Klassiske høydepunkter uke 13: Påskens store mesterverk

Classical highlights week 13: Easter's great masterpieces

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Live Klassisk1 min read|23. March 2026

The solemn mood of Easter marks this week's concert calendar with some of the very finest works of church music. Bach is naturally central, and particularly noteworthy is the performance by Arktisk Filharmoni and Barokksolistene of Bach's third Passion, the St Mark Passion, at Tromsø kulturhus on Thursday. Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester offers the better-known St Matthew Passion at Grieghallen the same evening, with soloists, choir and orchestra in a cohesive interpretation of this monumental work.

An especially interesting new creation is to be found in Bergen Domkirke on Sunday, where Bergen Filharmoniske perform Bent Sørensen's contemporary St Matthew Passion – the composer's own “declaration of love to humanity”, which takes as its starting point an idea of a journey through fog, in and out of the light.

Oslo-Filharmonien marks Easter with Aivis Greter conducting Brahms' Schicksalslied, Pēteris Vasks' The Fruit of Silence and Stravinsky's powerful Symphony of Psalms at Konserthuset on Thursday. Den Norske Opera & Ballett continues with Verdi's grand Don Carlo, in which father and son stand on opposite sides of both love and politics.

Among the week's other highlights are Kringkastingsorkestret's concert with Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring under Holly Choe, Barokkkanerne's exploration of Italian Baroque contrasts at Universitetets Aula, and Engegård Quartet's unique interweaving of Ibsen's “Terje Vigen” with Beethoven's chamber music in Hamar.

A week in which great emotions and existential depth meet technical virtuosity on the country's foremost stages.