Grieg Hall
Bergen's modernist concert hall of 1978 and home of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
Grieg Hall stands on Edvard Griegs plass in central Bergen, a short walk from the KODE museums and the Lille Lungegardsvann lake. Named after the composer Edvard Grieg, who led the city's orchestra in the 1880s, it was designed by the Danish architect Knud Munk. Building work began in 1967 and the hall opened in 1978. Its concrete and glass massing, with a stepped profile rising above a long horizontal base, is often cited as a leading Norwegian example of late modernist and brutalist design.
The main auditorium, Griegsalen, seats about 1,500 and is the home stage of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble whose history reaches back to 1765. A second hall, Peer Gynt Salen, takes smaller concerts, conferences and comedy. The building hosts symphonic and choral programmes, opera and ballet visits, jazz and popular music, and events of the Bergen International Festival. The facade, stage machinery and interiors were refurbished in stages between 2006 and 2016.
Highlights
- Griegsalen, a 1,500-seat auditorium with the Bergen Philharmonic in residence
- Late modernist design by Danish architect Knud Munk, opened 1978
- Second stage, Peer Gynt Salen, for smaller concerts and events
- A principal venue of the Bergen International Festival each spring
