Festspillene i Bergen: Ritual with Yo-Yo Ma

A tribute to nature with Yo-Yo Ma and marvaða. "I am afraid we have forgotten that we are part of nature, and how endlessly connected we are to one another and to the planet." Those are the words of Yo-Yo Ma, the world-famous cellist and one of the greatest musicians of our time. At the Festival in 2027 he comes to Grieghallen with the concert performance Ritual, created in collaboration with the art collective marvaða, led by director Arnbjörg María Danielsen and composer Viktor Orri Árnason. On a revolving stage, Yo-Yo Ma is joined by young cellists from Festspillakademiet i Bergen. They are surrounded by musicians from BIT20 Ensemble, soloists and a large choir performing excerpts from the Old Norse poem of the gods Voluspå, in addition to the folk song Fagurt er í fjörðum and an introductory text by the Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason. Ritual was created in Iceland as an artistic response to the global climate challenges of our time, and for this edition Bjarni Frímann of BIT20 Ensemble conducts the meeting between Yo-Yo Ma and the Bergen performers. "Music, like all culture, helps us understand our surroundings, one another, and ourselves. Culture helps us imagine a better future." says Yo-Yo Ma.

• Yo-Yo Macello
• Dirigent: Bjarni Frímann
• Ensemble: BIT20 Ensemble
• Unge cellister fra Festspillakademiet i Bergen
• Kor: Bergen Private Gymnas kor
• Håkon Matti Skredekormester