Spring Music in Norway and Iceland
Oslo - Bergen - ReykjavikAfter the long cold winters Scandinavians look forward to the summer. And to welcome the arrival of the warmer, longer days are two wonderful events, the Bergen International Festival (Norway) and the Reykjavik Arts Festival (Iceland).
Begin in Oslo for a concert by the highly respected Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and a new work by Wayne McGregor’s Random Dance Company in the stunning new opera house on the waterfront.
Then enjoy a full week in Bergen during the Bergen International Festival, one of Europe’s longest-running and most loved music festivals. In venues such as the famous Grieg Hall, see the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the North German Radio (NDR) Symphony Orchestra performing a Tchaikovsky programme over two evenings, as well as Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk and French Baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants. And at every turn, marvel at the breathtaking scenery of fjords, mountains and sea literally on your doorstep.
Continue to Iceland for a thorough discovery of this extraordinary country of volcanoes, geysers, glaciers and lush countryside, plus the highlights of the Reykjavik Arts Festival. Iceland’s already rich classical music life has just been further enhanced with the opening of a new performing arts centre in May 2011, Harpa, the new home of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.
At a glance ...
• Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste with violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann
• visit the Oslo Opera House – a landmark – and see a dance performance by Wayne McGregor’s company
• 5 performances of the Bergen International Festival 2012 featuring Mahler Chamber Orchestra with pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, NDR Symphony Orchestra, Truls Mørk Trio and Les Arts Florissants
• 4 performances of the eclectic Reykjavik Arts Festival 2012 including an Iceland Symphony Orchestra concert (Beethoven’s symphonies 6 and 7)
• visit the homes of Norway’s most famous composers
• travel through Northern Europe’s most pristine nature and unique landscapes: mountains, fjords, volcanoes, waterfalls, geysers and glaciers, to name a few
Mahler Chamber Orchestra - Credit Deniz Saylan
NDR Radiophilharmonie
ITINERARY
Mon 21 May 2012 / Depart Australia
Suggested departure on Qantas / British Airways via Singapore to London Heathrow, connecting with a British Airways flight to Oslo.
Tue 22 May / Arrive Oslo
Late morning arrival in Oslo, the capital of Norway, situated at the head of Oslo Fjord and surrounded by forested ridges. This evening join Mairi Nicolson and fellow music lovers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)
Wed 23 May / Oslo
Morning orientation tour of the Viking capital. Pass by the Royal Palace, the City Hall, Oslo Cathedral and the Akershus Fortress, dating from 1299. Stop for a walk through the Vigeland Sculpture Park, and drive to Holmenkollen to see the famous ski jump and admire the breathtaking view over Oslo and its fjord. Return to the city centre for a guided tour of the Viking Ship Museum.
Afternoon at leisure to further explore Oslo. Why not visit the Nobel Peace Centre?
Tonight attend a Random Dance performance of FAR, at the Oslo Opera House. Wayne McGregor, also house choreographer of the London Royal Ballet, found his inspiration in Ray Porter’s book Flesh in the Age of Reason, a story about an 18th century journey of enlightenment in body and soul. Ten fantastic dancers challenge the distortions, sensuality and feeling of an age permeated by the search for knowledge; all this to insistent, newly composed music by Ben Frost. (BD)
Thu 24 May / Oslo
This morning visit the Munch Museum, containing Edvard Munch’s bequest to the city of Oslo – a vast collection of his own paintings, drawings and graphic works. Continue to the Oslo Opera House for a private guided tour. Opened in 2008 as the home of the Norwegian Opera and Ballet, the Oslo Opera House is one of the world’s most spectacular, with a magnificent location beside the harbour – and the first opera house in the world to let visitors walk on its roof!
Afternoon at leisure.
Evening concert by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste with violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann. (B)
Programme
Schubert/Webern: German Dances
Martinu: Violin Concerto No. 2
Beethoven: Symphony No. 2
Fri 25 May / Oslo – Bergen
Transfer to the airport for the one-hour flight to Bergen – the ‘Gateway to the Fjords of Norway’. Surrounded by seven hills and seven fjords, Bergen is a beautiful, charming city. Transfer to your hotel on arrival.
Afternoon at leisure, before attending the first of your Bergen International Festival performances, with a concert by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra performing ‘Beethoven – The Journey’ with Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. (B)
Programme
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15
Stravinsky: Apollon Musagète, ‘Ballet in 2 scenes for string orchestra’
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
Sat 26 May / Bergen
Morning tour of Bergen, including the old Hanseatic warehouses at Bryggen, Haakon’s Hall completed in 1262 and the Rosenkrantz Tower dating back to the 15th century. Pass the bustling market place with its famous fish market and the old, white wooden houses at Rosegrend and Skuteviken which show how people in Bergen lived some 250 years ago. Finish with a visit to the Hanseatic Museum, situated in one of the oldest and best preserved wooden buildings in Bergen and furnished in the style of the 1700s to give an intimate picture of the life of a Hanseatic merchant.
Following the tour, enjoy lunch at the restaurant atop Mount Floien which offers fantastic views of the city and the fjord and islands beyond.
Afternoon at leisure before this evening’s concert featuring the Truls Mørk Trio at Haakon’s Hall (programme to be advised). (BL)
Sun 27 May / Bergen
Today you will experience ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ – featuring spectacular train, ferry and coach journeys through a constantly changing landscape of fjords, rivers, lakes and farmland, all surrounded by mountains. Highlights include a cruise on the stunning Nærøyfjord and the famous Flåm Mountain Railway. (BL)
Mon 28 May / Bergen
This morning visit two sites associated with the rich musical heritage of Bergen, starting with the beautiful and extraordinary villa on the island of Lysøen – the ‘Island of Light’ – which was built in 1873 as a summer residence for the Norwegian violin virtuoso Ole Bull (1810-1880). Continue to Troldhaugen, the home of composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) and his wife Nina. Grieg lived here for 22 years and composed many of his best-known works in the little garden. See the cliff-hewn tomb where he was buried, the Troldsalen concert hall and the museum.
Return to Bergen for an afternoon at leisure.
In the course of two evenings, conductor Eivind Gullberg Jensen and his NDR Radiophilharmonie dive deep into Tchaikovsky’s works at the Grieg Hall. Tonight’s concert features Grammy-winner cellist Truls Mørk. (B)
Programme
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations in A major, Op. 33
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64
Tue 29 May / Bergen
This morning drive south of Bergen to Siljustøl, the home of composer Harald Sæverud and his wife Marie, surrounded by beautiful parklands. His studio, grand piano and personal effects lie just as he left them at his death in 1992. Also visit Damsgaard Manor, one of the finest stately homes around Bergen, dating from the late 18th century.
Afternoon at leisure, before attending the second part of the NDR Radiophilharmonie’s Tchaikovsky programme at the Grieg Hall, with French violinist Renaud Capuçon. (BL)
Programme
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ‘Pathetique’
Wed 30 May / Bergen
Day at leisure to further explore Bergen on your own.
Evening concert at Den Nationale Scene featuring French Baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants. Paul Agnew’s monumental project is to perform a complete cycle of Monteverdi madrigals across Europe between 2011 and 2014, in about 100 concerts. (B)
Programme
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book III
Thu 31 May / Bergen – Reykjavik
After a leisurely breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Reykjavik via Trondheim.
Arrive Reykjavik mid-afternoon and transfer to your hotel for check-in and dinner.
During your stay in Reykjavik, you will attend 3 performances of the eclectic Reykjavik Arts Festival. Performances to be advised in early 2012. (BD)
Fri 01 June / Reykjavik
Discover the world’s northernmost capital with a morning orientation tour of Reykjavik. First settled in the late 9th century by the Viking Ingólfur Arnason, Reykjavik is today a modern but intimate city of 200,000 with a vibrant arts scene, striking contemporary architecture and stunning natural surroundings. See the 74.5-metre high Hallgrímskirkja Church and Hofdi House – built in 1909 and best known as the location for the 1986 summit meeting between presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev that effectively marked the end of the Cold War.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant on the harbour, before an afternoon at leisure. Explore Reykjavik’s multitude of craft and art galleries along with the special visual arts exhibitions which will form part of the 2012 Reykjavik Arts Festival.
Tonight attend the ‘Beethoven Cycle III’ concert featuring the Iceland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hannu Lintu at Harpa. (BL)
Programme
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Sat 02 June / Reykjavik
Journey out of Reykjavik for a full day tour known as the ‘Golden Circle’. Visit some of the most beautiful natural phenomena of Iceland, including the site of the ancient parliament at Thingvellir National Park, the impressive waterfall at Gullfoss and the original Geysir and nearby Strokkur, which hurls boiling water to heights of up to 20 metres once every 5 minutes. (BL)
Sun 03 June / Reykjavik
This morning visit the Blue Lagoon, where you can relax in the rejuvenating geothermal water, rich in minerals and believed to have healing properties. This unique spa is surrounded by a surreal environment of lava fields. Afternoon at leisure. (B)
Mon 04 June / Reykjavik
Today see more of Iceland’s unique landscapes on a South Shore Adventure tour. You will have an opportunity to stand behind a plummeting waterfall, walk along a beach of black sand, gaze at a natural rock formation and feel the amazing power of a glacier (depending on road conditions). (BL)
Tue 05 June / Depart Reykjavik
Group transfer to the airport for Icelandair flight to London Heathrow (included) to connect with Qantas flights back to Australia. Tour arrangements conclude on arrival in London. (B)
Wed 06 June / In flight
Thu 07 June / Arrive Australia
Early morning arrival in Australia.
