On Tuesday 22 September Oslo Operafestival opens for the last time. At the same time as the festival turns 20, this has become the very last edition.
The festival began in 2006 with a stage out in the water at Spikersuppa, and the idea was to bring opera out to the people. Over two decades it has presented opera on both large and small stages in Oslo, and been an important arena for young and newly graduated singers, musicians, directors and conductors, who have met the audience and worked side by side with established names.
Now the festival is history – and the main reason is a lack of media attention.
– We can make good performances and concerts, but it helps little if the audience does not know they exist. When we started the festival, opera and cultural life were covered in a completely different way in the media. When the editorial coverage disappears, we notice it directly in the visitor numbers. In the end it becomes very difficult for a small, non-profit organisation to continue, says festival director Gjøril Songvoll.
When the festival was new, it got a double-page spread in Aftenposten and was covered by both newspapers and TV. Today only a few trade media follow up, according to the organiser.
The festival has also never received support from Kulturrådet. Songvoll says that the organisation asked for a justification, and was told in reply that Oslo did not need an opera festival since Den Norske Opera & Ballett is already located in the city.
– I have never forgotten that answer. The whole point of Oslo Operafestival has been precisely to take opera out of the opera house and meet people in other arenas. The Opera in Bjørvika and a popular opera festival serve two completely different functions, she says.
What the final festival will look like:
At 17.30 Oslo's city councillor for culture Mehmet Kaan Inan (H) officially opens the festival at the aula steps on Universitetsplassen, with students from Operahøgskolen at KHiO on stage.
At 19.00 the festival continues inside Universitetets aula with the very last opening concert. There, 13 of the country's foremost opera soloists and three pianists take part, among them Birgitte Christensen, Caroline Wettergreen, Victoria Randem, Mariann Fjeld-Solberg, Lise Granden Berg, Tone Kummervold, Siv Oda Hagerupsen, Kjetil Støa, Thomas Ruud, Markus Bjørlykke, Jørgen Backer and Audun Iversen.
This year's festival, the last in the series, runs from 22 to 26 September.
