Today, the Stockholm Early Music Festival opens with the royal couple in attendance. However, the festival is struggling with a deteriorating economy and declining audience base.
Under pressure from poor economy, but also with extremely busy days ahead. That's how life looks for Peter Pontvik, artistic leader for Early Music Sweden, who is organizing the 23rd edition of the Stockholm Early Music Festival and a large international three-day conference that partially overlaps with the festival's schedule.
He sits on a bench outside the German Church in Old Town Stockholm. Inside the church, the Stockholm Early Music Festival will be inaugurated on June 4 with the royal couple in attendance.
Concerto Copenhagen, the most renowned Baroque ensemble in the Nordic region, will open this year's festival. There will be international guest performances from 20 countries, including Ukraine and Italy. In addition, there will be a range of Swedish artists. However, the scope of the program has decreased, which is due to the economy.
The festival was also held during the pandemic years, but then with a limited number of visitors. Since then, it has been difficult to attract a larger audience.
What do you mean by relevance crisis?
How do you see the festival's future?
The Stockholm Early Music Festival is the largest international event in the Nordic region for medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music and will take place from June 4 to 9 at various locations in Old Town Stockholm.
The festival is organized by the Early Music Sweden association, which has been nominated for the international REMA Business Innovator of the Year Award.
