Birgit Nilsson Festival (August 3-9) is Skåne’s largest summer festival for opera and classical music. Opera, concerts, film screenings, exhibitions, talks, meetings, masterclasses. Plus a sing-along for the whole family with Rickard Söderberg, among others, and finally the grand finale at Båstad Tennis Stadium – Verdi’s grand opera with our new world star, soprano Christina Nilsson in the title role.
A central meeting place during the festival week is the Birgit Nilsson Museum at the farm where the great singer grew up and which is now a singer’s museum without parallel in the world.
The Birgit Nilsson Festival, which is organized by the Birgit Nilsson Foundation, takes place in and around Båstad, on the Bjäre peninsula in northwestern Skåne.
Festival program day by day:
SUNDAY AUGUST 3
5:00 PM Kick-off with municipal councilor Johan Olsson Swanstein, as well as singers and musicians. (Dahlmanska tomten, Båstad)
19.00 Music & Meetings. Guest Camilla Tilling, soprano and leader of this year’s Master Class.
(Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
MONDAY 4 AUGUST
11.00-16.15 Master Class for the public. (Ravinen Kulturhus, Norrviken)
11.00 Conversation about Music. Soloists from Aida. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
15.00 Film screening: Birgit Nilsson, Classic SvT documentary from 1968. (Scala Biografen, Båstad)
17.00 In Jussi’s footsteps. Concert with Joachim Bäckström, tenor and Elena Jordan, piano. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
TUESDAY 5 AUGUST
11.00-16.15 Master Class for the public. (Ravinen Kulturhus, Norrviken)
11.00 Conversation about Music. Mattias Enn about Birgit – the humor, the warmth, the person. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
17.00 Open your window… let in some sun. A story in words and tones with, among others, Suzanne Flink, vocals. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST
11.00-16.15 Master Class for the public. (Ravinen Kulturhus, Norrviken)
11.00 Conversation about Music. Göran Gademan about Birgit in the Italian repertoire – rivals, roles and spotlight. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
15.00 Film screening. Birgit Nilsson. Classic SvT documentary from 1968. (Scala Biografen, Båstad)
17.00 Opera sing-along for the whole family with Rickard Söderberg, Elinor Fryklund & Malmö Opera’s children’s choir. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
19.00 Opera film with Birgit Nilsson as Elektra at the Metropolitan Opera, 1980. (Scala Biografen, Båstad)
THURSDAY 7 AUGUST
11.00 Conversation about Music. Pier Giorgio Morandi – an insight into the conductor’s world. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
15.00 Master Class: Closing concert. (Ravinen Kulturhus, Norrviken)
17.00 On the Wings of Song – concert pianist Balasz Fülei plays opera music and songs for piano. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
FRIDAY 8 AUGUST
11.00 Conversation about Music. Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, recipient of the Birgit Nilsson Prize 2025. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
15.00 Concert. Artists from the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. (Ravinen Kulturhus, Norrviken)
18.00 Scholarship award ceremony and concert with this year’s Birgit Nilsson scholarship recipient Karolina Bengtsson, soprano and Magnus Svensson, piano. (Västra Karups Church)
SATURDAY 9 AUGUST
11.00 Conversation about Music. Stefan Johansson about Birgit’s first opera visit, idols and influences. (Birgit Nilsson Museum, Svenstad)
15.00 Film screening: Birgit Nilsson. Classic SvT documentary from 1968. (Scala Biografen, Båstad)
19.00 Giuseppe Verdi: Aida, open air concert. Christina Nilsson, Martin Muehle, Elizabeth DeShong, Fredrik Zetterström and others. Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra/Pier Giorgio Morandi.
Conversations about Music 4-8 August led by Anelia Kadieva Jonsson.
Press contact Torbjörn Eriksson 070 – 634 43 53