Skateboarding, culture | Hundreds gathered for the skate last year – and now the stage is set for a new party

Last year, more than 300 people came to the ski area when Thomas invited Johansson and his colleagues to attend the opera in Waldemarhøyparken.

– It was a great experience, he told ØB.

And now the stage is set for a new free concert.

– What can people expect this year?

– Sunshine, great weather and open-air opera. Opera students sing a diverse repertoire of duets, And From opera literature. Here you get up close to the singers and get a great experience. It's less static than a soap opera, and that's where you get the highlights. Served by the opera stars of tomorrow.

The event committee has been strengthened. He joined last year's conference winning team, Knot Vala. Johansen does not want to reveal who will hold the conference this year.

Way out of your comfort zone

Thomas is But next week he will organize an opera concert for the second time. Why?

– I am an opera fan, and I think this has never happened before.

– I don't think many of my friends would have thought that an economist would organize an opera. I feel like I'm so far out of my comfort zone already.

-I think he was going to bite me with something terrible

The interest in him began when he was a fixture at the Underwater Pub in the 1990s. For many years, the former nightclub in St. Hanshaugen had an agreement with opera students. Then the nightclub went bankrupt.

-And now it's time to take the opera students out here skating.

Thomas himself believes he has little musical talent, and says he is the best at playing records. Therefore, it is unlikely that he will start his own music career.

– How did you deal with criticism? Like bad reviews?

– Well, maybe it's a good thing that I'm an economist and not a musician. I think something terrible has gnawed at me.

-I'm worried that we could have created a little more “city” in skating

The ball is really starting to roll. More than 300 people showed up at the park last year. What is Thomas dreaming about? Are there collaborations with international artists?

– Heh heh. I think the ambitions for our little Opera in the Park event are a little more modest than that. I don't have much confidence that we will have any international stars to sing here at Waldemarhøyparken.

– What is important is that we can create a good event as it is. That we can pull people off the couch on a Friday afternoon and listen to something they think is really good. For a great music experience.

– At the same time, we have Lina Brathen as artistic director. Lina is a professional musician and is associated with a music school. She makes sure to remind us of the importance of maintaining a high artistic standard.

Now that Thomas has moved into the culture industry, perhaps he has an idea which cultural representative in the municipality impressed him the most?

– I think Rådhusteateret is getting better and better. There is a lot of programming, high standard, and good variety. While it seems as if life and activity at the ski center has become less than it was before. I'm concerned that we could have created a little more “city” in skating.

– Intensification is taking its course – I'm sure of it. But we have a long way to go until we can create a fun arena in the center of skating – where people make the trip out just to have some life and activity in the center.

The experience will take place on 14 June 2024 from 18:00 to 19:30.