Norwegian National Ballet’s Hedda Gabler: intense physicality

Grete Sofie Borud Nybakken as Hedda in Marit Moum Aune's Hedda Gabler

Grete Sofie Borud Nybakken as Hedda and Martin Dauchez as her husband in Hedda Gabler

Grete Sofie Borud Nybakken and Norwegian National Ballet in Hedda Gabler

Gina Storm-Jensen and Grete Sofie Borud Nybakken in Hedda Gabler

Grete Sofie Borud Nybakken and Douwe Dekkers in Hedda Gabler

By Graham Watts, 08 February 2026

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“the considerable achievement of successfully presenting Ibsen without words”

Reviewed at Oslo Opera House, Main Stage, Oslo on 7 February 2026

Hedda Gabler (Marit Moum Aune, Kaloyan Boyadjiev)

Norwegian National Ballet

Even Børsum, Set Designer

Ingrid Nylander, Costume Designer

Kristin Bredal, Lighting Designer

Norwegian National Ballet: strong and harmonious, especially the corps

Jonathan Gray, 9th November

Norwegian National Ballet return to the classics with surprising ease.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

Norwegian history is brought to life on the Main Stage in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 31st October

Amongst the Giselles and the Nutcrackers that will grace Oslo Opera House’s Main Stage this season sits a vital slice of Norwegian history from two emerging choreographers, Elle Sofe Sara and Hlín Hjálmarsdóttir.

***11

Wayne McGregor’s Jocasta’s Line offers powerful performances

Maggie Foyer, 13th September

A dramatic staging of two Greek myths, Wayne McGregor’s Jocasta’s Line is an epic production for Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, a truly modern and totally original work.

****1

Petite Mort is a cut above in second Kylián celebration

Vikki Jane Vile, 31st May

The second programme of Norwegian National Ballet's Kylián festival, Day After Yesterday, features four older works, including Petite Mort and No More Play which are unquestionably highlights of his expansive repertoire.

***11

Aesthetic and accessible: Kylián Festival opens in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 29th May

The Wings of Time festival in Oslo this summer is the most comprehensive collection of Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián’s work ever presented.

****1

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.