Snapshots from the Festival

The Festival photographers have gathered hundreds of memorable moments outdoors and in the concert halls. Catch glimpses from grand and intimate concerts and events during this year's Festival.

The Bergen International Festival 2025 opened with Kentridge’s latest production, The Great Yes, The Great No, and also featured Oh To Believe in Another World on the programme, in which the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra performed Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony accompanied by an animated film Kentridge created for the piece. Audiences also had the opportunity to meet Kentridge in conversation at Spissen in the Grieghallen.

Grete Pedersen is one of Norway's most renowned conductors and a leading figure in international choral music. She will bring two projects to the 2025 Bergen International Festival, performing with the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, which she has been the artistic director of since 1990. They were featured in concert in Griegsalen with Emilie Nicolas, and another in Korskirken with music by Bach, Lachenmann, Mahler and Thorsen. Additionally, there was a concert at the Festival square with folk tunes and a book launch of Stemmekunst – Det Norske Solistkor i 75 år.

From Thursday 22 May the town square was filled with a playground, music and activities, and opened with a jubilee concert for Kråkeviks songbok 25 years.

Bergen International Festival thanks the Grieg Foundation, which makes the Festival square possible and ensures a programme that is free and open to all.

In the Bergen International Festival’s 73 year history, Grieg's music has been a central feature of the programme, with his Concerto in A minor has been the Festival’s signature piece. A number of Festival concerts took place in Troldsalen and in Grieg’s own villa at Troldhaugen.

Griegsalen in Grieghallen is the Festival's main stage and hosts the opening performance each year. At the venue there were also concerts and performing arts in the Peer Gynt-hallen and Klokkeklang, as well as a range of concerts and events in Spissen.

A heartfelt thank you to the thousands of audience members who attended this year’s Festival and help make the Bergen International Festival Scandinavia’s largest festival for music and performing arts.

The family programme at this year’s Festival included world premieres of the Norwegian productions Vesenet and Pinocchio, and there was a fantastic atmosphere during the family show Elements of Freestyle in Grieghallen.

Håkonshallen is both a national cultural heritage site and a concert venue at the Bergen International Festival. The Festival programme in 2025 featured grand voices, Icelandic art metal, master meetings and classical musicians of international standing. Thanks to Sparebankstiftelsen DNB for their generous support of the Bergen International Festival’s concerts in historical buildings.

During the 2025 Festival there have been concerts featuring young artists, music by young composers, and a range of masterclasses and mentorship programmes across various genres. Festival Academy of Bergen (FAB) is supported by The Savings Bank Foundation DNB and Talent Norge.