Edward Gardner
The highly acclaimed performances of Peter Grimes marked Gardner's first collaboration with Bergen National Opera.
Edward Gardner is since 2015 chief conductor for Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, and internationally acknowledged as one of the most prominent orchestra leaders of his generation. He has now prolonged his contract to July 2024.
Gardner has his education from the University of Cambridge and Royal Academy of Music in London. After his studies, he started as an assistant for Sir Mark Elder, and later advanced to Music Director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera, before being appointed Music Director at English National Opera (2007-2015). In recognition of his talent he was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2008 for Best Conductor and in 2009, the Olivier award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.
Edward Gardner conducts regularly in opera houses like Metropolitan in New York, La Scala in Milan, the opera in Paris and at Glyndebourne. His many recordings have won great critical acclaim – also those with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. From september 2021 Gardner will also be Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO).
Our performances of Peter Grimes in Bergen and Edinburgh 2017 marked his first collaboration with Bergen National Opera, and autumn 2019 we repeated the success – now in Bergen and Oslo as well as Royal Festival Hall in London.
March 2021 Gardner was the conductor for Mozart's opera La clemenza di Tito in Bergen, with six Norwegian singers as soloists.
From August 2024 Gardner will be Music Director at the Norwegian Opera & Ballet in Oslo.
Updated January 2022
