Det Ny Theater

Det Ny Teater

The theatre seen from Gammel Kongevej
Address	Gammel Kongevej 29 Copenhagen V Denmark
Capacity	1,000 (main) 300 (Sceneriet)
Current use	Theatre
Construction
Opened	1908
Closed	1990–1994
Years active	104
Architect	Lorenz Gudme
Website
http://www.detnyteater.dk/

Det Ny Teater is an established theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, first opened in 1908. It is based in a building which spans a passage between Vesterbrogade and Gammel Kongevej in Copenhagen's theatre district on the border between Vesterbro and Frederiksberg.

With more than 12,000 m² it is one of Denmark's largest theaters. It has two stages, the main auditorium which seats more than 1,000 and Sceneriet, a smaller theatre established in the cellar in 1994.

The site of the theatre, then a worn down apartment block, was in the spring of 1902 acquired by a development company, Bona, which had plans to build a large theatre and in the same time to open a passage between Gammel Kongevej and the new Vesterbro Passage, now part of Vesterbrogade, which was the backbone in a westward expansion of Copenhagen's city centre.Bona engaged Viggo Lindstrøm in the project as artistic consultant, he had been resident actor and director at Folketeatret but resigned after a fashionable controversy with its director, and in 1906 the company applied the Ministry of Justice for a license for the theatre's operation. The application was initially rejected by Peter Adler Alberti, the minister of Justice, supposedly due to a link with Folketeatret's director, but after personal intervention from King Frederik, the license was finally granted.

In March 1907, Bona commissioned the architect Lorenz Gudme to draw up a project. He had previously worked for Ove Petersen, who was responsible for both the Royal Theatre, in collaboration with Vilhelm Dahlerup, and the Dagmar Theatre. His proposal was accepted and the fundaments were laid on 14 August 1907. Shortly after construction start, a disagreement occurred between Bona and Gudme who was ultimately fired from the project which was instead completed by Ludvig Andersen. When the theatre was inaugurated on 19 September 1908 it was the second largest theatre in the country and the construction price had been approx. DKK 1,200,000 and DKK 600,000 for the site.