Culture Calendar Jan. 19-21
We're midway into arguably the most depressive month of the year, and what could possibly be better than drowning all our sorrows in a cultural feast?
Friday sees the very rare opportunity to attend a tasting of bio-dynamic wines. Ingensteds hosts the event, which also promises great food and a funky jazz soundtrack. Right besides Ingensteds lies Bortenfor, which hosts a free concert with Nomzi Kumalo, should you tire of all the wine. Seven o'clock!
If you're not a particularly huge fan of wine, grasp the opportunity to see the amazing film «Jordens salt» (The Salt of the Earth) at Cinemateket. Co-directed by Wim Wenders, it's a documentary about the life and work of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. It's part of the Climate Festival in Oslo, lasting from Jan. 17-28. Not to be missed!
Should you ever want to experience a great Norwegian rock band, Rockefeller is the place to be tonight. Hjerteslag dropped their second record last year to massive praise, and this show is bound to be one big energetic party. (If you're in doubt, check out «Sang til Sonja» on Spotify.)
Come Saturday, you can get some new clothes and retain a good conscience at Klesbyttemarked (literally clothes exchanging market) at Kulturhuset. Bring the clothes you're tired of, rejoice if someone else wants them and get some new ones for free. Good for both the climate and your wardrobe. That's a win-win.
Laugardagr at SALT is quite an experience. It's a six-hour sauna marathon (you don't have to stay there all six, of course) open to everyone, every Saturday. This is one of the world's largest saunas. Jump between cold baths and wooden heated saunas with lots of other people and just feel alive. Best of all? It's just five minutes from Oslo Central Station.
No culture calendar without a highbrow tip: Bellinis «Norma» premieres at the Opera this weekend. It contains all the classic ingredients: drama, passion, disloyalty and anger. The costumes and scenography seem pretty cool as well: Norma herself looks like a Maleficent who's stepped up her game a notch.
On Sunday, there's really one big thing, and that's the epitome of Norwegian winter culture: skiing. It's been snowing heavily and the conditions are great. Rent a pair of cross country skis at Athletica Domus, take the metro to Frognerseteren and get out there!
(If skiing is an absolute no, you could go see British indie rock quartet Wolf Alice at John Dee instead. Or get the best of both worlds, as a wise young girl once said, and do both).
