The Palace Church’s Christmas concert has become a cherished tradition for many!

In the church’s unique 18th-century interior, the audience is invited to an intimate and atmospheric Christmas concert where time, tradition, and music blend together.

The programme centres on Christmas music from the 18th century, combining Norwegian folk tunes and Alpine folk music with works by the brothers Joseph and Michael Haydn, father and son Mozart, and J. S. Bach, as well as the original version of Franz Xaver Gruber’s Stille Nacht – Silent Night.

The renowned baroque ensemble Oslo Circles, led by Astrid Kirschner (baroque violin), performs on historical instruments alongside the outstanding vocalists Ditte Marie Bræin, Mari Askvik, Øystein Stensheim, and Olle Holmgren.

Under the direction of palace organist Lars Notto Birkeland, this popular programme brings us straight into the mystery of Christmas – the wonder at the greatness found in simplicity, and the story of a child born in the humblest of conditions, among animals in a stable.

The concerts in the Akershus Palace Church are presented by the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Corps in collaboration with Karpedammen Scene, with support from the Tom Wilhelmsen Foundation and the City of Oslo.