The new operahouse in Oslo opens Saturday April 12. Gisle Kverndokk has 3 new works performed at the opening.

In the foyer before the opening concert there will be a worldpremiere of "Marble Surplus", a work for marble-percussion and electronics. The work was commissioned by The Norwegian Opera & Ballet for the percussionists of the Opera Orchestra. The percussionist Rune Martinsen had the idea to make a piece by playing on the leftover marble at the operahouse. The result is a gigantic "xylophone" made of marblestones. In addition to this, there is an electronic composistion playing along the live performance. This is made of sounds recorded from marble, and produced at NOTAM, Oslo. The performance will take place at 18.15 in the foyer of the operahouse, and performed by Rune Martinsen, Jonas Blomquist, Laila Sjørbotten and Pål Bugge, conducted by Gisle Kverndokk, Max-programming by Asbjørn Flø, sounddesign by Cato Langnes, NOTAM.

The new operahouse in Oslo opens Saturday April 12. Gisle Kverndokk has 3 new works performed at the opening.

In the foyer before the opening concert there will be a worldpremiere of "Marble Surplus", a work for marble-percussion and electronics. The work was commissioned by The Norwegian Opera & Ballet for the percussionists of the Opera Orchestra. The percussionist Rune Martinsen had the idea to make a piece by playing on the leftover marble at the operahouse. The result is a gigantic "xylophone" made of marblestones. In addition to this, there is an electronic composistion playing along the live performance. This is made of sounds recorded from marble, and produced at NOTAM, Oslo. The performance will take place at 18.15 in the foyer of the operahouse, and performed by Rune Martinsen, Jonas Blomquist, Laila Sjørbotten and Pål Bugge, conducted by Gisle Kverndokk, Max-programming by Asbjørn Flø, sounddesign by Cato Langnes, NOTAM.

Gisle Kverndokk's new opera "Around the world in 80 days" will have its premiere in the season 2009/2010 at he Norwegian Opera & Ballet.

The libretto, based on the famous novel by Jules Verne, is written by Kverndokk's long time collaborator, Øystein Wiik. The production will be directed by Stein Winge, Norway's foremost operadirector, and will be designed by Norway's leading theatre-designers; John Kristian Alsaker, scenography and Tine Schwab, costumes. The Norwegian Opera's chorus and orchestra will be conducted by Christian Eggen