In the middle of the 19th century there were a great interest for operas especially by Meyerbeer at the Opera in Stockholm. Robert le diable, Les Huguenots, Le prophète andL’Africaine were performed between 150 and 200 times each from around 1840 to 1890. The interest for Meyerbeer has been treated in previous research, but the basis for this tradition has not been explored in any significant meaning. How come that the Opera in Stockholm relatively fast connected to the European tradition of grand opera? Why was there such an interest in the Stockholm audience for grand opera? This paper discusses the conditions at the Opera in Stockholm during the first half of the 19thcentury, with special regard to questions about the repertoire (for example works by Gluck and Spontini) but also to questions about financial and organisational circumstances. The main purpose is to discuss the tradition of grand opera at Stockholm from early 19th century and onwards.

Since the establishing of the gustavian opera in 1773 operas by C. W. Gluck had been part of the repertoire. Armide and Iphigénie en Aulide were among the works by Gluck that was played continuously from the 1770s to the 1840s. In the 1820s the opera director Gustaf Lagerbjelke introduced operas by Spontini, like La Vestale andFerdinand Cortez. Lagerbjelke was interested in new ideas about acting, which stressed the role characters feelings and individual acting on stage. The audience valued this new acting style and these operas became important in the development of romantic opera in Stockholm.

In addition to the interest of the audience it is also important to look at the financial and organisational situation at the Opera, as important conditions for the activities as a whole. The question of financing will be discussed as well as the organisation, for understanding how traditions were communicated between directors, singers and musicians. By linking the interest in the 1850s to the previous interest in operas by for example Gluck and Spontini the intention is to describe the performance history of grand opera during several decades.