Ultima 2025

The Ultima Festival is a celebration of contemporary music, attracting musicians and audiences from around the world. This year’s program promises to be particularly exciting, with works by composers and artists such as Joanna Bailie, Robert Ashley, Ensemble Nadar, Benedicte Marseth and Kristine Tjøgersen.

Joanna Bailie’s City Lines, an Ultima-commission, combines choreographed choir and electronics to explore the journeys people take through Oslo’s public transportation system. The piece weaves together field recordings from various stops, offering an immersive soundscape.

Robert Ashley’s The Theatre of Voices (Liquid Room) invites the audience to move between multiple stages. Spanning several hours, this work provides time for attendees to reflect on and discuss their experiences as they journey through the performance.

Ensemble Nadar presents Don’t Leave the Room, featuring a unique combination of a new composition and animation by Golnaz Shariatzedeh and an extended version of Alexander Khubeev’s Don’t Leave the Room.

Elja, a collaboration between Benedicte Maurseth, Kristine Tjøgersen and the Kronos Quartet, involves crafting new instruments for the quartet inspired by the principles of the hardanger fiddle. After its premiere at Carnegie Hall in March 2025, Ultima will feature the full-scale staged version of the work.

Made possible by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Ultima continues to stand as a global hub for contemporary music. With its avant-garde installations and exploration of timely, thought-provoking themes, the festival promises to inspire both discussion and reflection among its audiences.

Further Information:
ultima.no/en

Dates

September 11–20, 2025
Various locations, Oslo