Lalla Carlsen

Lalla Carlsen was a Norwegian singer and actress, who is regarded as one of the most legendary female revue artists in Norway. She studied at the Oslo Conservatory of Music from 1909 to 1913, as a soprano singer. She made her professional debut in the musical comedy Høstmanøver in 1914. She performed at the cabaret Chat Noir from 1915 to 1947, and also appeared at the revue stages Casino and the Carl Johan Theater. Her breakthrough performance came with Per Kvist's song "Å blei d'a dei (din blei)?" from the 1925 revue Summetonen. Her film début was in the silent film Den glade enke i Trangvik from 1927, and she starred as the singer in the film Lalla vinner from 1932. Between 1928 and 1931 she recorded about forty songs and sketches. During the Second World War Carlsen performed at the Carl Johan Theater, and her husband Carsten Carlsen composed melodies for several of her songs. Her introduction of Finn Bø and Arild Feldborg's song Norge i rødt, hvitt og blått in 1945 was met with wild enthusiasm. After the war she played minor character roles in twenty films, between 1947 and 1965, such as in I slik en natt from 1958, and in the 1961 film Bussen by Arne Skouen. She performed for radio, television, at the revue theatres Edderkoppen and Chat Noir, and at traditional theatres. She acted in O'Neill's Skjønne ungdom at Rogaland Teater, played the character "Mrs. Peachum" in an adaptation of Brecht -Kurt Weill's musical The Threepenny Opera at Riksteatret, the character "Aase" in Ibsen's verse drama Peer Gynt, and played in O'Neill's drama Anna Christie. Lalla Carlsen was awarded the King's Medal of Merit in gold in 1949. She became an honorary member of the Norwegian Actors' Equity Association in 1958. She was honoured with a statue at her birthplace Svelvik in 1989, sculptured by Per Palle Storm. The street Lallakroken at Briskeby in Oslo, where she lived from 1930, is named in her honour.