The annual Reykjavík Arts Festival is coming up. It opens on May 20 and will continue throughout June 5 with a variety of events taking place in and around Iceland’s capital. This year, emphasis will be placed on the performing arts.
From the Reykjavík Arts Festival in 2007. Photo by Páll Kjartansson.
On the festival’s website, the program is described as, “a feast of music and dance, brimming with exciting concerts of all kinds, striking dance performances and colorful theatre experiences for all ages.”
This year, festival goers will be able to enjoy performances in Harpa, the brand new concert and conference hall on the Reykjavík seaside, where one of the highlights will take place on May 21 when German tenor Jonas Kaufmann performs with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in a gala concert in the main music hall, Eldborg.
Another highlight of the festival in Harpa will be a performance by beloved American soprano Barbara Bonney on June 5.
Other international artists include Ojos del Brujo, Beijing Dance Theatre, Tomi Ungerer, The Krakow Sinfonietta, Louise Bourgeois, Michel Houllebecq, Tony Allen and Les Slovaks Dance Collective.
Established in 1970, the Reykjavík Arts Festival is Iceland’s premier cultural festival, bringing together the best in local and international theatre, dance, music and visual art, as stated on visitreykjavik.is.
The program offers a variety of exhibitions, concerts, dance performances, theatre and opera. Along with its focus on Icelandic culture past and present, the festival hosts many outstanding international artists and performers.
Visit the Arts Festival’s website for the full program.
