Johan Adolph Mecklin föddes 22 maj 1761 i Linköping och dog 21 november 1803 i Norrköping. Han var domkyrkoorganist och director musices i Linköping från 1789 till sin död och rektor vid Trivialskolan i Norrköping från 1802. Han invaldes som ledamot i Kungl. Musikaliska akademien 1800.

I 1800-talets borgerliga samhälle fördes en livlig debatt kring frågor som ”Vad passar sig för en kvinna att göra?” och ”Vilka rättigheter är det rimligt att en kvinna har?”

August Berwald was born 24 August 1798 in Stockholm and died 13 November 1869 in the same city. His brother was the composer Franz Berwald and his cousin was the conductor Johan Fredrik Berwald. A skilled violinist employed by the Royal Court Orchestra between 1815−6 and as concertmaster starting in 1832. He later worked as a concert organiser in Stockholm while also employed as head of the educational institution of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music 1864−66.

August Säfström was born in Uppsala on 1 October 1813 and died on 12 April 1888 in Stockholm. He worked for a time as a writer in a government agency and later on he entirely devoted himself to theatre productions in Stockholm. Säfström wrote and translated almost one hundred plays. Apart from composing the music to several plays, he also wrote songs with piano accompaniment.

Johan August Söderman, born in Stockholm 17 July 1832. Studied harmony and piano at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music as a teenager. Acquired practical experience as music director for a travelling theatre company in the 1850s and later as choirmaster and second conductor of the Royal Opera from 1860 until his death on 10 February 1876. In his capacity as music director for the theatre he composed a great deal of incidental music for plays, as well as vocal works, such as solo and choral ballads and songs. These pieces proved very popular, especially on account of their purportedly folk–music influences. Söderman was a much lauded composer in Stockholm in the mid–19th century, and despite his short life, his output was considerable and many of his works are still performed to this day.

Johan August Söderman, born in Stockholm 17 July 1832. Studied harmony and piano at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music as a teenager. Acquired practical experience as music director for a travelling theatre company in the 1850s and later as choirmaster and second conductor of the Royal Opera from 1860 until his death on 10 February 1876. In his capacity as music director for the theatre he composed a great deal of incidental music for plays, as well as vocal works, such as solo and choral ballads and songs. These pieces proved very popular, especially on account of their purportedly folk–music influences. Söderman was a much lauded composer in Stockholm in the mid–19th century, and despite his short life, his output was considerable and many of his works are still performed to this day.

  The years around the middle of the nineteenth century were a time of change in Swedish politics, commerce and industry. The press became very influential in the debate, including the issue of the theatre and its role in society.

With the theories on public opinion and a public sphere, formulated by Jürgen Habermas, as a starting point, three different aspects of the operations of the Mindre Teatern (the Minor Theatre) are discussed in this thesis.

The first part deals with the theater and its role in society. Liberal demands for freedom of trade, also in the case of the theatre, caused strong criticism against the prevailing royal theatre monopoly. After several years of struggle the monopoly was broken by the establishment of the Mindre Teatern in 1842.

The second part focuses on the musicians who were active at the theatre, and on the audience. The role of the professional musician in the middle of the nineteenth-century is discussed, and it is pointed out that most of the musicians at this time had to have several jobs of different kinds to earn their living. The relation between the audiences at the Mindre Teatern and the Kungliga Teatern (the Royal Theatre/Royal Opera House) is discussed, and it is noted that there were great similarities between the two audiences.

Part three deals with the repertoire. Most of the almost 500 performed plays were of foreign origin, above all French. The majority of plays were comedies. The serious plays often had historical plots, and were set in national surroundings. The foreign plays were adapted to suit a Swedish audience. The interest in recognizable settings is noticeable in connection with the productions. The repertoire can be said to have contributed to defining the new middle class identity, an identity which also contained an element of national feeling. Even the music could be used for this purpose. The main part of the music pieces were arrangements, but new compositions, especially instrumental ones, occured to a lesser degree. What kind of play music could be used, was decided according to the customs of different genres. Instrumental pieces, for example, were mostly used in serious plays, whereas songs were much more commonly used in comic ones. The music is analysed with respect to both structural function and its role in creating atmosphere and character.

Opera singer and theatre director Carl Stenborg was born in Stockholm on 8 September 1752, and died there on 1 August 1813. He joined his father's acting troupe while still in his teens, and in 1780 took over his theatre, which he went on to direct until 1799. Carl Stenborg was employed as a singer at the Royal Swedish Opera between 1773 and 1806, and was one of its most important lyrical actors. The majority of Stenborg's own compositions are comic operas or songs for such operas. He became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1782.

Jean Baptiste Edouard Louis Camille Du Puy, born ca 1770 in Neuchâtel in Switzerland, died 3 April 1822 in Stockholm. Here he was employed at the Royal Court Orchestra as concertmaster between 1793–99 and as its chief conductor between 1812−22. He was a highly regarded violinist and conductor and even a popular singer in several stage roles. Edouard Du Puy composed in most genres, from drawing-room ballads to dramatic music in the French style.

During the 19th century private theatres were established in Stockholm. They put on a popular repertoire and competed with the Royal theatre for a growing audience. An important theatre director in the middle of the 1800s was Edvard Stjernström. He owned a theatre in Stockholm and also made many tours to other cities in Sweden and Finland. Stjernström and his activities are the focus of this study. What was his role in deploying a repertoire to cities in Sweden and Finland? How did he choose the repertoire and the music? What relation did the plays and the music have to the debate about national identity? These questions will be discussed from a perspective of “public sphere” (Habermas) and national identity, but also from theories of distribution of a common European repertoire. Despite the national connection, the repertoire was to a great extent international. It is an interesting question how the repertoire was spread and a hypothesis is that individuals were of great importance in this respect. Stjernström is an example of such a person.

For the study it is important to problematize the concept of “opera” and to show the great variety in music dramatic genres and performances, due to different interests and possibilities at different theatres. Light opera, with spoken dialogue was very popular and possible to perform with a smaller orchestra. This kind of repertoire was performed not only at the Royal theatre but also at several theatres in cities around Sweden and by travelling theatre companies.

The theatre activities of Stjernström will in this article be compared to relevant theatres from other European countries. Not least will his tours to Finland be compared with his activities in Stockholm. The main sources for the study are play texts, music, posters from performances, accounts, and reviews and articles from contemporary papers.

Eric Jacob Arrhén von Kapfelman was born 21 October 1791 in Västervik. After graduating from secondary school in Lund in 1809, he worked as a clerk at the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency and the War Office until November 1816. Beginning in 1820 he started employment as a music teacher at the Royal Military Academy at Karlberg Palace and was named Director of Music there in 1833. He was elected as a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1841. Arrhén von Kapfelman never married. He died in Stockholm 23 May 1851.

Fredrik (Fritz) Adolph Christopher Söderman was born on 4 January 1838 in Stockholm and died on 15 July 1883 in the same city. He was employed as a cellist in the Royal Court Orchestra for the majority of his life. His half-brother August Söderman was a successful composer. Fritz Söderman’s compositions consisted mainly of songs with piano accompaniment. He became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1866.

Hanna Brooman föddes 21 augusti 1809 i Stockholm. Ingenting är känt om hennes föräldrar. Hon växte upp som fosterdotter till Jan Erik Brooman, skådespelare och sångare vid Kungl. Teatern. Under perioden 1847−84 var hon verksam som lärare vid Kungl. Teaterns elevskola. Hon avled i Stockholm 7 februari 1887.

The German composer and conductor Ignaz Lachner was born 11 September 1807 in Rain, Bavaria, and died 24 February 1895 in Hannover. He was summoned to Sweden by the Royal Opera management after the preceding chief conductor, Jacopo Foroni, died unexpectedly. After only three seasons, 1858−61, Ignaz Lachner returned to Germany. In Sweden he composed music for royal festivities and re-orchestrated composer Johann Gottlieb Naumann’s opera Gustaf Wasa.

Carl Ivar Natanael Widéen was born on 21 March 1871 in Bällö in the province of Småland and died on 16 March 1951 in Lidköping. In 1900 he became a cathedral organist in Skara, after which he was active on the town's music scene for over fifty years. He mainly composed songs and choral pieces, and many of his works were written for the various celebrations of the liturgical year. Widéen was a well-known and popular composer of choral music during his lifetime. He became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1921.

Jacob Edvard Gille was born 10 August 1814, in Stockholm and died there 8 November 1880. He had multiple careers: as a clerk at an auction house for books in Stockholm as well as a musician with ensembles such as the Royal Court Orchestra, at Mindre teatern and with the Catholic Church. Presumably self-taught, Gille composed music of many genres − from songs to musical dramas and symphonies.

Jacob Niclas Ahlström was born on the Swedish town of Visby on 5 June 1805 and died in Stockholm on 14 May 1857. He began working early on as a musician, first as a teacher for the Swedish church, and later as a theatre conductor. During the years 1842 to 1854 Ahlström worked at the Nya teatern in Stockholm where he wrote music in various genres for more than one hundred theatrical works. Most of his musical output is connected to his theatre work. In addition, he wrote music mainly for male choir and published song collections for private music making in the home.

Johan Fredrik Berwald was born in Stockholm on 4 December 1787, and died there on 26 August 1861. Violinist, composer, conductor. Cousin of the composer Franz Berwald. Toured with his father Georg Johan Abraham Berwald from 1795, following his father to St Petersburg from 1803 to 1812. Violinist at the Royal Court Orchestra (appointed in 1822, permanent member from 1823 to 1849). Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1818. J.F. Berwald strongly contributed to the emergence of public musical life in Stockholm, mainly through his efforts as a choir and orchestra conductor (both in the Royal Court Orchestra and the Harmonic Society).

Karin Lönegren was born in Norrköping on 22 June 1871 and died in Stockholm on 20 February 1963. In the late 1880’s she moved with her family to Stockholm, where after studies with Richard Andersson and Franz Neruda she worked as a piano teacher and composer. Most of her compositions are works for piano, in addition to songs with piano accompaniment.

King Oscar I (1799–1859) was the only child of Charles XIV John (Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte) and Queen Desirée (Clary). He came to Sweden from Paris with his father in 1810 and became crown prince in 1818. He married Princess Joséphine de Beauharnais in 1823 and they had five children together. Oscar was a composer, pianist and singer, and he took an active part in Sweden’s music life. In 1844 he was crowned King of Sweden. He died on 8 July 1859 and the crown was passed to his son, Charles XV.

This report is on a recently started research project on cultural activities in sanatoriums for the treatment of tuberculosis in Sweden 1890–1960. The project has a multidisciplinary focus, with participation from researchers within art studies, musicology, ethnology, and the history of medicine respectively. The main questions of the project are what music and other cultural activities meant to patients and staff at the sanatoriums and how it affected their well-being and quality of life. The chosen period is 1890–1960, starting when sanatoriums with a special focus on tuberculosis began to be established, and ending at a time when many sanatoriums were closed down, as the need for this type of healthcare institution no longer existed. Tuberculosis is a disease with a long history. It became widespread in Sweden as well as in many other European countries from the mid 19th century onward, partly due to the industrialization and its consequences such as cramped living conditions in overcrowded cities.1 Gradually, many sanatoriums were established throughout the country, with a total of more than 100, in varying sizes, run by private companies as well as by the state.

Nils Theodor Salomon Kjellander was born in Karlskrona on 3 July 1859. He studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Stockholm from 1878−80. From the beginning of the 1880s until his death on 22 March 1911 he was a music teacher in Motala. His compositions include piano pieces and songs, music for the play Prinsessan Törnrosa as well as the two operettas Don Ranudo de Colibrados and Figaro i slyngelåren.

På 1960-talet gick debattens vågor höga kring operan och dess plats i samhället. Radikala debattörer förordade operans nedläggning, samtidigt som musikteatern var mycket populär och drog en storpublik. Dessutom fanns en aktiv kulturpolitik, som såg som sin uppgift att sprida kultur till nya grupper. En viktig institution i det här sammanhanget var Operan i Stockholm, den Kungliga Teatern, som från början instiftats för att sprida glans och värdighet över kungahuset, men nu förväntades bli en konstform som tilltalade alla – en opera för folket. I den radikala debatten blev Stockholmsoperan ensymbol för vad som av vissa uppfattades som en förlegad, borgerlig kultur. I den här studien undersöks hur Stockholmsoperan under 1960-talet agerade för att möta dessa nya krav, med särskilt fokus på hur man arbetade för att få barn- och ungdomspubliken att komma till föreställningarna. I den samtida debatten framfördes krav på en samhällstillvänd repertoar och debattörerna hävdade också att de stora institutionerna måste söka upp publiken i deras miljö, och hellre spela opera i förorten än på den stora scenen mitt i Stockholm. Operan som genre diskuterades också, och krav restes från flera håll på en modernisering av vad som uppfattades som en genre som stagnerat i gamla former. Hur påverkade denna debatt det som gjordes vid den Kungliga Operan vid Gustav Adolfs torg? Vilken repertoar valde man att sätta upp för den unga publiken? Var ville man spela? Verksamheten vid Stockholmsoperan sätts i relation dels till några andra teatrar i Stockholm vid den här tiden, dels till de krav som efterhand formulerades i den alltmer aktiva och styrande kulturpolitiken. Utifrån en analys av utvalda verk ur repertoaren diskuteras också frågor kring utvecklingen av den musikdramatiska genren under efterkrigstiden.

Petter (Pehr) Conrad Boman was born in Stockholm on 6 June 1804 and died in the same city on 17 March 1861. Boman was an important actor within Swedish musical life during the middle of the 19th century, active as a music critic and author as well as a lecturer on music history. He also worked as a composer, mainly of songs and music for comic operas. He was voted into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1849.

Prince Gustav, the second son of Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, was born 18 June 1827 in Stockholm and died 24 September 1852 in Kristiana (Oslo). During his study years in Uppsala in the 1840’s Prince Gustav came in contact with the student song tradition as both singer and composer. He wrote a large number of songs, including ‘Glad såsom fågeln’ (Happy as a Bird) and ‘Sjung om studentens lyckliga dag’ (The Student Song), which are sung even today for various student activities. Prince Gustav wrote mostly songs, choral works and music for piano. Primary member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music 1844−52.

Prinsessan Eugénie, eller som hennes hela namn lyder: Charlotta Eugenia Augusta Amalia Albertina Bernadotte, föddes 24 april 1830 och avled 23 april 1889 i Stockholm. Hon  var enda dotter till Oscar I och drottning Josephina. I sin musikaliska utbildning fick hon lära sig att både komponera och musicera. På slottet arrangerades soiréer och konserter, ofta med inbjudna musiker och sångare. Prinsessan Eugénie komponerade stycken för denna miljö, framför allt pianostycken och sånger. Genom hela livet engagerade hon sig i socialt välgörenhetsarbete. Ledamot av Kungl. Musikaliska akademien 1859.

Princess Teresia was born in the Bavarian town of Bamberg on 21 December 1836 as Therese Amalie Karoline Josephine Antoinette von Sachsen-Altenburg. She died on 9 November 1914 in Stockholm. In 1864 she married the Swedish prince August and moved to Sweden, where she took active part in the musical life of the royal court. Princess Teresia composed mainly works for piano and in 1864 she became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.