ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE

Haugtussa by Edvard Grieg and Arne Garborg

A summer concert featuring the timeless, moving, and beautiful work Haugtussa, seen through the lens of Arne Garborg's life and work in Jæren.

The programme includes Arne Garborg's Haugtussa set to music by Edvard Grieg Op.67. This cycle contains some of Grieg's most beautiful and well-known songs. Additionally, the previously unpublished Haugtussa songs will be performed, as well as some of his most famous works, such as Våren (Spring) and Ved Rondane.

Haugtussa was considered one of Arne Garborg's most important books, written with a tender look back at his childhood in Jæren. Edvard Grieg was both impressed and inspired by Haugtussa: “It is a truly brilliant book, where the music is already composed. You only need to write it down.” In 1895, Grieg began working on 20 of the 71 poems in Garborg's book, but ultimately only published eight of them in Op. 67, with a focus on nature mysticism and the theme of love. In connection with the Grieg Jubilee in 1993, six of these songs were released by Edition Peters as "songs from Haugtussa not included in Op.67."

About the performers:

Opera singer Marit Kristine Risnes studied singing at Agder Music Conservatory in Kristiansand for five years, and at the International Summer Academy Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, with an Austrian state scholarship. She completed her diploma studies in singing at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, Germany, earning a Master's degree as "Soloist for Concert and Opera."

She was subsequently accepted into the German agency ZBF, which launched her singing career in Germany at opera houses and theatres including Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, Vogtland Theater, Neustrelitzer Landestheater, Neuköllner Oper Berlin, and Komische Oper Berlin. She has also performed in recordings and concerts with Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, including at Gewandhaus Leipzig and the Berlin Philharmonie. In Norway, she has worked as a district musician, soloist with choirs and orchestras, opera concerts, chamber music performances, and church concerts from south to north. She has been involved in several projects organised by the Arts Council, Rogaland County, the Fund for Performing Artists, MUST Museum in Stavanger, and has appeared as a soloist on NRK2's Salmeboka minutt for minutt.

Pianist Mari-Anne Sagland was born and raised in Sandnes. She began her piano studies at Rogaland Music Conservatory under Milena Dratvova. She then continued her studies in both solo piano and chamber music under Prof. Alexander Warenberg at Utrecht Conservatory, Netherlands. She also studied New Music under Ton Hartsuiker, Vocal and Accompaniment studies under Tom Bollen, and chamber music under Ron Ephart. At home, she has participated in Masterclasses with Eva Knardahl, Geir Henning Braaten, Antonio Bibalo, Jens Harald Bratlie, and Eline Nygaard.

Sagland has received the Dutch State Scholarship, Austrian State Scholarship, the Fund for Performing Artists, the Government Study Grant, and travel grants from Sandnes Municipality. She has worked as a district musician across Norway and was employed at the University of Tromsø at the Music Conservatory for ten years, working as an accompanist and piano pedagogue. She has participated in numerous concerts throughout the country as a soloist and accompanist and has also performed in the Netherlands and Sweden. She is currently employed at Sandnes Culture School and Vågen Upper Secondary School as a piano pedagogue and accompanist.