Hippodrome Theater in Malmö, 1922-1950                                                                                     The construction company Hippodrome was formed in 1898 to build a premises where circus performances could be shown to the public. Theodor Wåhlin, architect, was hired and after studying for circus rooms around Europe, he designed the building which was ready for just 1½ years. The opening ceremony took place on November 1, 1899, and the Hippodrome should have been "the world's most modern circus and theater". Circus Tanti responded to the celebrated premiere performance and the last circus performance on the Hippodrome was given at the Valborg Masso Eve in 1922. That year Oscar Winge took over the premises and rebuilt them to a purely theater. During Oscar Winges' time 1922-1944, the Hippodrome had 225 premiers and the repertoire was mainly based on operas, revues and comedy games, but also dramatic theater. Among the famous actors who performed at the Hippodrome Theater are Edvard Persson, Jullan Kindahl and Nils Poppe. The Hippodrome also made Jan Malmö, Sonja Stjernquist and Gunwer Bergkvist's theater debut. In 1944 Oscar Winge was engaged as a lyric director at the newly formed Malmö city theater and the Hippodrome was taken over by his f.d. Wife Elsa Winge. On March 27, 1950, the final theater performance in the building - "The Lord from the Gate" was given with Nils Poppe in the lead. That same year, the entire theater facility was sold to Elim Assembly, which rebuilt the theater hall to church. The assembly sold the premises in 1989 to a construction company and when it went bankrupt in 1992, Malmö City bought the premises and started extensive renovations. In 1994, the Hippodrome was reopened as the theater and Malmö Dramatiske Teater (the current Malmö city theater) got her new main scene.