Bergen International Festival

21/10/2024

Dear followers,

This page is infrequently in use. Come on over to our main page Festspillene i Bergen for the latest news and updates about the festival in Norwegian and English. 💫

21/10/2024

Conductor Grete Pedersen is named Festival musician at the 2025 Bergen International Festival. ⭐

‘Grete Pedersen is an artistic force who has shaped the musical scene both here in Norway and internationally for several decades. She is an original musical thinker, both fearless and sensitive. Utterly honest and direct, yet humble and searching,’ says Lars Petter Hagen, artistic director and chief executive of the Bergen International Festival.

At the Festival, she will present a concert programme that combines Bach's motets with contemporary music, along with a collaboration with the Norwegian singer-songwriter Emilie Nicolas, where the Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Nicolas dive into each other's musical worlds.

🌐 Read more here: https://www.fib.no/en/news/2025/an-original-musical-thinker

21/10/2024

📣 The first major programme announcement for the 2025 Bergen International Festival!

William Kentridge is Artist-in-Residence and will bring two performances to Grieghallen. 🤩

'He is one of the leading artists of our time, and has never been showcased on such a large scale in Norway before. We are very proud that he is excited to come here,' says Festival Director Lars Petter Hagen to Bergens Tidende.

Han bor i Johannesburg, og er sønn av forsvareren til Nelson Mandela og Desmond Tutu.

09/12/2023

The world is celebrating Jon Fosse this week. The Nobel prize laureate in literature is well-known as an author and playwright – but did you know that the record Åresong consists of Fosse poems set to music?

This is one of the about 20 Fosse projects at presented at the Bergen International Festival since 1995. From the six Cuban actors performing Fosse in an small apartment, to readings and world premieres and an event Fosse opened himself by standing silently onstage – we’re grateful for being a part of this incredible journey which will have another highlight in Stockholm on Sunday 10 December.

Our most heartfelt congratulations, and thank you!

Picture: Jon Fosse with Gabriel Fliflet, who wrote the album Åresong in 2010. Photo: Magnus Skrede

05/12/2023

Today we're launching three new events and an extra performance of Peer Gynt!✨

With FiB Fordel membership, you can buy tickets for the new events right away. Regular onsale begins Wednesday 6 December at 10:00.

21/11/2023

Tickets to all launched events are now available. You can book your tickets for 2024 artist in residence Ragnhild Hemsing’s events, and a number of concerts at Grieghallen, Håkonshallen, Den Nationale Scene and Kode’s Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen.

14/11/2023

For Ragnhild Hemsing, the violin and Hardanger fiddle are equally important. Shes is the next Artist in residence at the Bergen International Festival.

‘Since the beginning, the Bergen International Festival has been a place where folk culture meets classical music. We are delighted to be able to present an Artist in residence who has one foot in each of these traditions and who moves seamlessly between them, says Festival director Lars Petter Hagen.

Read more: https://fib.no/en/articles/with-ole-bulls-hardanger-fiddle-to-bergen/
📷: Kaupo Kikkas

25/10/2023

The 2024 Bergen International Festival composer in residence is Øyvind Torvund.

Torvund's music will be presented through four different events. There will be a children's performance, new chamber music with the American JACK Quartet and Yarn/Wire, plans for new musicals performed by BIT20 Ensemble and new orchestral music in Grieghallen where members of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra will be placed in various spots around the large concert hall.

The 2024 Bergen International Festival composer in residence is known for his great plans and musical range. This spring he presents new music for both symphony and musicals. 

05/10/2023

Finally! Jon Fosse wins the Nobel Literature Prize! 💥

‘What a day for Norway and for Strandebarm. Congratulations to Jon Fosse from all of us the Bergen International Festival, this is long-awaited and well deserved, says Festival director Lars Petter Hagen.

This spring saw the world premiere of Jon Fosse’s play I svarte skogen inne (Inside the black forest), written for Det Vestnorske Teateret and Det Norske Teatret, in collaboration with the Bergen International Festival. Previous festival productions of Fosse’s plays include premiers of Andvake (Wakefulness) in 2017, Hav (Ocean) in 2014, Skuggar (Shadows) in 2006 and Draum om hausten (Dream of Autumn) 2005.

The Swedish Academy rewards his "innovative plays and prose which gives voice to the unsayable".

28/09/2023

The 2024 Bergen International Festival opens with a performance that highlights both the writing and the music of the Norwegian icon Peer Gynt.

Peer is played by Herbert Nordrum, and the direction is by Johannes Holmen Dahl. The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is led by Thomas Søndergård, and on stage you will also meet Ragnhild Hemsing, who will have an expanded musical role.

Peer Gynt is a co-production with Nationaltheatret, and after the festival premiere in Grieghallen, the performance will continue at Nationaltheatret and the Den Norske Opera & Ballett.

The 2024 Bergen International Festival opens with a performance that highlights both the writing and the music in the way Ibsen and Grieg always wanted for the Norwegian icon Peer Gynt.