The Little Mermaid celebrates her 100th birthday on August 23, 2013
Copenhagen’s most famous tourist attraction, The Little Mermaid, celebrates her 100th birthday on August 23, 2013 and a grand party is planned at Langelinie.
According to Connie Westergaard of VisitCopenhagen, a daytime program for children is planned from 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Staff from Denmark’s aquarium, The Blue Planet, will tell stories about mermaids. Hans Christian Andersen will congratulate The Little Mermaid. Trolle & Tormod and DJ Skummetmælk will perform a mermaid concert for the kids. Carlsberg Brewery arrives with horse and carriage to raise the glass for The Little Mermaid. There will be an official speech to The Little Mermaid by Mayor of Culture and Leisure, Pia Allerslev, plus the Tivoli Gardens’ Boys Guard will play birthday songs. True to tradition, 100 mermaids will jump into the harbor to create the shape of the number 100 in honor of The Little Mermaid.
From 8 p.m. – 10 p.m., part of the Russian musical “The Little Mermaid” by Stage Entertainment will be presented, and there will be a dance performance by Selene Munoz, who interprets Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale. Fireworks will mark the end of the 100th birthday celebration.
According to VisitCopenhagen, The Little Mermaid will also be celebrated in other places in Copenhagen.
August 5 – September 1: Discover Copenhagen’s hidden mermaids in the cityscape.
August 5 – December 31: Exhibition of The Little Mermaid’s life, Address: Frederiksberggade 17, 1459 Copenhagen K
August 19 – September 19: Seaworthy Stories at The Blue Planet Aquarium, Address: Jacob Fortlingsvej 1, 2770 Kastrup
August 23: Visit Carlsberg Celebrates The Little Mermaid
Address: Gamle Carlsbergvej 11, 1799 København V
August 25: ECCO Walkathon, Meeting point: Kastellet 1, 2100 København
Story of the sculpture
Unveiled on August 23, 1913 The Little Mermaid was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen. The sculpture is made of bronze and granite and was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about a mermaid who gives up everything to be united with a young, handsome prince on land. Every morning and evening she swims to the surface from the bottom of the sea and, perched on her rock in the water, she stares longingly towards the shore hoping to catch a glimpse of her beloved prince.
Fell in love
Carl Jacobsen fell in love with the character after watching a ballet performance based on the fairy tale at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. The brewer was so captivated by both the fairy tale and the ballet that he commissioned the sculptor Edvard Eriksen to create a sculpture of the mermaid.
Inspired by a ballerina
The sculpture was inspired by ballerina Ellen Price, who in 1909 danced the lead role in the ballet The Little Mermaid at the Royal Theatre. However, Ellen Price would not model in the nude for sculptor Edvard Eriksen. Thus Eriksen’s wife, Eline Eriksen, posed for the sculpture of The Little Mermaid.
