I must confess I was really struggling to come up with a good topic for today’s article. But then mum suggested I should write about camels… Well, not really, though. What she actually said was ‘camellias’, but just as in English, camels and camellias can sound really alike in Swedish when uttered quickly. While there are no camels in Gothenburg for me to write about (as far as I know, anyway), there are camellias, and so I shall devote this article to Tage Andersson’s touring camellia exhibition.

Although not a camellia, it is at least a flower (I did not have any photographs of camellias).

Years ago, when my brother and I were still little, mum took us to see Mr Andersen’s camellia exhibition when it came to Gothenburg. As I was too young at the time to have any recollection now of ever having seen the flowers, I feel oddly intrigued and curious to see his exhibition now that it returns to Gothenburg. When it was last here, in 2004, some 20 000 people went to see it. Obviously, I missed it at that time, but the number of visitors suggests that if you are at all interested in flowers and plants, the exhibition may be well worth a visit.

Although I know very little about camellias, I understand that some of them can grow quite tall. Indeed, several metres tall, if the information I have found is accurate. Amongst the more than one hundred camellias that Mr. Andersen has brought with him, some are between three to four metres tall! On Wikipedia, the camellia plant family – which consists of some 100-250 different species – includes evergreen shrubs as well as trees, which should account for the varying heights.

Mr Andersen’s camellias are on display at Trädgårdsföreningen between 6 March and 5 April. The music played in the background, in case you go and are wondering, should be Verdi’s opera La Traviata. Apparently there’s a connection between camellias and La Traviata, but Trädgårdsföreningen was not very specific on their website as to the exact nature of that connection.

So, for those of you who are eagerly awaiting the spring season and cannot wait any longer, there are flowers to be seen at Trädgårdsföreningen!

P.S.
Should you happen to see any camels in Gothenburg, please drop me a note so that I may write about that next week!

Information

• The exhibition is in Palmhuset, Trädgårdsföreningen (map).
• They are open daily between 11 AM and 6 PM.
• The entrance fee is 60 SEK.

/Nils, Misi.se team 2010

Of course, the opera house is the best place to experience opera in Gothenburg. But every once in a while, there is this golden chance to see opera on a smaller, more intimate scale. As luck would have it, one such moment is about to present itself on Sunday, when student musicians at the Academy of Music and Drama join forces with opera students for a chamber performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff.

The Opera House in Gothenburg.

Naturally, I would recommend a visit to the opera house at some point, because when it comes to grand stage productions in Gothenburg, nothing beats the opera house. A good seat close to the stage is, admittedly, expensive, but there are seats available in the hall for less than 100 SEK. Although it may be difficult to see clearly everything that happens on the stage from these seats, especially finer details such as facial expressions and similar, I have it on good authority that the sound should be excellent regardless of where in the opera house you are (as a subscriber, I usually sit very close to the stage).

One of the amazing things about opera, is the lack of amplification. Sure, opera houses are specifically designed for breathtaking acoustics, but there is no mechanical or electrical amplification involved. Indeed, I had proof of that one day as I was waiting outside the opera house for a friend of mine. One of the singers at the opera house was on his way to work, warming up his voice as he walked. I happened to hear him as he approached the opera house and originally I thought him quite close to me. When I turned round, though, I found that he was still quite a long distance away. His voice really carried extraordinarily well, even in the open air outside the opera house.

With all that said, though, it is a rare opportunity to see and listen to opera up close. I have a most vivid memory of the time when I heard Thomas Lind perform Nessun Dorma just two metres away from where I stood during a foyer concert at the opera house. That was a fantastic experience that I would love to experience again.

On Sunday, fifteen musicians and opera students will perform Falstaff in what promises to be a much more intimate performance than you could ever hope for at the opera house. We may not see the same level of grandeur as that of the opera house’s large-scale productions, but being much closer to the action, so to speak, should more than make up for that.

Information:

Falstaff is performed at Artisten (map) on the following dates and times:

• Sunday, 7 March, 3pm
• Monday, 8 March, 7pm
• Wednesday, 10 March, 7pm
• Friday, 12 March, 7pm
• Sunday, 14 March, 3pm

The ticket fee is 100SEK
Tickets may be bought via:

• The website – www.hsm.gu.se (Swedish)
• Email – write an email to biljett@hsm.gu.se with you name, telephone number, the name of the performance and the number of tickets you wish to buy.
• Artisten – I am fairly certain you can buy the tickets directly at Artisten. They should be open weekdays between 2-3pm.

About the opera:

• Falstaff was first performed in 1893, at La Scala in Milan.
• The opera was adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare’s plays The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry the IV.
• Falstaff is a comic opera.
• For more information and synopsis visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falstaff_(opera)

If you are interested in opera, you may also want to visit the opera house’s website at http://en.opera.se/

/Nils, Misi.se team 2010

Semla

From January to March each year the Swedes are going crazy about semlor. This fantastic pastry with a slight taste of cardamom, filled with almond paste and topped with cream even has it’s own day- Fettisdagen (Mardi gras or directly translated “fat Tuesday”). This year fettisdagen will take place Tuesday 16th of February and traditonally that was the only day you were supposed to eat semla. In the old days the Lent started the day after Fettisdagen and then went on for seven weeks until Easter. Nowadays we’re probably eating more semlor than back in the days and we don’t really care about the Lent anymore. From Christmas until Easter you can find semlor everywhere! Normally semlor from Brogyllen (V. Hamgatan 2) are nominated the best in Göteborg. My personal favourite semla is bought in Café con leche (Plantagegatan 15) and but if you’re looking for a quick bite you could even find them i 7eleven.

Take Fettisdagen as an opportunity to try a semla. If you’re adventurous enough you can even try the traditional way of eating them- in a bowl with hot milk.

Don’t miss the chance to make your own semla, together with the student buddies of HEG and FFS. Tonight in Café Sprängkullen, Sprängkullsgatan 25, from 18.00.

/ Misi.se team 2010

In my second year as a teacher trainee at the University of Halmstad, I was told that classical music can sometimes have a calming effect on overly energetic school classes. I am sure that is true, for it certainly has a calming effect on me on a stressful day. As I look ahead now, I find myself on the absolute edge of a frighteningly intensive week, and all I can think about is how many times I shall have to play Brahms’ first symphony in the coming days. That is why the topic of today’s article will be classical concerts in Gothenburg.

Centrally situated at the top of the grand parade street – the Avenue, that is – stands the majestic statue of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the sea. Surrounded on virtually all sides by a public library, a theatre, an art museum and a concert hall, the old Greek god appears in the centre of cultural life in Gothenburg. And it is to this very place I come in search of wisdom at the library, and a moment to catch my breath at the concert hall.

"The majestic statue of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the sea ... appears in the centre of cultural life in Gothenburg."

Catching your breath at the concert hall is actually quite cheap. The regular concert fee for students is a mere 80SEK, and breathing, of course, does not cost you anything at all. Being so close to the musicians and listening to the sounds of the instruments directly, uncontaminated by electric amplification or recording equipment, is quite special. Not to mention watching the conductor lead the orchestra with dramatic elegance.

Dramatic elegance, I dare say, is something to expect from conductor Mario Venzago as he conducts the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra through the opening bars of Brahms’ first symphony. Beginning in complete and utter despair, this emotionally packed symphony leads you through a journey ending in brilliant hope. Perhaps this is why I love the symphony so much (itunes claims that I have listened to it 50 times the last six months), the journey from despair at the, for instance, beginning of a stressful week to hope at the end of that same week. To bad I must wait until april 28th before I can listen to it at the concert hall.

To conclude this slightly philosophical article on the classical music in Gothenburg and its use in a stressful world, I want to point out that classical concerts are also given in many churches in and around Gothenburg. Performances of operas, ballets and musicals may of course be found at the opera house, and all sorts of performances may be found at Artisten where musicians, opera singers, actors and so on are trained. But this will probably be the topic of a later article, or series of articles. For now, all I can say is: If you are having a stressful time, why not head over to the concert hall and… but, of course, if your week looks anything like mine, this article is completely useless. Why, there is hardly enough time to turn on the stereo, much less walk down to the concert house for a live concert!

Information

• The concert hall at Götaplatsen (map) – website
• Brahms’ first symphony, as mentioned in the article, is performed on 28 and 29 April, 7:30PM in the main hall. The ticket fee for students is 80SEK.

/Nils, Misi.se team 2010

Spring promises to be a bright season for everyone interested in photography, as the master’s students at the School of Photography prepare to put their work on display in a series of exhibitions at Galleri Monitor. Although the first exhibition has already ended, six still remain, the last one closing on 25 April, months from now.

The street outside Galleri Monitor on the first day of a new photo exhibition, summer 2009.

It was in the early summer of 2009 I received word that I had been accepted to a summer course in digital photography at the School of Photography here in Gothenburg. That summer turned out to be the best in years. Together with other photo enthusiasts who, like myself, were lucky enough to be accepted to the highly popular summer course, we worked hard to realise our chosen projects in time for the exhibition at the end of the summer.

The work was, as I have mentioned, hard and the course would not have been the success it was if it had not been for the fantastic teachers who were always there for us, and whose enthusiasm for the photographic medium inspired us all to keep on working until we got the kind of results that we were happy and proud to put on display. These teachers were, with very few exceptions, full time students pursuing their master’s degrees at the School of Photography.

Now, and all the way through to 25 April, there is a chance to see their work on display at Galleri Monitor. Having met and been a student of theirs, I suppose I may be a bit biased, but I am really looking forward to seeing some of their work at long last. And to all out there with an interest in photography, I can happily recommend this series of exhibitions – it should be a blast!

Additional information

Exhibition schedule:

• Linda Hofvander 23 – 31 January
• Erik Berglin 6 – 14 February
• Kim Westerström 20 – 28 February
• Annan Lamberg 6 – 14 March
• Johannes Samuelsson 20 – 28
• March
David Molander 3 – 11 April
• Kerstin Hamilton 17 – 25 April

How to get there:

• Galleri Monitor (map). The closest tram/bus stop is Valand. Visit Västtrafik for information about public transportation services stopping at Valand.

Opening hours:

• Wednesday-Friday, 4.00pm-7.00pm.
• Saturday-Sunday, 12.00pm-5.00pm.

/Nils, Misi.se team 2010

It is cold, it is dark and it is winter. What is there to do? Well, why not seek shelter? And it just so happens that there is an old nuclear bomb shelter a mere 15 minutes by bus from the city centre. Completed in 1955, more than fifty years ago, the old rock shelter resides some 30 metres below ground and measures a massive 22,000 square metres. Originally intended to shelter Swedish air force airplanes in case of nuclear attack, the underground rock shelter remained a top secret military air force base during the cold war and was later converted into an aircraft museum in 1999.

What makes Aeroseum stand apart from other museums is in part the fact that it is housed in an old rock shelter. Exploring this once top secret air force base and imagining what it was like when it was newly built and still operational is indeed very exciting. Exhibitions about the cold war and the construction of the rock shelter further add to the feeling that you have journeyed back in time to a much harsher era, whilst at the same time maintaining a sense of distance. It is as if you are walking around in a place where time has stood still for the last 30-40 years.

Even the airplanes and helicopters on display, both civilian and military, are mostly older models, although not necessarily contemporary with the base itself. Some are obviously older, whereas some are just as clearly much younger than the base. Still, to a casual visitor like myself, this does little to change the feeling of being somewhere where time has stood still for a long, long time.

What further sets Aeroseum apart from many other museums is that you are actually allowed to touch several of the airplanes and helicopters on display. Indeed, they even allow you to enter the cockpit of some of the helicopters as well as the Swedish Viggen and Draken fighter jets. On the Viggen they even allow you to crawl through the engine compartment, should you feel inclined to do so. There is supposedly also an airplane simulator where you can try flying the civilian Commanche sports airplane and the military Viggen fighter jet for an extra fee, but this was closed when I was last there.

Although slightly on the expensive side (80SEK) for students on a budget, a visit to the Aeroseum is definitely recommended if you are interested in the history of flight, old rock shelters or are simply looking for a slightly out-of-the-ordinary museum experience.

Practical information:

• Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11AM-6PM. Closed on Mondays.
• Prices: Adults – 80SEK
• For further info and the latest updates, visit their calendar.
• The Aeroseum website.
• Find Aeroseum on Google maps.
• Bus line 35 can be boarded at Hjalmar Brantingsplatsen and will take you to Granhäll, the closest bus stop to Aeroseum. From there, there is a short walk to Aeroseum. As usual, visit Västtrafik for updated information about public transportation services in the area.

/Nils, Misi.se team 2010

The Swedish fika

I think Swedish is the only language in the world having the word “fika”. Fika is not just coffee with cake, it’s a Swedish phenomen. Fika is something the Swedish people always have time for, no matter what. A fika break is an important paus during the day in many work places and is as necessary when you are studing for an exam as when you are out shopping. During sunny spring days you can see the Swedish people filling every outdoor terrace, sipping their coffee and smiling towards the sun.

The word fika is a substantive as well as a verb and “fik” is another word for café- where you’re having your fika. But you can also take your fika at home, at work, in the forest or in a parc. The main purpose of fika might be different for different people- for some it’s the coffee, for others the company and for others again it’s about the ralaxation. I think that common for everyone is that fika is connected to something positive. The Swedish people are the biggest consumers of coffee in the world, but a fika doesn’t necessarily have to involve coffee. During a fika we prefer to have something small to eat as well like a kanelbulle, a sandwhich or a cookie.

In Gothenburg you can find cafés for a fika everywhere, especially in Haga, Linnégatan and Vasagatan.

/ Misi team 2009

Food and restaurants in Göteborg

Dining in Göteborg, that’s hard. Not because we don’t have any good restaurants, rather because there are too many to choose between! The fact is that Göteborg counts as one of the best food cities in Europe- here you can find whatever you like and it’s constantly popping up new exciting concepts. This is a part of what the food Göteborg has to offer:

• a rich After work culture- On Fridays you can get free food when you buy something to drink in almost every bar in Göteborg. But make sure not to bee too late- most of the places start to serve the AW around 17.00, and where you find the best food it’s getting crowded! A tips is Excet, which has a nice buffé and delicious cocktails!
• 5 gourmet restaurants with a star in Guide Michelin: 28+, Basement, Fond, Sjömagasinet and Kock & Vin.
• Linnégatan, filled with great restaurants and the place to be during the summer due to the street life and the nice terraces.
• Typical Swedish fish and shellfish restaurants like Sjömagasinet, Fiskekrogen and Sjöbaren.
• Greek, Spanish, American, Czech, Italian, Turkish, Palestinian, French, Libanese… Choose whatever kind of food you like and I’m sure we got it in Göteborg! Since I love meze my personal favourite is Silvis- a small, quite cheep, palestinian restaurant in Nordhemsgatan 18.
• Other culinary meeting points and tourist attractions in Göteborg are Feskekörka, Saluhallen and Fiskeauktionen. If you are looking for fine ingredients for you dinner, these are places you have to visit!
• To find the restaurant you are looking for, try restaurangguiden.

/ Misi team 2010