FROM FJORDS TO FOOTHILLS
Rune Bergmann to lead Philharmonic
Q: You’re getting ready for your debut with the CPO after being named the music director designate — are you excited?
A: I’m very excited. We had our first rehearsal today and it’s like we’re picking up where we left off the last time I was here. It’s just great to be back.
Q: For those who haven’t seen you, what can they expect from you as a conductor?
A: They can expect a big, energetic and sweaty man. (Laughs) A big, sweaty Viking.
Q: What about the program for Saturday night?
A: This program has a lot of energy, especially the Beethoven (Symphony No. 7 in A major). He was a fighter and the 7th Symphony is one of the strongest, even though No. 5 is more known, and No. 9. But probably his best Symphony was No. 7 because it has so many colours and temperaments and temperature and all that — it’s probably the richest one. So I can promise that, I don’t think the audience will be as sweaty as me, but our goal for Saturday is that everybody will feel that energy go through their body.
Q: Now that you’ve been named the music director designate for the next season, what can people expect from that?
A: We’re almost ready with the program and there are a lot of nice surprises, a lot of new things, a lot of Canadian stuff. It’s always important to have a variety of colours and different programs and new music, old music, so we tried to make it as colourful as possible … It’s always a balance.
Q: I’ve seen your comments that some of the finest musicians you’ve worked with are at the CPO. Do you think this is a world-class orchestra and do you think you can help them get to another level?
A: Absolutely. That’s why I’m here. There are three key things that are really important … One, an orchestra needs a hall that sounds good, and that we have. And also you need an orchestra that is hungry and wants to go somewhere. It doesn’t always matter where you want to go, but you have to have a plan … and everybody has to be on board that we don’t want to just stay the same. The world goes on every day so we just have to keep up and hopefully being in front of that. Like, how will the world look in 10 years, in 20 years, in 30 years? It’s so funny that with technology these days, everyone is still recording CDs but nobody is listening to them anymore. Everything is digital. As I usually say, if you’re not on YouTube you basically don’t exist in the world anymore. So I think for this orchestra it’s very important to become a little bit more digital so the world can see what they’re doing here, because there is a lot of good things happening in Calgary that nobody knows.
And the second thing, I really hope that we can travel somewhere and play for others. And not because we don’t want to play for the local audience because that’s extremely important, but I think it’s also important for the orchestra to go somewhere and see something else and meet new audiences and all that …
I think also for Calgary that would be the next step for the city. I mean, this city has been extremely successful in business and oil and with the Olympics and all kinds of stuff, but I think that a goal for this city should be now to be also a world-class place for culture.
Q: Will you be living here full time next year?
A: First I have to bring my family and we have to see how we do it … I will bring them in June and I will show them everywhere and see how it feels. We haven’t really talked about it yet. Everything happened really fast, but I will for sure be here a lot and then we’ll see if we’ll move here. It is a lovely place and the funny thing is that where I live in Norway and Calgary it’s almost the same weather. The winter here and the skiing possibilities — Norway and Calgary have a lot in common.
Q: So you are prepared for the winters?
A: Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think it will be an interesting year, now. The first thing I experienced was the orchestra, the second thing was the Stampede, and next I will experience the snow. (Laughs) I’m having the Calgary experience now, every day.