Pas de deux on art & existence – with Astrid Elbo and Jens-Christian Wandt

As something completely new, Verdensballetten invites you to the Ballet Salon at the Karen Blixen Museum
Here you can experience an unconventional pas de deux between one of Danish ballet’s greatest and most interesting dancers, and the opera singer whose career went anything but the beaten path.

Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 18:30
Admission DKK 175,- (also gives access to the Karen Blixen Museum, the rooms at Rungstedlund).

Astrid Elbo and Jens-Christian Wandt meet at Rungstedlund for a conversation about ballet, opera, art, and much more. A conversation based on life as an artist, about dreams and challenges, joys and sorrows, and about the extreme discipline it takes to be a ballet dancer at such a high level.

Astrid Elbo has been called a dancing actress. Her charismatic charisma on stage has made her one of Den Kgl. Ballet’s most beloved dancers. Last season she danced the lead role of Karen Blixen in the company’s production of the ballet “Blixen”. Here the ballet critic Alexander Meinertz wrote

• “Astrid Elbo’s empathy in all Blixen’s ages is awe-inspiring and convincing. She is the Royal Danish Ballet’s most charismatic artist, and here the portrait of Karen Blixen benefits from Elbo’s personal expressiveness and strength in nuances and compositions.”

This season Astrid Elbo made her debut in one of the most challenging roles in the ballet repertoire, Odille/Odette in Swan Lake, and before that she enjoyed great success in Betty Nansen Theatre’s production of the dance performance “I am gold”. Here, Berlingske’s Jakob Steen Olsen wrote:

• “If anyone can give the wordless a spiritual resonance chamber, she can.”

For the past two years, Astrid Elbo has danced with Verdensballetten, when a number of the world’s leading ballet dancers meet at selected locations in Denmark and present ballet at the highest international level. It is also Verdensballetten’s founder and artistic director, opera singer Jens-Christian Wandt, who has brought Astrid Elbo to Rungstedlund.

Jens-Christian Wandt is an opera singer and has sung at home and abroad, appeared on TV and in many non-traditional contexts. In addition to opera, he has made his mark as a cultural entrepreneur, debater, and writer. His best friend calls him a fine culture jester, because his mission is to bring fine culture to the whole country, to turn fine culture into popular culture. He has succeeded with Verdensballetten, which every year goes on tour in parts of Denmark where you rarely – or never – experience ballet and opera at this high level. He enjoys the combination of being both on and behind the stage and performing in the dual role of artist and organizer.

Hear about two very different artist careers when Astrid Elbo and Jens-Christian Wandt meet for the first time for a conversation in the beautiful room above the café at Rungstedlund.

The conversation lasts an hour and a half including a break and starts precisely in the Bird Room.
You are allowed to buy food and drinks in the museum’s cozy café Madam Carlsens Bistro and bring them with you.
There will subsequently be an opportunity to walk around the rooms and experience the current exhibition.
The event is a collaboration between Rungstedlund and Verdensballetten.

Address: Rungsted Strandvej 111, 2960 Rungsted Kyst

Photo of Rungstedlund:© Annemette Kuhlmann, Photographer