Dalhalla

Dalhalla is an open air theater for theater, concert and opera performances. It is located in an old limestone quarry at Rättvik in the Swedish province of Dalarna. The choice of name " Dalhalla " is a combination of Dalarna and Valhalla from Norse mythology.

Dalhalla is an abandoned limestone quarry about 8 km north of Rättvik. Here a giant open pit was dug and blasted since the 1940s: 400 meters long, 175 meters wide and 60 meters deep. The limestone quarry closed in 1991. Soon after, the idea for an open-air stage was awakened by the opera singer Margaret Dellefors. The old limestone quarry outside Rättviks seemed well suited to this, he had the shape of an amphitheater and good acoustics. With financial support from the municipality and the province of Dalarna Rättvik the new stage by Birgit Nilsson was opened on 23 July 1994.

The good acoustics is based on the rough, irregular rock walls that surround the theater. They suppress the echo and produce a smooth sound. The Nachklangzeiten and resonances are so good that when opera performances no electrical amplification is necessary. The theater holds about 4,000 visitors. According to the Austrian Music Festival Magazine Magazine Festival Dalhalla ranked at number four of the best open-air arenas for music performances worldwide.

Gallery

Scene and the audience " Stora Stygga ", 1997

Stage in front of "Rhapsody in Rock"

The conductor comes in a rowing boat

Monica Zetterlund in Dalhalla, May 1997