The Ibsen Year (Norwegian: Ibsenåret ) was the Norwegian government 's official celebration of Henrik Ibsen in 2006, marking the 100th anniversary of his death. The Ibsen Year included cultural events in multiple countries, including an opening ceremony in Oslo attended by the royal family and international guests, television programs, cultural events in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and other countries, and an International Gala performance at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt , hosted by the country's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak and also attended by Queen Sonja . The Ibsen Year's artistic director was Bentein Baardson and the producer was Nora Ibsen . The chairman of the supervisory committee was former Norwegian Minister of Culture Lars Roar Langslet . The planning committee of the Ibsen Year had a core budget of around 70 million NOK, not counting TV productions and various other costs.
23-574: Queen Sonja was the Ibsen Year's high protector. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassies around the world had an important role in carrying out the Ibsen Year. The Ibsen Year comprised 8213 separate cultural events, and 83 countries took part in the commemoration. An International Gala performance of Peer Gynt took place at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt , under
46-552: A party hosted by Johan H. Stenersen. Later in August the Crown Prince invited her to his graduation ball, where they were photographed together for the first time. They dated for nine years, although their relationship had been kept secret because she was a commoner. The Crown Prince made it clear to his father, King Olav V , that he would remain unmarried for life unless he could marry her. This would in effect have put an end to
69-863: A scene for arts and culture. Together with King Harald, the queen has for decades attempted to establish a palace museum in Oslo . The Queen is a keen hiker, and this was marked by a sculpture unveiled for her 80th birthday as a gift from the Norwegian Trekking Association . In 1982 she was awarded the Nansen Refugee Award . In 2007, she received the Holmenkollen medal with Simon Ammann , Frode Estil , Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset , and her husband, King Harald V. Queen Sonja also received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1994 Rem : The mark ° shows
92-438: Is Queen of Norway as the wife of King Harald V . Sonja and the then Crown Prince Harald had dated for nine years prior to their marriage in 1968. They had kept their relationship a secret due to the controversy of Sonja's status as a commoner . Harald had told his father, King Olav V , that he would remain unmarried if his father did not grant consent to marry Sonja. Upon their marriage, Sonja became crown princess and later
115-426: Is a longtime avid photographer and has a keen interest in art. She is a printmaker , and held exhibitions with artists Kjell Nupen and Ørnulf Opdahl in 2011 and 2013. The Queen Sonja Nordic Art Award was established in 2011 with Tiina Kivinen from Finland being the first recipient in 2012. The prize will be awarded every other year. In 2017, The Queen Sonja Art Stable was opened, a venue which will function as
138-534: Is starting an [art] gallery, to sell works by artists that she has given her prestigious prizes to. Sonja established the Queen Sonja International Music Competition in 1988. It was originally for pianists, but in 1995 the competition became only for singers. The jury consists of diverse authoritative figures in opera and the winners receive a cash amount and prestigious engagements at Norwegian music institutions. She
161-643: The 1970s visiting Vietnamese boat refugees in Malaysia . From 1987 to 1990, Crown Princess Sonja served as Vice President of the Norwegian Red Cross . She was responsible for the organisation's international activities. She took part in a Red Cross delegation to Botswana and Zimbabwe in 1989. Queen Sonja's School Award was established in 2006 and is awarded to schools who have "demonstrated excellence in its efforts to promote inclusion and equality". In 2021, Frank Rossavik said that now she
184-629: The King and Queen were consecrated in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim on 23 June 1991. Following the consecration, the King and Queen conducted a 10-day tour of Southern Norway. In 1992, the entire royal family conducted a 22-day tour of Norway's four northernmost counties. The Queen accompanies the King on official state visits abroad. She acts as the hostess when foreign heads of state officially visit Norway. In 2005, Queen Sonja became
207-625: The Oslo Vocational School, and a diploma from École Professionnelle des Jeunes Filles (a finishing school ) in Lausanne , Switzerland . There, she studied accounting, fashion design, and social science. She returned to Norway for further studies and received an undergraduate degree ( French , English and Art History ) from the University of Oslo . In June 1959 she first met Crown Prince Harald (the future King Harald V) at
230-580: The auspices of First Lady Suzanne Mubarak and attended by Queen Sonja and other guests. It was directed by Bentein Baardson and produced by Nora Ibsen . Together with the official opening of the Ibsen Year in Oslo, this was the highlight of the Ibsen Year. Several other cultural events related to Henrik Ibsen in collaboration between Norwegian and Egyptian authorities also took place in Egypt. Suzanne Mubarak
253-726: The award. The Queen was appointed a Rear Admiral in the Royal Norwegian Navy and a Brigadier in the Norwegian Army . She has undergone a basic officer training course and has participated in exercises. On 17 January 2021, Queen Sonja celebrated 30 years as Norway 's queen consort. In 1972 she was involved in establishing Princess Märtha Louise's Fund, which provides assistance to disabled children in Norway. She has taken active part in large-scale initiatives to raise funds for international refugees and spent time in
SECTION 10
#1732780469969276-431: The conclusion of the Ibsen Year. Ibsenåret AS , a limited company, was the secretariat of the national committee, responsible for organising the Ibsen Year. It was first led by Steinar Hansson until his death in 2004, and then by Bentein Baardson . Baardson recruited Ibsen's great-great-granddaughter, Nora Ibsen , as the producer of the Ibsen Year. Queen Sonja Sonja (born Sonja Haraldsen ; 4 July 1937)
299-633: The current embassy of China in Norway at 2B. In 2015, the Queens childhood home will be moved to Maihaugen in Lillehammer . 10C Tuengen Alle is the functionalist Villa Stenersen, designed by architect Arne Korsmo and was built from 1937 to 1939 for the financier, art collector, and author Rolf Stenersen and his family. Stenerson bequeathed the Villa Stenersen to the State of Norway as
322-609: The first queen ever to visit Antarctica . The Queen was there to open the Norwegian Troll research station in the country's Antarctic dependency, Queen Maud Land . The Queen flew in on one of the Royal Norwegian Air Force's C-130H Hercules transport aircraft , landing at Troll Airfield . In 2017 Queen Sonja was awarded the Trysil-Knut Prize . She is the first woman to ever receive
345-561: The honours mentioned on Queen Sonja's official website page Vinderen Vinderen is a neighbourhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo , Norway . It was a separate borough until 1 January 2004, when it was incorporated into the newly established borough of Vestre Aker. Its amenities include Vinderen station . The prosperous avenue of Tuengen Allé in Vinderen was the childhood home of Queen Sonja of Norway at 1B; and
368-437: The queen of Norway upon her husband's accession to the throne in 1991, becoming Norway's first queen consort in 52 years. The couple has two children together: Princess Märtha Louise and Crown Prince Haakon . As queen, Sonja holds patronage of up to fifteen organisations. Sonja has also served as Vice President of the Norwegian Red Cross from 1987 to 1990. In 2005, she became the first queen to visit Antarctica. In 2017, she
391-653: The rule of his family, and likely to the monarchy in Norway, as Harald was the sole heir to the throne. Faced with having to choose one of his relatives from the Danish royal family , the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein or even the Grand Dukes of Oldenburg as his new heir in place of his son, Olav V consulted the government for advice; as a result, Sonja became engaged to Crown Prince Harald on 19 March 1968. The couple married on 29 August 1968, at Oslo Cathedral . She thus acquired
414-529: The style of Royal Highness and the title of Crown Princess of Norway. Following the death of King Olav V on 17 January 1991, Sonja became Norway's first queen consort in 52 years. Queen Sonja accompanied King Harald V when he swore his oath to uphold the Constitution in the Storting on 21 January 1991. During Haakon VII of Norway 's reign, his wife Queen Maud died in 1938 and his son Olav V
437-983: Was awarded the Ibsen Centennial Commemoration Award by Queen Sonja , as one of three officials of state to receive this honour (the other ones being the Queen and the Norwegian Foreign Minister). The Ibsen Year in the United States was launched in New York on 1 March 2006 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music . Cate Blanchett , who played the title role in Hedda Gabler in the Sydney Theatre Company 's visiting performance there,
460-706: Was awarded the Ibsen Centennial Commemoration Award, presented by Minister of Equality Karita Bekkemellem . The planning committee, a government commission named the National Committee for the Ibsen Initiative ( Nasjonalkomiteen for Ibsensatsingen ), was appointed by the Ministry of Culture in 1997, and was headed by former Minister of Culture Lars Roar Langslet . The committee's mandate ceased in 2006/2007, with
483-543: Was awarded the Trysil-Knut Prize, making her the first woman to receive the award. She is also known for her interest in music, art and culture, having founded the Queen Sonja International Music Competition and the Queen Sonja Print Award. She is also a graphic artist and ceramicist , with many of her works being featured in exhibitions across Norway and other countries. Sonja Haraldsen
SECTION 20
#1732780469969506-406: Was born on 4 July 1937 in Oslo , the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen and Dagny Ulrichsen. She had three siblings, Haakon Haraldsen, Gry Henriksen and Karl Herman Haraldsen, who died in a boating accident. She grew up at Tuengen Allé 1B in the district of Vinderen in Oslo and completed her lower secondary schooling in 1954. She received a diploma in dressmaking and tailoring at
529-580: Was then crown prince when his wife Princess Märtha of Sweden died in 1954 before he became king three years later. It was also the first time in 69 years that a Norwegian queen had been present in the Storting. Since his accession, Queen Sonja has accompanied the King to the formal opening of the autumn session of the Storting and the reading of the Speech from the Throne. In accordance with their own wishes,
#968031