NEW YORK -- Summer in Scandinavia means two things are in greater
supply than during any other time of the year -- daylight and
festivals.
A sampling of the latter follows. For more information, contact
the Scandinavian Tourist Boards at (212) 885-9700.
Denmark
Roskilde Festival, June 28 to July 1. As many as 70,000 tickets
will be available for this event, one of the biggest rock festivals
in the world, to be held near Roskilde, outside Copenhagen.Tickets can be purchased until June 15, or until they are no
longer available.
Trains run from Copenhagen Central Station to Roskilde; shuttle
trains run every half-hour from the station to the festival
grounds.
More information may be obtained by e-mail at [email protected] or on the Web at www.roskilde-festival.dk.
European Medieval Festival, Aug. 24 and 25. This event, held in
the city center of Horsens in east Jutland, celebrates medieval
life with some 4,000 participants dressed in period costumes. One
of Europe's largest medieval festivals, it drew 100,000 people last
year.For more information, e-mail a request to [email protected] or visit the Web site
at www.middelalderfestival.dk.
The unofficial Danish Festival Calendar is available on line at
http://festival.roadrunner.dk.
Finland
Helsinki Festival, Aug. 24 to Sept. 9. This festival is the
most diverse event on the Finnish cultural calendar.The Huvila Festival Tent, for example, will host performances of
a children's magic show Aug. 26 and a concert by jazz guitarist
John Scofield the following day. Finlandia Hall will be the host to
orchestral works.
Besides music, the Helsinki Festival also features dance,
theater, the visual arts, cinema and a children's festival.
For details, e-mail [email protected] or visit the
festival's Web site at www.helsinkifestival.fi
Savonlinna Opera Festival, July 7 to Aug. 5. This year's operas
-- held in the medieval Olavinlinna Castle, built in 1475 --
include "Aida," "Rigoletto" and "Macbeth." The Los Angeles Opera
will provide guest performances of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and
Strauss' "Salome."To learn more, e-mail [email protected] or access the Web site at
www.operafestival.fi.
Information on all of Finland's festivals can be found on the
Web at www.festivals.fi.
Norway
The Cutty Sark Tall Ship Race, July 27 to 30. An armada of more
than 100 tall ships will gather in Bergen for this traditional
sailing event.The Parade of Sail on July 30 will see all the ships sail in
company from the Bergen harbor. The race starts in Antwerp,
Belgium, on July 4; goes to Alesund and Bergen, Norway, and
finishes in Esbjerg, Denmark, on Aug. 7.
For more on the race, e-mail [email protected] or go to the Web site at www.tv2.no/cuttysark.
Queen Sonja International Music Competition, Aug. 16 to 23.
This vocal competition in Oslo, endorsed by the Queen of Norway,
brings singers from all over the world. The vocalists will perform
with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.Also taking place during the competition will be the Oslo
Chamber Music Festival, from Aug. 17 to 25.
For more information, e-mail [email protected] or visit the Web site at www.nmh.no/sonja.html.
Details on various Norway festivals are on the Web at www.norwayfestivals.com.
Sweden
Music on Lake Siljan, June 30 to July 8. There is music for all
tastes and ages in this festival, whose area stretches through
towns along the lake in the province of Dalarna.
A car is recommended to get around this event.
Highlights include a tribute to Louis Armstrong by trumpeter
Peter Asplund and his orchestra in the town of Mora.
One of the more unusual events is a daily song-hike around Lake
Siljan, trekking about nine miles each day.
The Siljan Tourist Office can assist with tickets and
accommodation reservations. For information, e-mail [email protected] or visit the Web site at www.siljan-dalarna.com.
For more about the festival, send an e-mail request to [email protected] or
visit the festival's Web site at www.siljan.se.
Stockholm Jazz Festival, July 17 to 22. This 18th annual
festival of jazz, blues and soul takes place on Skeppsholmen
Island, near the Kings Palace and Old Town.Performers include B.B. King, the Wayne Shorter Quartet, Bill
Evans & Push, Maceo Parker, the Robert Cray Band, Big Bad
Voodoo Daddy and the Brecker Bros.
More information can be obtained by e-mailing [email protected] or from the Web site at www.stockholmjazz.com.
For information on all Swedish music festivals, e-mail [email protected]. The Web address is www.musikfestivaler.se.