21 May

Yesterday I met Per Brynning (volunteer coordinator) and Kaja Jorem (artist contact coordinator) and today I finally got to start working with them.  I have been doing all sorts of things to help get the festival running.  Even though it officially began yesterday, it will be coming into full swing over the next week.  I've been stuffing and distributing artist info envelopes, delivering programs to various venues, and running errands here and there for the higher-ups.  Tomorrow the real work begins: I will be working as an artist contact for three soloists from Germany and one from Iceland.  Apparently they are all world renowned for their singing; if you are interested you can google them!  (Christoph Prégardien, Finnur Bjarnesón, Ingeborg Danz, and Christina Landshamer.)  

Bergen is really pretty.  However, a gigantic southern-Norway-shaped low pressure system has parked itself over southern Norway, so it has been overcast for most of my time here.  Bergen is an old Hanseatic trade city, and was actually the capital of Norway for a while.  There is still a lot of German influence visible in the architecture, but some of the names have been changed due to post-WWII sentiments.  The city center opens into the harbor and out to the ocean, adding to a really nice maritime feel.  Stands selling fresh fish and Norwegian fruits de mer are are perched all around.  Many of the stands are preparing the fish on the spot with vegetables and spices and selling it ready-to-eat, so the smells are heavenly.  Prices are high indeed, but this is no surprise.

I'll be needing to head out shortly - I am going to see a musical performance at Grieghallen, the main site for most of the events at this years festival.  Thanks to my handy "Event Staff" card thingy, I'll be able to get in for free.

This is where I work now

Bergen Harbor, near downtown

The opulent performance hall in Grieghallen