Mira Bartov has been appointed as the new artistic director at the Oscarsborg Opera in Norway, starting 16 September 2023 in a four-year engagement. She takes over the baton from Anne Felberg, who has led the Oscarsborg Opera since its inception 25 years ago. The company has produced numerous opera productions with over 100 000 spectators, so far.
“The Oscarsborg Opera is situated on two small islands in the middle of the Oslo fjord, 2 hours by boat from Oslo and 5 minutes by boat from the small town of Drøbak. The opera arena is the large open-air courtyard of Oscarsborg Fortress with 100% natural acoustics and a wonderful historic atmosphere.” (oscarsborgoperaen.no)
Mira Bartov, about the appointment:
MISSION OSCARSBORG OPERA
“One of my goals as an artistic director has been to keep a low threshold and a high ceiling, in order to make everyone feel welcome into the world of opera. And now I am in charge of an operahouse without threshold and ceiling. From my own point of narrative, that is evolution. Oscarsborg is a beautiful spot at the heart of Norway where history was made during World War II. Here, we are the guests invited by nature itself, allowed to perform opera between heaven and earth. The four elements are always starring in these spectacles. Water carries us to the small island and wind and weather offers a fresh atmosphere for each event. Even the birds are prone to answer, if not the conductor, then at least a sopranos coloratura lifting towards the sky. Open air opera combines art and nature and blends imagination with reality. It allows us to raise our glances and see ourselves as part of something higher and greater. Oscarsborg Opera has enriched thousands of people for the last 25 years, and I am honoured to have been given the responsibility to continue its mission.”
Mira Bartov began her musical education at The Nordic Conservatory of Music. She was then trained as an actress at Drama Centre London. After studying philosophy, literature and history of ideas at The University of Stockholm she was educated as an opera director at The Academy of Opera in Stockholm, where she graduated 2005. Since then, she has freelanced as a director and has staged many operas and musicals such as Rigoletto, Faust, The marriage of Figaro and The Pearlfishers at Folkoperan, Chess and Prosperos Garden at Göteborgsoperan, Alice in wonderland and Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Le Grand Théâtre de Genève, Don Giovanni at Malmö opera and Copenhagen Operafestival, The Magic Flute at Norrlandsoperan and Madama Butterfly at Oscarsborg Opera to mention some highlights. Mira is as well a sought-after translator of opera librettos. Between 2007-2011 she was the artistic director of Folkoperan in Stockholm. 2008 she became a Professor of Performance in musical drama at The Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg. 2015-17 she was the Dean of the Academy of Opera in Oslo.
Photo: Karl Gabor