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Aalborg Operafestival
14. aug. - 19. aug.
Aalborg
Aalborg Operafestival takes place every year in August. Like the Carnival in Aalborg, which is the largest in Northern Europe, the opera festival is one of the great events that characterise the cultural city of Aalborg.
Welcome to Aalborg Operafestival
This year we once again look forward to four days of Opera all over Aalborg and the surrounding area, when the festival gets under way from Thursday 11 August to Sunday 14 August 2022.
In the true spirit of the festival, this year too we are trying out exciting new ideas - without losing focus on singable melodies, good sound and a high musical standard.
A warm thank-you to the town's enthusiastic citizens and cultural institutions, who together with Aalborg Kommune, foundation partners and you, dear audience, form the foundation of the whole festival.
Solid roots and new paths
Opera as a genre was born more than 500 years ago, but is still going strong. The great classics move millions of people around the world, both through performances in the great opera houses, as film music in Hollywood productions and with the emergence of new experiments from opera's underground scene.
The first opera festival
The first opera festival in 2001 took place only in Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center, but the following year a collaboration was established with Aalborg Kommune, and the town's other cultural institutions began to take part. The diverse opera festival, with concerts and performances in many different places around the town, took shape.
Under the broad concept the festival was held for the first time from 25 February to 9 March 2002, and from the very start it was a great success with audiences and the media. New collaborations between businesses, churches, sport, educational institutions, libraries and the tourist trade were tried out. 2002 showed that opera, quality and breadth can go hand in hand, and the town has supported this ever since.
It was interesting that all the participating players, be they singers, students, association members, librarians, congregations and so on, expressed a wish to take part again.
From the professional opera world Aalborg received a pat on the back for the initiative, as all the Danish opera directors and the most important Danish opera journalists became members of the jury for the Aalborg Operapris. The prize was founded in 2002 and consists of a grant from Det Obelske Familiefond of 25.000 kr., an opera vase by the glass artist Anne Flohr, and an engagement with Aalborg Symfoniorkester.
Opera festival under municipal management
In 2004 the school and culture administration of Aalborg Kommune took over the overall management and the secretariat of Aalborg Operafestival. This was done out of a wish to coordinate a larger and broader range of players. Over the years there has been a continual turnover and a constant development in the festival's collaborative relationships, but in general quality and commitment have been rising. In North Jutland Aalborg Operafestival is now known to most cultural players, and nationally the festival continues to enjoy great support from the industry. On 1 January 2014 Aalborg Operafestival moved into Musikkens Hus, which opened a few months later. Also housed there are Aalborg Symfoniorkester and parts of Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium and Aalborg Universitets Musikstudium.
Finances
Aalborg Operafestival has an operating grant of 650.000 kr. a year from Aalborg Kommune, and is a project budget within the commercial foundation Musikkens Hus. In addition there is support from foundations, most often in the form of contributions to the production of selected performances and concerts. A number of local and regional organisers also contribute their own events to the overall programme. This strengthens the overall finances so that the artistic and popular ambitions can be realised.
Upcoming concerts
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Past concerts
- 19. Aug 2023Aalborg Operafestivals afslutningskoncert - Lise DavidsenMusikkens Hus - Koncertsalen, Aalborg
- 19. Aug 2023Orgel & OperaBudolfi Kirke, Aalborg
- 19. Aug 2023OperaeksperterTrekanten, Aalborg Øst, Aalborg
- 18. Aug 2023Denis & KatyaMusikkens Hus, Intimsalen, Aalborg
- 18. Aug 2023Prisafsløringer i Aalborg Klosters klangfulde indergårdAalborg Kloster, Aalborg
- 18. Aug 2023Denis & KatyaMusikkens Hus, Intimsalen, Aalborg
- 16. Aug 2023OperaeksperterTrekanten, Aalborg Øst, Aalborg
- 15. Aug 2023OperaeksperterCreate Aalborg University, Aalborg
- 14. Aug 2023OperaeksperterCreate Aalborg University, Aalborg
- 13. Aug 2023Opera & BoblerSkalborg Kirke , Aalborg
The 10 most recent of 12 past concerts. Use the date filter to see more.
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