Giuseppe Verdi was once asked which of his own operas he liked best. ‘As a professional musician, Rigoletto,’ he replied. ‘But as an dilettante, I would choose La traviata above all.’ La traviata is the most moving, human and strikingly modern not only of Verdi’s operas, but of any from the period - the realist story of a downtrodden female victim of powerful men which hit as many nerves when it was first performed in 1853 as it continues to today.

Much of that is down to Verdi’s unrivalled musical storytelling - from the driving waltzes that propel the score forward with a sense of Parisian excess, to his sympathetic drawing of the opera’s heroine Violetta, the story’s only truly sympathetic human being. As Silvia Camerini has observed, Verdi portrays her ‘with profound subtlety, generosity and love and then tears her apart to the sound of champagne corks popping.’

La traviata

Grieghallen

The OperaPub is an informal night out for opera lovers and a chance to hear emerging talents in a relaxed atmosphere: The singers are amateurs, students, chorus members and also visiting soloists to BNO and Bergen. In addition to opera you may hear a hit from a musical, folk songs – and also freshly made music performed for the first time.

OperaPub

Kulturhuset Bergen

OperaUp! is a series of spontaneous mini concerts at Mount Fløyen, for travellers on the Fløibanen funicular as well as in the areas up on the mountaintop.

Up-and-coming opera stars will pop up during the day throughout the Festival, as suddenly and unannounced as rays of sunshine through the rain. Should you be so lucky as to meet a soprano or a tenor in the Fløibanen funicular or on the mountaintop, we can guarantee high notes and an elevated musical performance to surprise and entertain.

The trip from Vetrlidsallmenningen to the ridge of Mount Fløyen will take about seven to eight minutes, and Fløibanen runs several times an hour. The OperaUp! performance is free with your regular Fløibanen ticket.

OperaOpptur!

Fløibanen

A mayor and investors plan to cut down an old oak forest in order to build cabins. To save the forest and everyone who lives there, youngsters Ciril and Noah take up the fight.

The Night Folk is a humorous and playful opera which mixes several styles and references. It features famous operas such as Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Bizet’s Carmen along with traditional Norwegian children’s songs, pop music, contemporary music and rhythmic antics. The story is serious and humorous at the same time – it is simply a bird opera that speaks on behalf of Nature.

The village of Indre Kluredal consists of two areas: The local center with the town hall, and an old oak forest where the Night Folk live in a kind of magical universe. They resemble both birds and humans, and they all love to sing and imitate sounds. The Night Folk are shy and like things to remain as they have always been. Few know they exist. The mayor of Indre Kluredal, forest owner Kjell, comes into conflict with the Night Folk. They will lose their lives if the oak forest is cut down to make way for the new cabins and park area Kjell wants to build. The only power the Night Folk have is a witch who can take away people’s singing voice, making their lives miserable.

The Night Folk

Cornerteateret

We meet the charming barber Figaro, who with quick lines and even quicker solutions helps the young Count Almaviva win the heart of the beautiful Rosina. The pace is fast, the melodies are immortal, and laughter is unbridled as disguises, misunderstandings and secret deals become entangled.

This is opera at its most playful - elegant, energetic and irresistibly entertaining. The opera has been an audience favorite since its premiere in the early 19th century, and now gets a whole new twist as comedian, actor, TV personality and director Vidar Magnussen brings the story into his burlesque and not least humorous world. The audience is served poetic slapstick inspired by, amongst others, silent film hero Buster Keaton. This 2027 production will however be faithful to the original storyline The opera is sung in Norwegian, and we can promise that this will be both beautiful and funny.

Rossini's music is bel canto (beautiful singing) at its finest – with long, well-formed vocal lines, captivating arias, ensembles with flair and a refined, lyrical orchestration. The Barber of Seville is the most famous of the composer genius Rossini's many operas.

Bergen Nasjonale Opera

May 6 - Jun 3, 2026

OperaPub

May 28 - Jun 10, 2026

OperaOpptur!

6 - 9 Jun, 2026

The Night Folk

13 - 18 Mar, 2027

The Barber of Seville

14 - 20 Mar, 2025

La traviata

Bergen Nasjonale Opera