Programme launch for Glogerfestspillene 2026
Glogerfestspillene in Kongsberg is a classical music festival that takes place every year, in week 4. In historic surroundings, with Kongsberg kirke as the main venue, classical music is presented with ut. The festival places a strong emphasis on children and young people, with events at a number of different venues. In 2026 the festival takes place 21-25 January.
Programme with star artists
The festival programme in 2026 is varied and of a very high artistic standard. More than 135 artists will come to the town and over 300 local participants will be in action at a range of concerts and events with different profiles and concepts over five festival days in Kongsberg.
Among the festival performers in 2026 are Opus13 string quartet, Oslo domkor, NyNorsk messingkvintett, POING, Hekate, Luftforsvarets musikkorps, Beate Mordal, Dorina Komani, and Peter Szilvay. This year's festival organist is the Canadian organ star Isabelle Demers, and the conversation series Skjæringspunkter with Håkon Haugsbø at EnergiMølla continues.
The theme of the 2026 festival is “life course”.
- Glogerfestspillene 2026 is about life courses. About being born and dying, and about everything life contains or can contain. About seizing chances, about living life while it counts, about making the choices we need to make. It is the many meetings of life courses. And in the midst of it – art and music, write the artistic directors Isa Gericke and Frank Havrøy in the programme.
This year's closing concert will be grand, with the masterly Brahms's Requiem with Oslo domkor, Luftforsvarets musikkorps, Telemark kammerorkester and soloists. The festival continues its investment in festival pubs, lunchtime concerts and house concerts. New this year is, among other things, the concert “Ingenting forsvinner” - a tribute to Ole Paus with Tora Augestad and NyNorsk messingkvintett. The ensembles POING and Hekate put the a-ha success album Hunting High and Low in a completely new light.
- There will be many fine ensembles, choirs, good soloists and, not least, people from Norwegian public life who will share their life experiences on the sofa during Skjæringspunkter with Håkon Haugsbø this year, in conversation with, among others, Else Kåss Furuseth and Carl I. Hagen, says Isa Gericke.
- The Opus 13 string quartet wins prizes everywhere and returns to Glogerfestspillene in January. The last time they visited the festival they were young and promising, now they play on Europe's biggest stages and are Norway's newest export product, says Frank Havrøy.
Launching a membership scheme
Glogerfestspillene is in an exciting period with a new and committed board, chaired by Valgerd Svarstad Haugland. This autumn they are also announcing a completely new benefits programme in which members get tickets at discounted prices.
-As a Gloger member you get extra good discounts, whether you choose a single or double membership. A limited number will be released, so it pays to be early to secure yours, says general manager Marit Lund Bjørnsen
The festival is held annually in week 4. In 2026 the festival takes place 21-25 January.
In the picture: from left general manager Marit Lund Bjørnsen, artistic directors Isa Katharina Gericke and Frank Havrøy and chair of the board Valgerd Svarstad Haugland.
