The entire program for Førdefestivalen 2023 is ready!
Scottish BREABACH is one of the biggest Scottish international successes in recent years. This year they play on Førdefestivalen .
With DRAUMAR as the theme, invites Førdefestivalen for its 33rd festival, July 5-9 this year. The program includes artists from 25 countries, and the festival uses 30 large and small arenas. -A really difficult puzzle, says director Sølvi Lien about creating an international festival of this caliber. She is looking forward to getting the program out to the public, and getting started with ticket sales for her first festival as director. -Together with everyone else in the festival industry, we hope that the audience will seriously find their way back to concerts and live music.
Want to surprise
Førdefestivalen wants to create understanding across cultures, religions and traditions. -We want to be a counterbalance to mainstream culture by offering a program that can surprise and give the audience new impulses, says the new director. Artist list on Førdefestivalen is, has been and will be unparalleled in Norway!
This year, the festival is based on the theme DREAMS. -After a couple of special years both globally and locally, there is a need for a slightly lighter theme, a little air under the wings, says the festival director. Through music one can dream away, and in music one can be free. Dreams are something we all pray for, it is something the festival wants to convey.
Artists with big dreams
The dream of freedom is an important driving force for several of the artists at the festival. For example, Haitian-American Leyla McCalla , whose project Breaking the Thermometer to hide the fever highlights the strong history of the radio station Radio Haiti, which became the voice of the people in the fight against the dictatorial president. The owner of Radio Haiti sacrificed everything for the dream of freedom for the people!
Yungchen Lhamo from Tibet is world-famous for her otherworldly beautiful voice. She has sung with famous names such as Peter Gabriel, U2, Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Sinnead O'Connor and many others. -Yungchen Lhamo certainly sings like a dream, and if music can give you peace of mind, it must be her music, says the festival director, and gives tips on this year's church concert at Førdefestivalen .
The festival pass – attractive to even more people
Førdefestivalen has existed for over 30 years, and a lot has changed since the first editions. Development and testing are key words to make the festival attractive to more people, and this year we are making what we must call a major change in the content of the festival pass, says Lien. The principle is the same as before, that by buying a festival pass you get access to five major concerts and in addition get a big discount on other concerts, but this summer three of the five concerts will be on Saturday.
Eneida Marta is the song queen from Guinea Bissau.
Colombian Cimarron
Check out what you get for a thousand kroner Førdefestivalen : The opening concert – DRAUMAR on Thursday; a concert with the song queen Eneida Marta from Guinea Bissau on Friday evening; on Saturday afternoon you will have a concert with the Colombian fireworks Cimarrón in the park, and a little later you will have a wonderful double concert, with the Scottish super band Breabach and Gatehouse from Ireland in the sports hall, before you round off with the FESTIVAL NIGHT in the Sunnfjordsalen at Scandic, where Nkumba System hits with its energetic mix of African and Caribbean rhythms before Kanda Bongo Man, himself the king of soukous, entertains with the hottest dance music to come from Africa in decades. -And in addition, the pass gives you big discounts on all other events at the festival, adds the director.
Scottish, Irish and Hungarian stars
Breabach is one of the biggest international successes in Scottish folk music, and has been on the festival's wish list for a long time. -When they finally arrive Førde , it was just to clear space on the biggest stage, says Lien, and is looking forward to a great Irish/Scottish concert on Saturday evening. Breabach shares a concert with the Gatehouse quartet, who deliver beautiful Irish musical pearls on a string!
Mónika Lakatos and her Gypsy Voices.
Sunday afternoon offers a new meeting with Hungarian Mónika Lakatos and her newest ensemble, The Gypsy Voices. Mónika Lakatos has won international awards for his work in preserving and promoting the Oláh Romani tradition. -The music is lively and energetic, with strong polyphonic vocals, and musicians playing important traditional instruments such as milk jugs and spoons! The director believes it will be a small party of a concert.
Khusugtun from Mongolia.
Mongolian throat song and musical siesta
Førdefestivalen was the first to present Mongolian throat singing on a Norwegian stage. It happened in the nineties, and since then this singing tradition has been on the program in Førde at irregular intervals. This year, the new director follows up by presenting one of his favorites, Khusugtun , and their unique multi-voice overtone and throat singing.
This year, the audience will also be offered a 'musical siesta'. When the duo Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto play in the festival hall, the hall will be set up to provide the audience with a little extra comfort, so they can sit back, close their eyes and drift off into the music.
Party at a festival hotel
At one of the best concert stages in the country, Larris Scene, at Scandic Sunnfjord Hotel, there will be many and varied treats during the festival. On Wednesday evening, the stage is set for exotic rhythms when the young desert blues star from Mali, Kader Tarhanine , takes to the stage. On Thursday after the opening concert, the Norwegian phenomenon Gangar will take the folk music festival to a new level with their crazy combination of folk music and all possible genres. -If you are among those who have missed a Norwegian folk rock band, then you have them here! Mattias Thedens and his men are a concert band that delivers hard and good from the first beat; Uncompromisingly traditional and very rocking at the same time, according to festival director Lien.
French-Moroccan Bab L'Bluz.
Friday night there will be a double concert with fabulous musicians. First Daniel Lazar 's commissioned work Phantasmagoria, where he performs with star musicians from both the Balkans and Norway: Jelena Tomasevic, one of the biggest singing stars in Serbia, Almir Meskovic from Bosnia, Daniel Herskedal, the Norwegian tuba player who has had his international breakthrough in recent years, and Greg Miszczyszyn, a wizard of electronics.
On the same evening, and for the same ticket, you can experience the French-Moroccan group Bab L'Bluz , who have taken the world by storm with their Moroccan gnawa blues. In addition, DJ Nefertiti will play both between sets and at the end of the evening.
The national team in folk music!
The national folk music team of Førde
The National Team for Fiddlers is the title of a major anniversary production in connection with the 100th anniversary of FolkOrg (formerly LFS - National Team for Fiddlers). The national team in 2023 is led by manager and strategist Jørund Fluge Samuelsen and anchor Veslemøy Narvesen. The players are: Sondre Meisfjord, Ronny Kjøsen, Juhani Silvola, Ragnhild Furebotten, Erik Sollid and Tuva Syvertsen. On the bench in Førde sit Sigrid Moldestad, Liv Merete Kroken and Indre Sunnfjord Spelemannslag This concert production is in collaboration with FolkOrg, Riksscenen and Vossa Jazz.
Benedicte Maurseth, Sivert Holmen and Silje Onstad Hålien do not play on the folk music national team, but will bring their own performances to Førde . Maurseth shows Systerspel, a performance in which she tells the story of women's place in tradition. The other two will be seen in the world premiere of Differens, a duet between a choreographing dancer and a dancing musician!
Large children's and family programme
Førdefestivalen is a vibrant meeting place for all generations, and focuses on a quality program for children and families with children. On Wednesday afternoon, the traditional Ut på tur, aldri sur! event takes place at Sunnfjord Museum. First a tour, then a concert with Nina Fjeldet and Silje Onstad Hålien and their Danse, sa fela! On Saturday , Reglebein, reglebein! is on the program, an imaginative family concert with nine musicians and dancers on stage.
In addition, five kindergartens in Førde , Jølster, Bygstad and Naustdal free Morgonstund concerts. Three mornings there are free concerts at Torgscena at Elvetorget, on Saturday there is a big international breakfast in the park at Festplassen, and on Sunday there is a free family Sunday with music and activities at the same place. - This year we also have a dream catcher workshop and not least an exciting kite workshop, where children will learn how to make kites from Ajaz Ul Haq , who is the world's best kite flyer, says a proud director.