DEC 8

Tanzania

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Most people know the Royal Danish Theatre as the place where world-class performing arts meet royal tradition – overlooking the harbour and Kongens Nytorv. The theatre was founded in 1748 under King Frederik V and has since been a cornerstone of Danish cultural life.

From classical ballet and opera to modern drama, generations of artists and audiences have shared experiences under the chandeliers of the Old Stage. Here, you feel the sweep of history in the red velvet seats and gilded ceilings – but also the renewal that keeps the theatre alive. The Royal Theatre is not just a house of art – it is a stage where Denmark has told and shaped its own story.

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Here is a true theatre anecdote from the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, where everything that could go wrong – did go wrong. It’s a story still retold backstage with both laughter and shudders.

Today’s Anecdote

The Carmen Chaos – the unofficial disaster performance

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It was an evening in the mid-1980s, and the Royal Theatre was staging Georges Bizet’s beloved opera Carmen. Every seat was sold out. The royal family was in attendance. Expectations were sky-high. But from the very beginning, things began to… unravel.

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1. The conductor was delayed

The conductor was stuck in traffic on his way from the airport. The performance was delayed by 20 minutes – which in the theatre world feels like two hours. The audience began to grumble, and the ticket staff scrambled to hand out extra programs and nervous smiles.

2. The chorus entered on the wrong cue

When the performance finally began, the orchestra was ready – but the chorus came in four bars too early. This set off a musical domino effect, with sopranos singing their lines over the baritones. The audience assumed it was some avant-garde “deconstruction of classical form” – until someone in the hall shouted:

"Is this Carmen or musical chairs?"

3. Carmen lost her wig

In Act II, during the great seduction scene, Carmen (sung by a young, talented mezzo-soprano) made a dramatic head movement – but her wig flew off, soaring through the air and landing directly in the orchestra pit. A violinist calmly lifted it up with his bow, poker-faced.

Carmen didn’t hesitate – she turned to the audience and said, half in character, half in panic:

"Even the wildest woman loses her head for Don José…".

The audience burst into laughter and applause. The orchestra kept playing. The magic of theatre was in tatters – but somehow still intact.

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4. Stage machinery went haywire

In Act IV, during Carmen’s fateful final scene, the stage change failed. Instead of the dramatic arena backdrop, the curtain revealed a backstage storeroom with three stagehands, a coffee machine, and a trash bin.

One technician, not realizing the curtain had been raised, walked straight across the stage with a vacuum cleaner. The audience still thought it was part of the production.

5. The finale – with a fall

At last, when Don José stabs Carmen in the tragic climax, she was supposed to collapse dramatically to the floor. Unfortunately, a stagehand had forgotten to remove a hidden microphone stand. Carmen fell straight onto it, yelling – in the least operatic way possible:

"OW, FOR HELL’S SAKE!"

And then… blackout. The curtain came down.

The performance was never officially reviewed – several critics were simply too tired of writing “failure” in new variations. But within the Royal Theatre it is still remembered as “The Carmen You’ll Never Forget.”

An old prompter put it best: "It was chaos. It was embarrassing. It was… real theatre. And people loved it!"

So next time you see a performance where something goes a little wrong – remember: at the Royal Theatre, there’s a tradition that when the worst happens, it happens with style.

MORE ABOUT THE COFFEE

Tanzania

Origin

Twiga Mbili

coffee roast

Taste Notes

blackberry, citrus, raspberry,

camomile, toffee

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Mbili Twiga (“two giraffes”) unites coffees from Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, where fertile volcanic soils and high elevations give rise to distinctive character. Rooted in tradition, the blend brings together two iconic varieties, Bourbon—introduced by French missionaries—and Kent, originally from India..
In the cup, expect a bright, lively profile with citrus sparkle, ripe fruit sweetness, and a deep, structured body—a true reflection of Tanzania’s heritage and terroir.

Altitude: 1400 - 1800 m.a.s.l

Varieties: Bourbon (N39), Kent

Process: Washed

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Did you know that you can order same coffee as beans?

SHOP TANZANIA BEANS

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