on the life and art of the
famous Norwegian artist.
Info: 212-879-9779
or www.scandinaviahouse.org
Munch, Sex, and Modernity
NEW YORK, April 20
Dr. Patricia G. Berman, a professor
of art at Wellesley College,
Mass., will present aspects of
Munch's visual dialogues with
modern notions of sexuality.
Info: 212-879-9779
or www.scandinaviahouse.org.
children’s events
Viking Seafarers: The First
Europeans’ Journey to America
NEW YORK, March 11 and April 8
Presentation for children 5+ about
Vikings.
Info: 212-879-9779
or info@amscan.org. Call 212-
847-9740 for reservations
.
The Long, Adventurous Life of
Edvard Munch
NEW YORK, March 18
In this interactive presentation
with performer Rolf Stang, children
5+ can learn about Edvard
Munch.
Info: 212-879-9779
or info@amscan.org. Call 212-
847-9740 for reservations
poetry
Poetry Readings by Norwegian
Poet and Novelist Dag Sundby
NEW YORK, April 23
Dag Sundby will read some of his
works at the Norwegian Seamen's
Church on Manhattan, immediately
translated to English. He will
also tour universities in Conn.
Info: 212-319-0370
or newyork@sjomannskirken.no
classes
Norwegian Classes at the
Norwegian Seamen's Church
Classes last for 12 weeks and are
educating, socializing and fun!
Beginner, intermediate and
advanced courses available.
info: 212-319-0370
or newyork@sjomannskirken.no
seminars
Seminar about Auroras, Flares,
Spots and Storms
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 17
The Smithsonian and NASA are
hosting a seminar about the sun
with Norwegian scientist Pål
Brekke.
Info: Smithsonian, 202-633-1000
”THE DANCE OF LIFE” 1899-1900, OIL ON CANVAS. THE NATIONAL
MUSEUM OF ART, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN/NATIONAL GALLERY,
OSLO. (C) 2006 THE MUNCH MUSEUM/THE MUNCH-ELLINGSEN
GROUP/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK
14 | news of norway | spring 2006

69725_EoN.qxp 3/10/2006 6:40 AM Page 15
PHOTO BY PERBREVIG.COM
seminars
The Scandinavian Example:
The Return of Equality in World
Politics
NEW YORK, April 3
Dr. Bo Rothstein will address the
current shift in the intellectual climate
in the social sciences, where
Scandinavian-style social equality
is once again considered important
for both economic growth and
individual well-being.
Info: 212-847-9740
or www.scandinaviahouse.org
south west
music
Per Brevig and the East Texas
Symphony Orchestra
TYLER, TX., April 22
Norwegian-born conductor Per
Brevig will conduct the East Texas
Symphony Orchestra
Info: 903-526-3876
or info@etso.org
festival
"Snowshoe" Thompson
Anniversary Celebration
Genoa, NV., March 11
John Thompson – originally Jon
Torsteinson-Rue – came from
Norway to the U.S. in the 1830s,
and became legendary in
California and Nevada for his winter-time
mail delivery on skis, carrying
mail and medicines to 49ers
stranded in the Sierra Nevadas.
This year is the 150th anniversary
of his first mail run, celebrated in
Genoa with cross country skiing,
food and entertainment.
Info: 530-694-2266
PHOTO: NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSSOCIATION
midwest
lecture/literature
Princess Märtha Louise
SALT LAKE CITY, UT: April 6-7
Author of “Why Kings and Queens
Don’t Wear Crowns”
Info: www.norway.org
music
Sangerfest 2006
DECORAH, IA, June 28 - July 2
The Norwegian Singers' Association
of America, with 350 singers
Info: 563-382-3088
or www.nsaaonline.org
exhibit
36th Annual Norse Rosemaling
MILWAUKEE, WI., April 1 - 2
Juried rosemaling show with
approximately 150 entries.
Norway House/Sons of Norway
Info: 262-767-2857
or bjnellen@sbcglobal.net
conference
The 18th Annual Nobel Peace
Prize Forum with Nobel laureate
Dr. Wangari Maathai
DECORAH, IA, March 10-11
The Nobel Peace Prize Forum will
honor the work of Nobel laureate
Dr. Wangari Maathai, a former
biology professor who founded the
Green Belt Movement in Kenya.
Maathai will be the keynote
speaker, talking about sustainable
development. With Geir
Lundestad, Director of the
Norwegian Nobel Institute. At
Luther College
Info: 563-387-1001
or nppf@luther.edu
www.peaceprizeforum.org
festival
16th Annual Scandinavian Festival
HALES CORNERS, WI., May 6
The Nordic Council of Wisconsin
presents the 16th annual indoor
Scandinavian festival, celebrating
scandinavian culture through arts
and craft demonstrations, genealogy
sessions, and ethnic food.
Info: 414-425-0846, 262-560-
0232 or ellenjohnholmi@myexcel.com
west coast
exhibits
Anne Karin Senstad's Portraits
from her book "The Norwegians"
PORT HADLOCK, WA., Through
May 20, The Art Mine Gallery
Info: www.senstad.com
"Revisited": Photos from
Norway by Helene Sobol
Seattle, WA., Through April 2
Nordic Heritage Museum
Info: 206-789-5707
www.nordicmuseum.org
www.helenesobol.com
Sensuality & Survival: New
Nordic Designs 2006
SAN FRANCISCO, CA.,
March 9 – April 19
This exhibition of top Nordic
designers presents design with an
emphasis on both the sensual
beauty of craft design as well as
innovative design allowing for survival
in emergency situations.
Atrium Gallery & Courtyard
Info: www.nordic5arts.org
Desire, Anxiety and Loss: The
Prints of Edvard Munch
STANFORD, CA.,
March 22 - June 25
Exhibition of nearly 40 etchings,
litographs and woodcuts by
Info: 650-725-3155
Norwegian Folk Art Exhibit
SAN DIEGO, CA, Through March 30
The largest Norwegian folk art
exhibit to be shown in California
features selected pieces from the
Vesterheim museum in Iowa, local
collectors, and Norwegian contributors.
At Mingei International
Museum on El Prado in Balboa
Park.
Info: 619-286-8641
PHOTO BY CATHRINE MASKE
festival
calendar
Norway Day 2006
SAN FRANCISCO,
CA., May 6 - 7
An estimated 5,000
annual visitors make
this the largest
Norwegian Festival in
the U.S. Lots of food,
music, and a 5/10k
run. At Fort Mason,
Herbst Pavillion, San Francisco.
info: www.norwayday.org
walk
Seven Hills Walk
SEATTLE, WA., May 5
Organized by the Seattle-Bergen
sister city association. Walk
through Seattle is inspired by a
similar tradition in Bergen.
Info: robert_gaudet@yahoo.com
classes
Scandinavian School
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Courses in Norwegian language
and culture, from pre-school
through advanced levels.
Info: www.scandinavianschool.org
Scandia Camp
MENDOCINO, CA., June 10 - 17
A week long camp where one can
immerse oneself in the dance,
music, and culture of Norway.
Info: 630-985-7192
or dancingroo@aol.com
literature
Solveig Torvik Book Signing
SEATTLE, WA., March 4
Solveig Torvik, former journalist
from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
will read at the Nordic Heritage
Museum from her new book
“Nikolai's Fortune”
Info: 206-789-5707
or www.nordicmuseum.org
music
Leif Ove Andsnes
SAN FRANCISCO, CA., April 30
Davies Symphony Hall
Info: 415-552-8000
Flunk in Concert
SAN FRANCISCO, CA., May 6
Norwegian Folktronica Foursome
Flunk plays at Herbst Pavillion, as
a part of the Norway Day festival.
Info: 415-987-8055
lecture
Roald Amundsen Lecture
SAN FRANCISCO, CA., April 9
Dr. Tim Baughman will discuss the
adventures of Roald Amundsen at
the Commonwealth Club
Info: 415-597-6700
www.norway.org | 15

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news of norway
Royal Norwegian Embassy
2720 34th. St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 333-6000
www.norway.org
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Washington, D.C.
Permit No. 251
cover photo
PHOTO BY TERJE RAKKE/INNOVATION NORWAY
A PURE ESCAPE:
Kayaking is one of
many activities that
bring people closer
to enjoying the landscape
of the western
fjords of Norway.
www.norway.org
plays
Hedda Gabler
BROOKLYN, NY, Through Mar. 26
Oscar-nominated actress Cate
Blanchett stars in the Sydney
Theatre Company’s production of
Hedda Gabler.
Info: 718-636-4182
readings
Evenings with Ibsen at the
Norwegian Seamen’s Church
NEW YORK, Last Tuesday of
every month
Selected works by Ibsen will be
read, followed by discussion.
Info: 212-319-0370
2006 marks the 100th anniversary
of the death of the Norwegian
playwright Henrik Ibsen. His life
and work will be commemorated
throughout the year, which in
Norway has been named the
“Ibsen Year.” For updated information
about plays and festivals, see
www.norway.org
An Enemy of the People
WATERVILLE, ME, March 16 - 18
Info: 207-859-4535
An Enemy Of The People
HATTIESBURG, MS., Mar 16 - 26.
Info: www.usm.edu/theatre
A Doll’s House
ANN ARBOR, MI., Mar. 16-Apr. 23
Info: 734-663-0681 or visit
www.performancenetwork.org
Mabou Mines Dollhouse
NEW ENGLAND (tour) Mar 29-Apr 9
Info: 212-473-0559 or visit
www.maboumines.org
Peer Gynt
FARGO, ND., April 6 - 14
Info: 701-231-9442 www.ndsu.edu
Peer Gynt
BROOKLYN, NYC, April 11 - 16
Directed by Robert Wilson
(see page 3 for review)
Info: 718-636-4100
Hedda Gabler
SPRINGFIELD, IL., April 14 - 23
Info: 217-206-6160 or 800-207-
6960
Hedda Gabler
CINCINNATI, OH, April 27 - 29
Info: 513-556-4183
Hedda Gabler
OLNEY, MD., June 21 – July 23
Info: 301-924-3400
An Enemy of the People
WASHINGTON, DC: Opens
September 5.
Shakespeare Theatre Company,
Washington DC. Directed by Kjetil
Bang - Hansen, National Theatre
of Norway.
Info: 202-547-1122
The Master Builder
GLENDALE, CA., October 10 -
December 11
Info: http://anoisewithin.org/season.shtml
or 818-240-0910
film
An Enemy of the People
MINNEAPOLIS, MN., April 14 - 29
The Minneapolis St. Paul International
Film Festival.
Info: 612-331-3134 or info@mnfilmarts.org
Nora
NEW YORK, Through March 12
Director Ingmar Bergman's adaptation
of Ibsen's play A Doll's
House is coming to Manhattan for
the first time in its 25-year history.
Info: (212) 352-3101 or
www.theatermania.com for tickets
tour
Tour Norway in Ibsen's
Footprints
July 26 - August 9
Info: Adrienne at 507-467-2905
ext 208 or adrienne@commonwealtheatre.org
for details, or visit
http://vesterheim.org/travel/Tours_
Norway.php
PHOTO: ERIK BERG