Our giftguide of 2025 - Nordlysfestivalen

Let this year’s Christmas gift be something that doesn’t take up space in drawers, closets, or among the dust bunnies under the bed. Let this year’s Christmas gift be a cultural experience!

We’ve put together gift suggestions that we think suit different interests and personalities. Of course, these are just ideas – but we hope they serve as a great starting point to find the perfect experience for someone you want to bring joy to!

For the whole family:

Måken Manfred – Join Måken Manfred and Krabben Kåre as they save the streams in the nature reserve from Bever Børve! Ps. Free children’s tickets! Note: Performance in Norwegian
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Planetpatruljen – Welcome to the stage premiere of this NRK success story! Ps. Free children’s tickets! Performance in Norwegian.
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UNGSY – Arctic Philharmonic performs with the symphonic talents of tomorrow, aged six and up! Always a magical concert.
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For the night owl:

Pistol & Bart – Despite being on Bukta Festival’s list of Tromsø’s greatest albums of all time, the full “...Rir igjen” has never been performed live – until now!
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Concert in the Dark – Step into the darkened Verdensteater, where Vokal Nord presents a choral concert exploring questions of good and evil, mysticism, and light.
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Closing Time – Every weekend evening concludes with a concert at Bakrommet, where music students have complete freedom to decide what to perform – and it’s entirely free!

For the nostalgic:

De Salige – Susanne Lundeng
Join Susanne Lundeng as she invites musicians of the past from Salten and Lofoten to perform.
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The Rivers – Benjamin Mørk & Arve Henriksen
A brand-new album inspired by rivers’ silent and ancient observation of the Kven migration history in the north.
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Moddi & Kajsa Balto
Moddi’s northern Norwegian ballads and Balto’s Sami songs come together in a concert where their languages, atmospheres, and stories complement and inspire one another.
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For the dramatic soul:

Duke Bluebeard’s Castle – A journey through the shadowy sides of the human psyche.
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Carmina Burana – A cult classic about human virtues and vices. Experience Carl Orff’s masterpiece.
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Semper Eadem
Festival artist Mimmi Tamba concludes the festival with a specially tailored concert based on the Hedda Award-winning Semper Eadem!
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For the music enthusiast:

Perkverket – A tribute to ancient instruments, where percussion traditions from around the world seek the shared human essence in the power of the drum.
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Summers/Silvola & Bozzini Quartet – A world premiere where Canadian contemporary stars meet the award-winning folk music duo Summers and Silvola.
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Khmer – A groundbreaking cult classic that cemented Nils Petter Molvær’s position as one of the leading voices in the new European jazz movement of the 90s.
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For the maximalist:

Marius Neset and Tromsø Big Band
What says “jazz fest” more than a big band with a saxophone soloist? We don’t know.
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Opening Concert: Manmade with Marius Neset & Arctic Philharmonic
Experience Manmade – performed by the composer and musician who has been compared to Gershwin by reviewer Guy Rickards in Klassisk Musikk.
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Mimmi, Marius & Konsen – The festival’s featured artists join forces with the students from the Conservatory of Music for a grand concert at Verdensteatret!
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With that, we wish you the best of luck with your 2025 Christmas gift hunt! We always encourage you to think locally and sustainably, whether it’s with us or someone else!