See You Next Year!

World stars, inspiring conversations, and a shared belief in the future

This year’s edition of the Baltic Sea Festival was shaped by the theme “waves” – a symbol of everything from sound and light to the movements of history and emotion. In line with the theme, the festival offered eleven magnificent concerts, an open house, and a family day featuring a children’s performance, plenty of fun free activities, engaging live podcasts, and conversations focused on nature, creativity, history, safety, collaboration, and music – along with a thrilling virtual reality experience.

Festival highlights

The festival opened in grand style on Baltic Sea Day, August 28, with Grammy-winning conductor Alan Gilbert, the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, and shooting star Maria Dueñas. The world premiere of Grand Guignol by Mikael Karlsson and Anna von Hausswolff, performed by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Radio Choir, delivered a night of darkness and ecstasy. The Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester also made its Swedish debut under the baton of Manfred Honeck.

World-renowned pianist Piotr Anderszewski performed a recital featuring works by Bartók and Brahms, and violinist Janine Jansen began her season as Artist in Residence with Franz Schubert’s enchanting Octet in F major. Jazz made its debut at the Baltic Sea Festival as Petter Eldh’s Post Koma, Sofia Jernberg, and Per Texas Johansson took the stage at Fasching. For Berwaldhallen’s youngest visitors, a full day of musical activities, instrument try-outs, and an exciting ocean-themed performance created by Emmy Lindström and Henrik Ståhl awaited.

Exciting collaborations

This year, Berwaldhallen collaborated with the Finnish Institute, where the festival launched a chamber music project that will continue throughout autumn 2025. In partnership with Voksenåsen and Creative Dialogue, young and promising musicians and composers from across the Nordic region came together in a creative exchange, also hosted at the Finnish Institute. Voksenåsen and Talent Norge also presented a concert at the Norwegian Embassy (for invited guests). We were also proud to offer a unique VR experience in collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology and the National Museum of Science and Technology. You’ll find all our partners listed here.

Final Concert Conducted by Salonen

Festival co-founder Esa-Pekka Salonen, also Artist in Residence for the 2025/2026 season, joined forces with acclaimed soprano Asmik Grigorian and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra to present a magnificent closing concert featuring Strauss’s farewell songs Vier letzte Lieder and Bruckner’s romantic Fourth Symphony.