Do you want to sing at the Festival opening?
The 72nd Bergen International Festival opens on Wednesday 22 May, at Torgallmenningen with a large choir.
'The idea is to gather all the people living in the city to sing together. We want to hear the voice of the people. Come and sing with the voice you have,' says chorus master Håkon Matti Skrede.
Everyone, regardless of vocal ability or singing experience, can join the choir. There will be a couple of joint rehearsals during the spring, and music rehearsals in the days leading up to the opening ceremony.
The programme includes well-known music by Edvard Grieg. The choir will perform Duke Ellington's versions of In the Hall of the Mountain King and Solveig's Song from Peer Gynt, which is this year's opening performance. In addition, they will sing excerpts from Mahler's Eighth Symphony, also known as Symphony of a Thousand. When the masterpiece concludes this year's festival at Grieghallen, a total of seven choirs will be on stage.
Do you want to join the choir under the opening ceremony? Sign up below.
The director for the opening ceremony is Erik Ulfsby, this year's host is Vidar Magnussen, and the orchestra of the day is the Bergen Big Band. In addition to the choir, there will also be speeches and other artistic performances – and of course, the Bergen song Utsigter fra Ulriken (Nystemten), performed by thousands in both the choir and the audience.
Yes, I'd like to sing in the choir at the opening
Please register your interest to participate in the choir by Friday 19 April. You will be contacted with more information.
