Rythm and ritual

The Baltic Sea Festival 2026 opens with an evening pulsing with premieres and rhythm! Andres Orozco-Estrada takes the podium at Berwaldhallen for the very first time as Chief Conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra – a long-awaited debut that sets the tone for the festival. Anders Hillborg’s powerful Mahler tribute Hell Mountain receives its Swedish premiere, and Molly Kien’s brand-new work – composed exclusively for the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Choir – will have its world premiere.

As a sparkling highlight, we hear soprano Malin Byström interpret songs by Alma Mahler, before the evening culminates in Igor Stravinsky’s iconic music for the ritual ballet The Rite of Spring – a work where rhythm becomes primal force and dance transforms into a timeless ceremony.