Opening Ceremony
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Free
The festival is turning 70, and you are invited to the opening party! You can also watch the ceremony online.
Welcome to the 70th Bergen International Festival! The festival starts right in the heart of the city, at Torgallmenningen, and you can also click here to watch the ceremony online.
The opening ceremony is an annual celebration in which several thousand people gather to mark the beginning of the festival. The programme contains artistic elements, speeches and the traditional sing-along of Bergen's anthem, Nystemten, and the Norwegian national anthem, Ja, vi elsker.
This year's presenter is none other than pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. Joining him on stage are the artist-in-residence Kronos Quartet, conductor Edward Gardner, Bergen Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Edvard Grieg Youth Choir, dancers from På tå hev and the Norwegian National Ballet, and cellist Amalie Stalheim. Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway will be in attendance and Norway's prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Bergen's mayor Rune Bakervik will speak.
Read the full programme here (pdf).
The opening ceremony is free and for everyone. Welcome to the festival's big birthday party, and the beginning of 15 days of festivities, foundations and friction!
Photo: Thor Brødreskift
Information
Watch the Opening ceremony here.A limited number of seats are available. We recommend that you arrive early. The area opens at 11:45.
We ask that everyone be considerate. Leave large bags at home, and use rain clothes instead of an umbrella.
Venue
Duration
1 h
Tickets
Free
Contributors
- Leif Ove Andsnes host
- Edward Gardner conductor
- Bergen Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
- Andreas Block Laberg concertmaster
- Edvard Grieg Youth Choir
- Kronos Quartet
- David Harrington violin
- John Sherba violin
- Hank Dutt viola
- Sunny Yang cello
- På tå hev with Guro Arnetvedt Tvedt, Marie Gudmundsen Loodtz dance
- Balder Brudeseth Holmedal piano
- Amalie Stalheim cello
- Marcelina Dabek harp
- Melissa Hough soloist, The Norwegian National Ballet
- Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
- Mayor Rune Bakervik
Music by
- Copland
- Sæverud
- Gordon
- Mortensen
- Nordraak
- Brun
- Chopin
- Saint-Saëns
- Silvestrov
- Grieg
Supported by
Grieg Foundation, The Savings Bank Foundation DNB – Dextra Musica and The GC Rieber Foundations
