Copenhagen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – January 10, 2026 – Lone Bastholm, former ballet dancer, theatre director, Royal Theatre skuespilchef, and TV 2 culture editor, has died at the age of 91. Politiken reported her death on Friday, confirming she passed away after a distinguished career in Danish arts and media. The news prompted tributes across cultural institutions recognising her pioneering roles.
- Trailblazing Leadership at Royal Danish Theatre
- Post-Theatre Roles in Diplomacy and Broadcasting
- Academic Background and Early Performing Career
- Marriages and Personal Connections in the Arts
- Tributes Highlight Cultural Contributions
- Theatre Reforms and Public Successes
- Filmography and Directing Credits
- Legacy in Danish Performing Arts
- Professional Networks and Honours
Lone Bastholm graduated from Frederiksberg Gymnasium in 1953 before studying French at Sorbonne University in Paris. She pursued ballet training there and, upon returning to Denmark, performed with Pantomimeteatret in Tivoli Gardens and acted at Odense Teater. In 1978, she became the first female skuespilchef at Det Kongelige Teater, serving until 1986.
Trailblazing Leadership at Royal Danish Theatre
Bastholm led artistic programming at Det Kongelige Teater during a transformative period. She oversaw the rebuilding of Gamle Scene and established Gråbrødrescenen as an intimate venue. Productions included works by her then-husband, Swedish author Per Olov Enquist, from their 1980-1994 marriage.
She described those years as the most enjoyable and interesting of her life, though demanding. Financial pressures marked her tenure, yet audience successes emerged through innovative stagings. Bastholm faced criticism as a target for debates on the theatre’s perceived elitism and conservatism.
Post-Theatre Roles in Diplomacy and Broadcasting
In 1986, Bastholm served as press and culture advisor at the Danish embassy in Paris. She joined newly launched TV 2 in 1988 as fiktionschef before becoming culture editor from 1993 to 2000. During this time, she curated programmes on art and artists for national television.
Earlier radio work at Danmarks Radio included editing Dramatisk Forum and freelance dancing. She directed her first play, Om fem kvinder by Bjørg Vik, in 1976, followed by productions at Værkstedsteatret and Radioteatret.
Breaking news spread rapidly on social media following Politiken’s report. Lars Nunnegaard (@LarsNunne) in X post,
Lone Bastholm er død https://t.co/HXSUFYbiBH
Trist. Hvil i fred.— Lars Nunnegaard (@LarsNunne) January 10, 2026
Academic Background and Early Performing Career
Born 11 September 1934 in Julianehåb, Greenland (now Qaqortoq), Bastholm initially studied medicine at the University of Copenhagen before switching to French at the Sorbonne. She trained in classical ballet in Paris and earned acting credentials from Skuespillerskolen at Odense Teater in 1965.
Her philosophy exam in theatre history came from the University of Oslo in 1969, followed by exam.art. from Copenhagen in 1972. Early freelance dance work preceded Oslo Ny Teater assistant directing. She acted in films including Forelsket i København (1960), Tyl, sved og tårer (1999), and En bjørn (1963).
Marriages and Personal Connections in the Arts
Bastholm married architect Eigil Nansen from 1965 to 1969, then Per Olov Enquist from 1980 to 1994. Both unions intersected her professional theatre world. She was the daughter of physician Eyvind Børge Martin Marius Bastholm (1904-1989).
Knighted with Dannebrog, she appeared in Kraks Blå Bog and held roles across DR affiliations. Her Greenland birth linked her to Danish overseas cultural heritage.
Tributes Highlight Cultural Contributions
DR news confirmed the passing of the cultural personality and former skuespilchef. TvangsDR Nyheder (@TvangsDRNyheder) said in X post,
Kulturpersonlighed og tidligere skuespilchef er død – https://t.co/CByn7VhvPP
— TvangsDR Nyheder (@TvangsDRNyheder) January 10, 2026
Cultural institutions acknowledged her barrier-breaking achievements as Denmark’s first female Royal Theatre skuespilchef. TV 2 legacy includes commissioning fiction and arts coverage during the network’s infancy.
Theatre Reforms and Public Successes
Under Bastholm, Det Kongelige Teater expanded audience access through Gråbrødrescenen. Enquist plays gained prominence alongside economic balancing acts. Critics targeted her leadership amid subsidy debates.
Post-1986 Paris embassy role bridged Danish arts internationally. TV 2 culture editorship shaped early programming standards.
Filmography and Directing Credits
IMDb lists Bastholm in 3 features spanning 4 decades. Dansk Film Database details her multifaceted career from dancer to editor. Directorial works complemented acting and administrative roles.
Legacy in Danish Performing Arts
Bastholm’s path from Greenland native to Royal Theatre pioneer spanned continents and disciplines. Her 1970s-1980s leadership modernised state theatre infrastructure. Broadcasting roles preserved cultural documentation into the digital era.
Wikipedia notes her student roots at Frederiksberg Gymnasium and academic pivots. Embassy service enhanced Denmark’s soft power abroad.
Professional Networks and Honours
Affiliations spanned DR employees, theatre instructors, and editors. Two marriages connected literary and architectural circles. Her death at 91 closes a chapter on mid-20th century Danish cultural migration.
