Symphony Orchestra
The orchestra was not established until March 9. 1950. In such a short time since then it may seem strange that the country has reach such high level of artistry as the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra (ISO) clearly manifests. The ISO gives approximately sixty concerts each season, including subscription concerts in Reykjavik, and tours both in Iceland and abroad, with recent visits to the Faeroes, Greenland, Germany, Austria, France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and North America. The year 2000 tour to USA and Canada was the most extensive one the orchestra has done. The American press embraced the performances of the orchestra and the tour was considered a major success for the ISO. Over the years, many renowned guest artists have enriched the ISO's music making, most notably Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yehude Menuhin, Wilhelm Kempff, Claudio Arrau, André Previn, Daniel Barenboim, Luciano Pavarotti, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Emil Gilels, Mstislav Rostropovich and Johsua Bell to mention but few. The post of chief conductors has also been filled by many important conductors who, over the years, have greatly influenced the orchestra's development, such as Olav Kielland and Karsten Andersen from Norway, Bohdan Wodiczko from Poland, Jean-Pierre Jacquillat from France, Petri Sakari and Osmo Vänskä from Finland and the last one, Rico Saccani from USA. British conductor Rumon Gamba is now the Chief Conductor and Musical Director of ISO.
Icelandic Opera
The roots of The Icelandic Opera (IO) go back to the end of he 1970s, so it is certainly young, at least by the standards of the long-standing opera houses of Europe that have traditions reaching back centuries. But it has never lacked ambition and energy, and now, as it leaves its youth and enters adulthood, it intends to go on playing an established and important role in the future. From the outset, one of the main aims of the IO has been to build up and strengthen a professional basis for Icelandic singers; naturally there are complex artistic and cultural aspects to the work of the IO. The agreement concluded with the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2001, which runs to the end of 2005, enables the IO to pursue its aims with greater force. The aim is to create a continuous, varied and ambitious programme over the winter months, so opera lovers should be able to rely on there always being something interesting going on at the Icelandic Opera. The choice of repertoire in the coming years will be broad. Most of the largest works will be well known operas, but lesser-known works, old and new, will also be featured. The IO will also be making a contribution to the creation of new operatic works, in which it will be collaborating with both domestic and foreign parties.