Christiania Theatre Laura Gundersen in 1849. The foundation of the first Norwegian theatre in Oslo, Christiania Norwegian Theatre in 1852, was but a temporary rival, as it was forced to close down in 1862. The theatre was a result of the controversy surrounding the Norwegian and Danish languages and was created as a counterpoint to the Danish language dominated Christiania Theatre. Henrik Ibsen was artistic director of the Christiania Norwegian Theatre from the autumn of 1857 and served as the theatre leading director until its bankruptcy in 1862. From 1856, the Christiania Theatre promised to employ native actors. In 1872, Norwegian became
Christiania Norwegian Theatre new theater operations from autumn 1857, serving as theater director until it went bankrupt in the summer of 1862. The Christian Norwegian Theatre and the Christiania Theatre were officially merged on 15 July 1863. Christiania Norwegian Theatre Christiania Norwegian Theatre () was founded in 1852 under the name of Norwegian Dramatic School, and later renamed Christiania Norwegian Theatre. The initiative came from lieutenant engineer Johannes Benedictus Klingenberg (1817-1882) after he had been disappointed by the un-Norwegian repertoire selection and had visited the Norwegian Theatre in Bergen. In 1854 the drama school was made into a performing arts theater. Henrik Ibsen,