Our Partners
Cultural life in Iceland is outstanding, it´s hard to believe that this small nation has all this variety. We pride ourselves of having an excellent cooperation with our partners. This allows us to offer tours which will fulfil your or your group’s wildest dreams.
THE ICELANDIC OPERA
The Icelandic Opera´s first performance was Leoncavallo´s I Pagliacci in Haskolabio in March 1979.
Since the Icelandic Opera moved into Harpa they, among others, have given the following performances: La Boheme by Puccini, Il trovatore by Verdi, Carmen by Bizet, Don Carlo by Verdi, Don Giovanni by Mozart, Évgení Onegin by Tchaikovsky, Tosca by Puccini, Brothers by Daniel Bjarnason and La Traviata by Verdi.
The Icelandic Opera will perform Figaro´s Wedding by Mozart in autumn 2019 and the Valkyries by Wagner spring 2020. The Valkyries will be a part of Reykjavik Arts Festival in 2020.
THE ICELANDIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1950. It has distinguished itself as one of the leading Nordic orchestras through its many performances and recordings. The orchestra gives around 60 concerts each season, including subscription concerts with renowned conductors and soloists, family concerts, school concerts, recordings, and local as well as international tours. It has performed to great acclaim at international festivals and in concert halls, including the BBC Proms in 2014 under the direction of Ilan Volkov, New York’s Carnegie Hall and Vienna’s Musikverein.
REYKJAVIK ARTS FESTIVAL
Reykjavík Arts Festival is a biennial multidisciplinary festival with a special focus on new commissions and the creative intersection of the arts. It presents, to the widest possible audience, exhibitions and performances of contemporary and classical works in major cultural venues and unconventional spaces throughout the city. Since its inception in 1970, Reykjavík Arts Festival has invited hundreds of artists from all parts of the globe to perform or exhibit at the festival.
The next Reykjavik Arts Festival will be in spring 2020.
ICELAND DANCE COMPANY
Iceland Dance Company (IDC) is the national dance company of Iceland based in Reykjavík City Theatre. Established in 1973, IDC is an independent public institution responsible for developing, creating and nurturing contemporary dance and choreography in Iceland. IDC is a progressive contemporary dance company constantly building a repertoire of choreography by many of the world’s leading choreographers, e.g. Ohad Naharin, Johan Inger, Jiri Kylian, Ed Wubbe and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Simultaneously, the company has led the development of Icelandic choreography and nurtured home-grown talents who have received international acclaim. The company places an emphasis on developing partnerships with other cultural institutions and prides itself on a tradition of working with emerging talents in all artistic fields, e.g. by frequently commissioning new music.
WANT TO DISCOVER THE ART OF ICELAND?
Icelandic art is currently flourishing. Popular history claims that the first solo exhibition of Icelandic painters was around 1900 by Þorarinn B Þorlaksson. By the end of 1918, the Icelandic Art Association agreed to hold an overview exhibition of Icelandic art. This decision marks a definite turning point in Icelandic artistic life. There, for the first time, an attempt was made to give a comprehensive impression of the Icelandic art style that had grown in the early 20th century. In Iceland, you can find various art galleries showcasing an extremely wide selection of art. Moreover, art auctions are regularly held, catering for a range of tastes and budgets.
FOR THE KNITTING LOVER
Knitting has a long tradition in Iceland. The earliest surviving documents about knitting in Iceland are from the second half of the 16th century. In those days, everyone was knitting – women, men and children alike – as debts were paid in this way. For personal use, people knitted almost all their clothes, i.e. socks, gloves, scarves, sweaters, pants, shoes, lids, caps and even braces. Some people also knitted their underwear, stockings, tents and pillowcases. At first, knitwear was made from both lamb’s wool and horsehair, but, in recent years, only the lamb’s wool has been used.
ICELANDIC CUISINE/WINING AND DINING
The cuisine of Iceland has a long history. The most important ingredients in Icelandic cuisine are lamb and fish. Today, all kinds of delicious dishes are made from Icelandic fresh ingredients, including a range of natural seasonings such as crowberry, blueberry, rhubarb, Icelandic moss, wild mushrooms, wild thyme, lovage angelica and dried seaweed. If you would like to taste something truly Icelandic try skyr, hangikjöt (smoked lamb), rúgbrauð (dense dark and sweet rye bread), kleinur and brennivín (an Icelandic akvavit). Þorrablót is a buffet served at the midwinter festival which includes a selection of traditionally cured meat and fish.
ACCOMMODATION
Iceland has a varied selection of hotels and guesthouses. Here, you can find both big and small hotels, boutique hotels, international chains and friendly local Icelandic country hotels. Allow us to find the accommodation which best suits your needs.