Christiania Theatre Christiania Theatre Christiania Theatre, or "Kristiania Theatre," was Norway's finest stage for the spoken drama from October 4, 1836 (opening date) to September 1, 1899. It was located at Bankplassen by the Akershus Fortress in central Christiania, in Norway. It was the first lasting public theatre in Norway and the national stage of Norway and of Oslo during the 19th century. Christiania Theatre was the first long term public theatre in Oslo. In November 1771 and February 1772, Martin Nürenbach made an unsuccessful attempt to start the first public theatre in Oslo. Aside from this, theatre was performed only by
Christiania Theatre the private amateur society "Det Dramatiske Selskap" at the concert hall Gevaexthuset, who did not offer public performances, and by travelling foreign theatre companies. The first public theatre, the Christiania Offentlige Theater was inaugurated by the Swedish theatre director Johan Peter Strömberg in January 1827. This was to be the predecessor and origin of the Christiania Theatre. After the building burnt down on 5 November 1835, it was reinstated with the name Christiania Theatre in October 1837. Over next few years an avid debate developed with strong criticism of the Danish dominancy of the arts. Christiania Theatre only employed Danish