Cast information

Welcome to Bergen National Opera’s 20th Anniversary Production

Dear friends,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to Bergen – and this time for a very special occasion.

Bergen National Opera has finally grown up! In 2026, we celebrate our 20th anniversary, and we could think of no better way to mark it than by bringing together our past, present and future in one evening of opera.

The first part of the evening will be a small journey through our own history, performed by some of the voices of the future: young singers from our summer academy, Opera by the Fjord. Over the years, the academy has become one of the projects closest to our hearts, and increasingly a place where we meet young artists who later return to Bergen as professional singers. It therefore feels particularly appropriate that they should help us look back at our first twenty years – while hopefully pointing towards the next twenty.

At the heart of the evening is George Benjamin and Martin Crimp’s masterpiece Written on Skin. Since its premiere, the opera has already established itself as one of the great operatic successes of the 21st century. In many ways, it has achieved exactly what we dream of whenever we commission a new opera ourselves: that a new work should not simply have a successful premiere, but find its way into the repertoire and continue to live on stages around the world.

A particularly warm welcome to Robin Tebbutt, who will be responsible for realising Katie Mitchell’s original production here in Bergen. We are equally delighted to welcome Lawrence Renes, who knows Benjamin’s extraordinary score intimately, having conducted Written on Skin on several previous occasions.

As always at BNO, we have brought together a cast of Norwegian and international singers, alongside artists who have grown through Opera by the Fjord. This mixture of established experience, international excellence and young talent has become an important part of who we are – and seems especially fitting as we celebrate our first twenty years.

For those of you who are new to Bergen, please make sure you find some time outside rehearsals to explore our beautiful city. Take the Fløibanen up the mountain – or, if the Bergen weather allows, walk across Vidden from Ulriken to Fløien. Visit the fish market, explore the KODE museums, have a look around Bryggen, or make the pilgrimage to Troldhaugen, Edvard Grieg’s home. And should it rain: congratulations, you are experiencing Bergen exactly as intended.

Twenty years is old enough to look back with a certain amount of pride – but still young enough to be curious, ambitious and perhaps a little unreasonable about what might be possible.

We are very much looking forward to celebrating with you, and to creating this rather special evening together.

From Bergen with love,

Eivind Gullberg Jensen
Opera Director
Bergen National Opera

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
Please click on the link to see the Production Schedule .

Please contact Vilde Østerbøe Gustavsen (vilde@bno.no) if you have any questions.

CREATIVE TEAM/ OPERAGALLA

Lawrence Renes / Conductor
Ann Terese Aasen / Stage director
Martin Falk Pettersen / Lighting designer
Ole Klemsdal/ Video Content
Håkon Matti Skrede / Chorus master
Solveig Karoline Flekstad Vik / Children Chorus master

ON STAGE OPERAGALLA
Sofia Nesje Enger/ Singer
Simon Granås/ Singer
Sakarias Tranvåg/ Singer
Eirin Rognerud/ Singer

Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester, Edvard Grieg Vokalensemble, Singers for Northern College of Music, Edvard Grieg jentekor, Edvard Grieg guttekor

CREATIVE TEAM/ WRITTEN ON SKIN

Lawrence Renes / Conductor
Robin Tebbut/ Asst. Stage Directing
Ann Terese Aasen / Asst. Stage Director
Omer Shteinhart/ Asst. Conductor
Peter Harrison / Asst. Lighting Designer

Please see bno.no for Creative Team Credentials

ON STAGE WRITTEN ON SKIN
Mark Stone/ The Protector
Mari Eriksmoen/ Agnès
Alexander Chance/ Angel 1/ The Boy
Christina Jønsi/ Angel 2/ Marie
Magnus Staveland/ Angel 3/ John
Johanne Andsnes Vestbø/ Extra
Oda Lura Larsen/ Extra
Anne Skølt/ Extra
Marius Løkås/ Extra
Runar Bjørnsen Jekteberg/ Extra

Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester

BACKSTAGE
Vilde Østerbøe Gustavsen / Production Director
Jon Inge Keskitali / Head of Tech
Cathrine Ahlsen / Head of Costume
Sara Eeg Jonasmo / Stage Manager
Mia Julie Wiland / Asst. Stage Manager
Barbro Worren / Head of Props
Ingrid Stasi Skjold / Head of Make-Up and SFX
Jørgen Lystrup/ Head of Tech CT
Karl Fridtjof Høigjelle / Head of Stage
Ivar Skjørestad / Head of Lights
Martin Falck Pettersen/ Lights
Isabel Odriozola/ Video
Jan Henrik Vindenes/ Sound

CONTACT DETAILS BNO
All contact emails and phone numbers to BNO staff can be found here

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

MILJØFYRTÅRN / ECO LIGHTHOUSE
BNO is certified Miljøfyrtårn/ ECO Lighthouse since 2021. We focus on how we can make more environmentally friendly choices every day and you can help. Please choose public transport to work, bring your own water bottle, coffee mug, choose trademark products, recycle waste, clean up after you and create a nice work environment

CODE OF CONDUCT
Please see our code of conduct here: Code of conduct

GRIEGHALLEN
Grieghallen is a multi purpose venue and BNO only have access to the rooms that are in the Production Schedule. Shared dressing rooms will be assigned after get-in on stage.

CANTEEN
The canteen is located on the 4th floor in Grieghallen. It's open during the Orchestra's rehearsal. With the Lunch Deal (50 NOK a day) we offer warm lunch, sandwiches to go, coffee and tea. If you like to join the lunch deal, we kindly ask you to sign up before you arrive by sending an email to Vilde (vilde@bno.no) The canteen do not accept cash or creditcard. This lunch deal is for artist and technical personal employed by BNO.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS
Link to discounted tickets will be announced here.

PRESS AND MEDIA

CONTACT
Ole Klemsdal / Head of Marketing and Communication / Send email / +47 911 01 791
Monika / Digital marketer / Send email / +47 92 47 0001

PRESS
There may be journalists from the press present at the rehearsals during the whole rehearsal period. There will be information about this beforehand.

PHOTO
Monika from Bergen National Opera's communications department will be recording and taking photos throughout the production for use in our social media channels.

FILM
We will be recording parts of the rehearsals for documentation and social media teasers.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Please join us on social media! 

FOLLOW BERGEN NATIONAL OPERA
facebook 
instagram 
twitter
youtube
vimeo

ADDRESS
Main stage, rehearsal studio, costume fittings and offices are located in Grieghallen

• Edvard Griegs plass 1, 5015 BERGEN

Pictures of the venue and information can be found on their website: www.grieghallen.no

FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE CITY CENTRE
There are several efficient and easy alternatives for how to get from Bergen Airport Flesland to Bergen city center. Bergen has good public transport services with both the Airport Bus Flybussen and the City Light Rail (called Bybanen in Norwegian), as well as taxis going between the airport and the city center.

If you have suitcase or heavy bags we would recommend the Airports bus. We recommend checking the www.entur.no for information on which transportation is available at the time of arrival at Bergen Lufthavn.

• Bergen City Light rail (Bybanen) The cheapest way to get from Bergen Airport Flesland to Bergen city center is to go by the City Light Rail (Bybanen). It takes about 45 minutes from the Airport to Bergen city center and it costs only NOK 49 for an adult. The ticket needs to be purchased in advance either online at www.skyss.no/en/ or in their app Skyss ticket app. From the airport to the city center is 1 zone.

  Check out www.skyss.no for more information. The City Light Rail starts right at the airport terminals lower deck and ends in the center of Bergen. The closest stop to Grieghallen, Hotel Terminus and Hotel Zander K is called Nonneseter.
  

• Airport bus (Flybussen) A faster way to reach Bergen city center is by the Airport Bus (Flybussen), which only takes 33 minutes. The bus costs NOK 169 if you buy the tickets in advance online at www.flybussen.no The bus has several stops in Bergen city center and the closest stop to Grieghallen, Grand Hotel Terminus and Hotel Zander K is Bergen Busstasjon. You can find the bus just outside the Flesland arrival terminal. All stops with the Airport bus are announced.
• Taxi The most direct way to get to your hotel is to take a taxi. A taxi from Bergen Airport Flesland to Bergen city center costs around NOK 580/630, but prices vary according to the time of day and the number of passengers. The taxis can be booked at the booking kiosks at the airport.

DINING IN BERGEN
Here are some tips on where to get discounts when eating out, just remember to bring your BNO card to the below restaurants and cafés and present it when you place your order:

Zen Café: 10% with purchase over NOK 100
Café Opera: 10% Address: Engen 18, 5011 Bergen
Pingvinen: 10% - Address: Vaskerelven 14, 5014 Bergen

PLANNING YOUR STAY IN NORWAY

WEATHER
Norwegians love to talk about the weather! It changes from day to day, hour to hour, and we recommend bring clothes for both a rainy day as well as sunshine.

MONEY
The standard way of paying is by credit card or bank card. Few locals pay with cash - even for a packet of chewing gum.
As for general shopping, all but kiosks and tourists shops are closed on Sundays. Restaurants, cafés and bars are open all week. If you're looking for a Sunday open supermarket we recommend Bunnpris, Torggaten 6, and/or Nygårdsgaten 89.

For things to do in Bergen, check out Visitnorway.com

PREMIERE PARTY/ WHAT TO WEAR
Anything and everything is welcomed. Most of us wear casual chic.

ANY QUESTIONS?
Please don't hesitate to contact us.

If you have any question regarding artistic program, music and scores, please contact Nicolai@bno.no

Any other question please contact miajulie@bno.no

CONTACT INFO
Bergen Nasjonale Opera
Edvard Griegs plass 1
5015 BERGEN
NORWAY
+47 55 21 61 20
info@bno.no