Dirigenten velger tonearten så vel som repertoaret.

Because dirigenten is the definite singular form of dirigent (conductor).

In Norwegian, nouns often add an ending to show the:

• en dirigent = a conductor
• dirigenten = the conductor

So the sentence is talking about a specific conductor, not just any conductor.

Velger is the present tense of the verb å velge (to choose).

Examples:

• å velge = to choose
• velger = chooses / is choosing
• valgte = chose
• har valgt = has chosen

So Dirigenten velger ... means The conductor chooses ...

Also, Norwegian verbs do not change according to person the way English does. So:

• jeg velger
• du velger
• han velger

The verb stays the same.

Så vel som means as well as.

So:

• Dirigenten velger tonearten så vel som repertoaret. means:
• The conductor chooses the key as well as the repertoire.

It links two things together and says that both are included.

A very close English equivalent is:

• both the key and the repertoire
• the key as well as the repertoire

It is slightly more formal or literary than simple og (and).

Yes, in many situations you could say:

• Dirigenten velger tonearten og repertoaret.

That would also mean The conductor chooses the key and the repertoire.

The difference is mostly in tone:

• og = plain, neutral, everyday
• så vel som = a bit more formal, more emphatic, closer to as well as

So the original sentence slightly highlights that the conductor chooses both, not just one of them.

They are definite because the sentence refers to the key and the repertoire, not just a key and a repertoire.

Forms:

• en toneart = a key

• tonearten = the key

• et repertoar = a repertoire
• repertoaret = the repertoire

Notice that the endings are different:

• -en for many masculine/feminine nouns
• -et for neuter nouns

So:

• dirigenten = the conductor
• tonearten = the key
• repertoaret = the repertoire

Yes, it is one word. Norwegian uses compound nouns very often.

Tonearten comes from:

• tone = tone
• art = kind/type
• together: toneart = musical key
• definite form: tonearten = the musical key

This is very common in Norwegian. English often uses separate words where Norwegian prefers one compound word.

Because Norwegian usually puts definiteness on the noun itself.

In English:

• the conductor
• the key
• the repertoire

In Norwegian, that is usually expressed by the noun ending:

• dirigenten
• tonearten
• repertoaret

So the idea of the is built into the word.

There is also something called double definiteness in Norwegian, where you can have both a determiner and a definite ending:

• den store tonearten = the big key

But in your sentence, there is no adjective, so only the noun ending is needed.

No, this is normal Norwegian main-clause word order:

• Dirigenten = subject
• velger = verb
• tonearten så vel som repertoaret = object phrase

Norwegian main clauses usually follow the V2 rule, meaning the finite verb comes in the second position. Here the subject comes first, so the verb naturally comes right after it:

• Dirigenten velger ...

That is the most straightforward word order.

Not really in this sentence, and in Norwegian this is usually not something you need to worry much about.

The real subject here is just:

• Dirigenten = the conductor

The phrase:

• tonearten så vel som repertoaret is the object, not the subject.

So the verb simply agrees with the subject in the normal way — and since Norwegian verbs do not change for person/number in the present tense, there is no visible issue anyway.

They are:

• en dirigent → common gender
• en toneart → common gender
• et repertoar → neuter

That is why the definite endings are:

• dirigenten
• tonearten
• repertoaret

A useful pattern is:

• en ... → often definite -en
• et ... → often definite -et

Yes, it is grammatical and natural, especially in a somewhat formal or written style.

If you wanted a more everyday version, you might be more likely to hear:

• Dirigenten velger tonearten og repertoaret.

But the original sentence is perfectly good Norwegian. It simply has a slightly more polished or formal feel because of så vel som.