Design: NODE Berlin Oslo
Artist talks and conversations in context at Ultima 2025
Are you curious about the people and ideas behind the Ultima programme?
Ultima is more than music and sound experiences. It is also a chance to meet the artists, hear their stories, and discover the ideas behind the works you will encounter.
Most of the talks are free and held in English. Explore the full overview below and join us for a deep dive into the backstage worlds and creative contexts of the festival.
Artist talk: Kristine Tjøgersen and Jenny Hval
12 September 15:00 – 15:20, Vinterhagen I Sentralen
Free admission, but please note that capacity in Vinterhagen may be limited.
Ensemble Allegria invites you to a conversation between Kristine Tjøgersen and Jenny Hval. The starting point is Tjøgersen’s musical work Petrichor, inspired by the scent of rain on dry earth, and Hval’s latest book Scenemennesket. Together, they explore how scent and music can evoke memories, associations, and poetry.
13 September 13:00 – 14:00, Atelier Nord
Free admission
Atelier Nord invites you to a conversation with visual artist Hans Rosenström, reflecting on his installation Broken Chord. Rosenström is known for site-specific installations that combine sound, language, architecture and light. The conversation will be moderated by artist and director Maritea Dæhlin.
12 September 21:50 – 22:20, Black Box Theatre
Free admission
Black Box teater invites you to a conversation with Tore Vagn Lid, director, composer and artistic director of Transiteatret-Bergen. The conversation addresses the role of music in Triggersystemet and is moderated by Black Box teater director Jørgen Knudsen and Ultima director Heloisa Amaral.
Artist talk: Christel Stockhausen-Hektoen and Nordic Voices
14 September 14.30 – 15:00 Emanuel Vigelands museum
Admission included with the concert ticket
Before the performance of Stimmung, Nordic Voices invites you to a conversation with Christel Stockhausen-Hektoen and Frank Havrøy. Stockhausen-Hektoen is a musician and the composer’s daughter, while Havrøy, a member of Nordic Voices, has extensive experience with the piece. Together, they share insights into its background, performance practice, and Stockhausen’s fascination with the spiritual.
Artist talk: ONLY SLIME and Team Rolfes
15 September 14.00 – 15:00 Det Norske Teatret I Scene 3
Free admission
Det Norske Teatret and ONLY SLIME invite you to a conversation with Team Rolfes, the New York–based pioneers of virtual performance. Known for collaborations with artists such as Lady Gaga, Arca and BLACKPINK, they will discuss their creative process in a talk led by ONLY SLIME.
18 September 15:45 – 16:30 Deichman Bjørvika I Musikkavdelingen
Free admission
nyMusikk and Deichman Bjørvika invite you to a conversation about José Maceda’s Cassettes 100 with Aki Onda, Jennifer Torrence and meLê Yamomo. Moderated by curator Katya García-Antón, the talk explores the work’s original context in 1970s Manila and its relevance today in light of history, interpretation and collective memory.
18 September 18:00 –18:30 Den Norske Opera & Ballett I Foajeen
Free admission
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet invites you to a conversation about György Kurtág’s opera Fin de partie. The talk will explore the music and text in light of Beckett’s Endgame, and is moderated by musicologist Peter Edwards with contributions from philosopher Kaja Melsom and theatre critic Mona Levin.
Listen-Up! Artists in conversation on how their music takes shape
19 September 11:00–15:00 Kruttverket
Free admission with registration
Listen-Up is a live “sound-zine” where musicians from across genres come together to share insights into their musical lives and creative backstages. Composers, songwriters, improvisers, producers and performers open up about the rituals, tools and collaborations that shape their work. A rare chance to meet many of Norway’s most exciting voices at once.
18 September 18:15–18:45, Oslo Concert Hall I Glasshuset
Admission included with the concert ticket
The Oslo Philharmonic invites you to a conversation with Jörg Widmann, composer, conductor, and clarinettist. The conversation will highlight his own music, which he leads with the orchestra during Ultima, and will be led by Alex Taylor, artistic director of the Oslo Philharmonic, and Ultima director Heloisa Amaral
Artist Talk: Lawrence Abu Hamdan
20 September 14:00–15:00, MUNCH I Toppsalen
Free admission with registration
MUNCH invites you to a conversation with artist and investigator Lawrence Abu Hamdan. The talk will focus on the performance After SFX and the exhibition Zifzafa, and is led by curator Tominga O’Donnell.
