The singers are joined by the academy orchestra, with 25 musicians who are playing together with the professional mentors and group leaders from renowned opera and symphony orchestras in Scandinavia and Vienna. This years concert master is Maxim Brilinsky, 1st violinist from the Wiener Philharmoniker.

The conductor students will also get the chance to stand in front of the orchestra, guided by Bergen National Opera's artistic director Eivind Gullberg Jensen, together with his conductor colleague Sascha Goetzel from Vienna.

WHAT IS THE SUMMER ACADEMY?
The summer academy Opera by the fjord is aimed at students who are currently in education, or who have recently graduated. Our top team of coaches all have experience from renowned opera houses and symphony orchestras.

Our academy is unique in that singers can rehearse and perform together with an orchestra, in a staged situation, as well as in concert arias. The training program is put into a larger context and will go beyond simply vocal training.

The conductor students will get a tailor-made mentoring in the specialist skills required to be an opera conductor, and this year two repetiteur students are also joining.

25 young instrumentalists will play in the academy orchestra together with top professionals from renowned opera and symphony orchestras in Scandinavia and Vienna, who also will be their section leaders and mentors.

Photos from the first Opera at the fjord concerts 2021 and 2022:

ARTISTIC TEAM 2023

Directors and founders:
Eivind Gullberg Jensen, Artistic & General Director of Bergen National Opera, and Chief Conductor of Noord Nederlands Orkest
Sascha Goetzel, Music Director Designate for Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire and National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and Principle Guest Conductor for Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra

Vocal coaches:
Solveig Kringlebotn, soprano and professor at the Academy of Opera in Oslo and Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo
Kristin Okerlund, pianist and vocal coach from the Wiener Staatsoper
Hans-Otto Ehrström, pianist and vocal coach from Finnish National Opera in Helsinki

Orchestra coaches:
1st violin: Maxim Brilinsky, leader of the 1st violin section, Wiener Philharmoniker
2nd violin: Miriam Bergset, Ensemble Allegria, freelance violinist
Viola: James Opie, co-principal viola, Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra in Stockholm
Cello: Kati Raitinen, solo cello, Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra in Stockholm
Double bass: Patrick Wilder, co-principal double bass, The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Woodwind:
Karl-Heinz Schütz, solo flute Wiener Philharmoniker
Steffen Blindheim, solo english horn and oboe, Malmö Symphony Orchestra
Brass:
Rune Brodahl, solo horn, The Norwegian Opera & Ballet

Opera by the fjord - Summer Academy 2023 is presented by Bergen National Opera in collaboration med Oseana kunst- og kultursenter, and is supported by Grieg Foundation, Sparebankstiftelsen DnB, Talent Norge, Sparebankstiftelsen Sparebanken Vest and The GC Rieber Foundations.