Bergen International Festival

The Bergen International Festival (Festspillene i Bergen) presents art in all its guises: music, theatre, dance, opera and visual art.

The city is turned upside down when the Bergen International Festival starts in May. The 2021 festival will be a combination of events with audience at the venues, and a selection of streamed events.

The festival was established in 1953 and is the largest of its kind in the Nordic countries. It is the longest standing and the foremost music and theatre festival in Norway.

2021 Festival programme
The Bergen International Festival 2021 opens with the international co-production The American Moth. This is a multimedia performance wich combines dance, theater and live video. The cast includes dancers and actors, including famous Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann.

The rest of the programme will be launced as artists are confirmed. By launching performances and artists as they are confirmed, the Festival would like to draw attention to the work our wonderful artists do, while knowing that the final festival programme may look different because of the pandemic.

Information about the programme will be published at the festival’s website. The biggest events will also be added here at VisitBergen. The different events are divied between three categories: festivities, foundations and frictions.

Festivities
Entertainment and surprises. For young and old. Playful scenes in the streets and events at new and familiar venues broad appeal. Experiences for your head, heart and feet.

Foundations
The best of the best in the classical art tradition. Tradition and renewal, depth and reflection. Performances and concerts with a history.

Friction
Reckless and shrewd, experimenting and exploring. New technology and boundless artistic landscapes.