The Show Must Be Paused

The Bergen International Festival puts evening on hold together with the world's music industry. On Tuesday, June 2, there will be no Bergen International Festival performances online. Along with much of the world's music industry, the Festival has chosen to mark its solidarity and support to put an end to racially motivated violence.

The Bergen International Festival had six events planned for Tuesday, June 2: five digital events and one performed via telephone. None of these will be carried out today. The Festival’s marking of the occasion supports the initiative The Show Must Be Paused, or Black Out Tuesday, which was initiated by Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas of Atlantic Records and has spread at record speed in a matter of days.

The Bergen International Festival, together with the rest of the world, has heard and seen the protests after George Floyd's death. We stand together with the international music industry to support #blackouttuesday on Tuesday, June 2. Therefore, no new concerts or performances will be coming from us tonight.

This year's Festival is shown for free on the internet, and performances are recorded without an audience due to COVID 19 contagion measures.

As this year's Festival is almost completely digital and we can see that we are reaching far beyond Norway's borders, it is right for us to participate in such an international action.

The Bergen International Festival concludes on Wednesday, June 3, with a concert from the Oslo Philharmonic with pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. This concert will take place as scheduled, and the digital events that are not shown tonight will also have new broadcasting times on Wednesday, June 3. For the performance This Evening's Performance Has Not Been Cancelled, presented by the Bergen National Opera and experienced via telephone, the audience has a second chance to experience this on June 12.

Take care. Much love.