Amor’s ease. Photo: The Norwegian Opera and Ballet
Choreography
Elizabeth Svarstad is an expert in dances from the Renaissance, Baroque and nineteenth century. She reads Feuillet notation and reconstructs choreographies from the eighteenth-century repertoire as well as choreographing new works.
Svarstad's approach to historical dance is based on an extensive knowledge of historical sources for dance combined with an open, reflexive and searching attitude towards how past movement practices can make sense today. Her choreographies often also include historical dance in interaction with contemporary dance, juxtaposing the past and the present and seeking ways to understand ourselves through historical movement practices.
Her works as a choreographer include:
Sarabande – a contemporary baroque performance, dance performance with Bruno Benne and Mime Brinkmann, world premiere at Frogner hovedgård, Oslo museum (2022)
Operetteaften, student performance directed by Victoria Bomann-Larsen at The Academy of Opera/Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2022)
Amor’s ease – opera for babies by Eivind Buene/Christina Lindgren (world premiere at The Norwegian Opera and Ballet, 2020)
Orfeus’ comfort – opera for babies by Maja Ratkje/Christina Lindgren, world premiere at The Norwegian Opera and Ballet (2020)
Draumkvedet – ein kyrkjeopera by Ragnar Søderlind (1945–) for Uranienborg vokalensemble and Barokkanerne, world premiere at Uranienborg Church (2020)
Les caractères de la danse for Barokkanerne Norwegian Baroque Ensemble (2019/20)
La Follia for Christian IV Consort (2019)
Aminta e Fillide for Paulus Barokk (2015)
Le coucher de la Reine Christine de Suéde for Trondheim Barokk (2014)
Princess Baroque and the Four Seasons for the Norwegian Baroque Orchestra (2010)
Die Fledermaus for the Opera Academy at Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2010)
Xerxes suite for the Norwegian Wind Ensemble (2009)
Les délices champêtres at Linderud Manor (2006)