This is the

Bergen International Festival

Scandinavia's largest festival for music and performing arts

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80,000 visits every year, and hundreds of unforgettable experiences creating

lifelong memories

15 spring days in May and June

filled with music, opera, theatre, dance, debate and family events.

In the UNESCO city of Bergen, with historic venues such as

Edvard Grieg's own home

and the 750-year-old royal hall Håkonshallen.

World-renowned stars and bold newcomers, grand stages and intimate performances, the classical, the cutting-edge

and everything that happens where they meet

Welcome to the 73rd Festival!

Explore this year's programme

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Have you listened to these?

Eivør. Foto: Sigga Ella

Eivør

A voice that enchants.

The Joy

Vocal harmonies in Zulu.

The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir & Emilie Nicolas

The Soloists' Choir share the stage with Emilie Nicolas.

Tuvas blodklubb. Foto: Synne Sofi Bårdsdatter Bønes

Tuvas blodklubb

The village party is back.

New, Norwegian opera

Terminus

Premiere of Norwegian opera by Therese Ulvo and Marit Eikemo.

For the entire family

Elements of Freestyle

Urban sports in an adrenaline-fuelled performance.

Pinocchio. Illustrasjon: Stian Hole

Pinocchio

A magical tale about discovering oneself.

The Creature

A wordless performance for little explorers.

Welcome to the Festival square

Experience events and activities free and open to all at the Festival square, from 22 May to 1 June 2025.

Family day at Siljustøl

A fairy tale among the trees.

Do you remember these?

Radiofantomene

It’s ringing, it’s ringing! Who could it be?

B. Dybwad Brochmanns forsvarstale

A politician in the defendant’s chair.

Kirsten Flagstad with Edvard Grieg Vokalensemble & Valen vokalensemble

Norway's most celebrated soprano of all time was a soloist at the first Bergen International Festival in 1953. Now she’s back.

Dance and performing arts

Asylet ved verdens ende.

Asylet ved verdens ende

World premiere of a life on the brink.

Collage: Luke Drozd

CANCEL BERTHA

Carte Blanche rearranged.

My Body My Home. Foto: Arne Hauge

My Body My Home

Collective power in motion.

Grand voices

Jasmin White foto Shirley Suarez

Jasmin White

Charismatic contralto.

Joyce DiDonato. Foto: Sergi Jasanada

Joyce DiDonato

A voice of pure gold.

Adrian Angelico. Foto: Patricia Varela

Adrian Angelico

Songs to what we cannot see.

Det Norske Solistkor & Grete Pedersen. Foto: Bård Gundersen

The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir with Grete Pedersen

A musical conversation on consolation.

Nordic artists

MAKTA Komponistlag. Foto: Morgan Nicolaysen

Makta

Music for an imaginary season of the hit series.

Mozart's Requiem

Legendary farewell work performed by Norway's boys' choirs.

Avant Folk. Foto: Knut Utler

Frode Haltli Avant Folk

Folk ensemble on an American adventure.

Inga Våga Gaustad. Foto: Ragnar Våga Pedersen

Inga Våga Gaustad

Festival debut with new and forgotten voices.

POING. Foto: Anna Julia Granberg / BLUNDERBUSS

POING

Musical utopias.

Camilla Tilling & Håvard Gimse. Foto: Carin Ekblom/Ilja Hendel

Camilla Tilling & Håvard Gimse

Nordic songs from heart and nature.

Inga Margrete Aas. Foto: Dawid Laskowski

Inga Margrete Aas

Portrait of a composer and double bass-player.

Herborg Kråkevik. Foto: Agnete Brun

Kråkeviks songbok 25 years

Jubilee for a beloved favourite.

Spectacular opening and closing

The Great Yes, The Great No

Fateful music theatre from one of our time's greatest artists.

Opening ceremony

Symphonic opening of the 73rd Festival.

Shani Diluka. Foto: Sandrine Expilly

Closing concert

Performing Grieg’s Piano Concert in A minor is soloist Shani Diluka.

Classical and international

Joyce DiDonato. Foto: Salva López

Joyce DiDonato

The feminine in classical music.

Oh To Believe in Another World

A film by William Kentridge for Shostakovich's 10th Symphony.

Shani Diluka. Foto: Sandrine Expilly

Shani Diluka

Living room concert with Grieg and Beethoven.

Closing concert

A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Grieg’s Piano Concert in A minor.

Francesco Piemontesi. Foto: Camille Blake

Francesco Piemontesi

Mozart, Schubert, and Liszt at his fingertips.

Sara Ferrández. foto: Clara Evens

Sara Ferrández

Jewels for viola.

James Ehnes og Orion Weiss.

James Ehnes & Orion Weiss

Grieg's violin sonatas.

Hayato Sumino. Foto: Ryuya Amao

Hayato Sumino

Classic YouTube phenomenon.

Go to event overview

About the Festival

  • The Festival is under the patronage of His Majesty King Harald V.

  • Presents music, opera, theatre, dance, debates and family events during 15 days in May/June every year. 

  • The first Bergen International Festival was held in 1953.  

  • Lars Petter Hagen has been the Festival director since 2022.  

  • The Bergen International Festival had an attendance of 80,000 in 2024.

  • This year's Festival musician is Grete Pedersen

  • This year's Artist in residence is William Kentridge

Welcome to the Festival square

Experience events and activities free and open to all at the Festival square, from 22 May to 1 June 2025.

Dates:

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