The FULL festival program is ready!
Fun Otava Yo from Russia - Sunday July 5th Førde !
There is music from all over the world on the program when Førdefestivalen , one of the largest multicultural events in Norway, July 1-5 invites you to its 26th edition. The lineup includes international names such as legendary Toto La Momposina, super duo Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita, Korean Noreum Machi and Russian Otava Yo, and a number of strong Norwegian names and current record labels. artists . The program includes several new productions and co-productions; including a FRIKAR world premiere. In addition to small and large concert halls in the cultural center, the festival uses parks, a mountain peak, kindergartens, private homes, streets and squares, mountain farms, museums and churches; a total of 30 different stages in 6 municipalities.
" World ConneXions ,” is the theme of Førde This year, and in three of its own productions, "Vocal ConneXions", "String ConneXions" and "Dance ConneXions", the festival focuses on similarities and connections between music, song and dance traditions in different cultures. - New music experiences and new knowledge for the audience is the goal when we create new productions, says Bjørkum. - We are not looking for "celebrity artists", but our artists are still carefully selected from the top shelf! Our mission as a hub festival is precisely to present what no one else has. - Førdefestivalen goes the other way, and gives people something they perhaps didn't know they would really appreciate, concludes the festival director.
FRIKAR's new show "Gotoguta" will have its world premiere at Førdefestivalen !
World premiere for FRIKAR screening
Already on Wednesday evening at the festival, there will be a world premiere of FRIKAR Dansekompani's new performance "GotoGuta". - All you have to do is fasten your seatbelts when the halling dancers fill the stage with bouncy and soft halling throws in the familiar style and just two days later the stage is set for more Norwegian dance when the dance ensemble VILLNISS enters the stage with the performance "Årstidene", says Bjørkum.
Team GløsTøs - the fiddler team with the most credits in Norway!
Current album releases artists and two student fiddle groups from Norway
This year, the festival has secured several record-breaking Norwegian acts. artists ; such as SVER, the power band in Norwegian folk music, the Norwegian-Finnish trio Linda Gytri and fiddler-nominated Sandum Trio. The brothers Knut and Ole Aastad Bråten are also on the poster. They are coming with their first LP this spring, and will be heard at the idyllic Jølstramuseet on Thursday 2 July.
-It is also great to bring Team GløsTøs, the student fiddler group that was established in Trondheim in the 90s. This is a group of 20-something young, energetic and skilled fiddlers, who love to play at parties! says Bjørkum. For dance performances, the festival has also booked Firda fiddler group, a new breath of fresh air from the local music scene, in addition to last year's Norwegian Champions in round dance performances, Bjørkås Kvintett.
The Cumbia Queen from Colombia - Toto La Momposina back to Førde after 23 years!
Cumbia, semba, desert soul and Russian "folk humor"
At the head of an international star team of artists comes none other than the legendary Toto La Momposina, who at the age of 74 still captivates audiences with his sensual and fierce cumbia. Colombia has its cumbia, and Angola has its semba; and they have Paulo Flores, who also comes to Førde ! So does Khaira Arby with her suggestive desert soul from Mali, and the Egyptian-English world star Natacha Atlas. She comes with a large all-acoustic orchestra and Arabic tones and rhythms with an Arabian Nights atmosphere. From Russia comes the cult band Otava Yo, who performs their very special version of Russian folk music, and Janusz Prusinowski Kompania and classical pianist Janusz Olejniczak, known from the film The Pianist, show the connections between Polish traditional music and Chopin's mazurkas.
Kathak and flamenco in Dance ConneXions
It is not only Norwegian dance that is presented at the festival. "Dance ConneXions", one of three themed productions at the festival, shows the connections and similarities between two of the world's most expressive dance traditions: Indian Kathak dance and Spanish flamenco. The dancers in the performance are the legends Indian Mahua Shankar and Spanish Pilar Astola, who each bring their own ensembles to Førde .
In the production "String ConneXions", master string instrument performers from four different countries meet for the first time in Førde .– It will be a formidable sound experience when Gro Marie Svidal and her three colleagues from Bulgaria, Sweden and India set over 80 strings in vibration, believes festival director Hilde Bjørkum. “Vocal ConneXions” is about common features in European vocal traditions, where Unni Løvlid meets singers from Bulgaria, France, Finland and Scotland.
Percussion from South Korea and water puppet theater from Vietnam
One of the far-reaching artists at this year's festival, and one who has never been to Norway before, is Noreum Machi. They are the hottest folk music band in South Korea, and mix high-intensity percussion with folk music and folk dance into a thrilling, audience-friendly performance. A group that probably has an even longer journey to Førde , is Vietnam Water Puppetry which comes with puppeteers, musicians, puppets, instruments and its own pool. Water puppetry is a very special tradition in Vietnam, and the festival director is looking forward to showing it in Førde . –It is an incredibly demanding project that we have worked for a long time to achieve. Now we are finally successful! says Hilde Bjørkum.
Festival for the whole family - Overnight trip and bike tour
-We emphasize a program with offerings for audiences of all ages. This year we have the children's show Danse, sa fela! with Silje Onstad Hålien and Nina Fjeldet. In addition, for the very first time we are inviting children on an overnight trip with an included evening and morning concert. The trip is in collaboration with the Children's Turlag, says the festival director. Another new concept the festival is launching this year is a bike ride to a concert with the Swedish Ulrika Bodén at a completely new festival arena in Førde This year there will also be a festival event in Høyanger for the first time, where Giorgos Xylouris' ensemble from Crete will create a Greek tavern atmosphere. Høyanger is one of five municipalities that will have concerts during the festival.