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Norwegian composer, violinist, and conductor renowned for orchestral works and theatrical music.Halvorsen served as concertmaster of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (1885–1888), conductor at Aberdeen's His Majesty's Theatre (1889–1892), and principal conductor at Oslo's National Theatre (1899–1929). He composed three symphonies, concertos, and incidental music for over 30 plays, with his Handel arrangement achieving global recognition.

• Halvorsen married Grieg's niece, singer Marie Grieg, forging a close artistic bond with Edvard Grieg that influenced his Norwegian nationalist style.
• His virtuosic violin skills earned international acclaim, including praise from Joseph Joachim after a Leipzig Conservatory performance.
• Financial struggles plagued his later years despite artistic success, forcing him to sell manuscripts to survive.
• The iconic 'Passacaglia in G minor' for violin and viola (1894), based on Handel's Harpsichord Suite No. 7, was composed for a duo performance with cellist Johannes Grøndahl.
• He died in Oslo at 71 from complications of arteriosclerosis, buried near Edvard Grieg at the Church of Our Savior cemetery.