If you, like everyone else, haven’t seen the sun for two months and your umbrella has been working far too much overtime, we’d advise you to head to the Norwegian concerts at the BBC Proms this month to shelter from the rain and enjoy the music. There the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the oldest orchestral institutions in the world, will perform a one-off concert.

Edinburgh has several events to offer this month with the Book Festival and the International Festival. And to all theatre lovers; make sure you don’t miss the smash-hit ‘Elling’ in London’s West End where the leading star John Simm’s energetic performance continues to attract a full house every night.

Finally, if you are one of the millions escaping the British summer and heading for a beak abroad this month, we’ve suggested three Norwegian novels published in the UK this year as mandatory holiday entertainment. Whatever you do, enjoy it!

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the oldest orchestral institutions in the world, will be performing works of Edvard Grieg with whom the orchestra had close ties during the composer’s lifetime. The evergreen Piano Concerto by Grieg is paired with Grieg's funeral march for a fellow Norwegian composer who died tragically young. [+] Read more

Norwegian pop five-piece, Popium, are releasing 'Anchor Down' at the end of August, a tune that has already been selected as BBC Radio 2’s single of the week. The track is a late 60s early 70s inspired pop tune which takes as its blueprint the hooks of The Beach Boys, the adroitness of The Byrds and the dreaminess of Supertramp. [+] Read more

Several highly renowned Norwegian writers will be attending the Edinburgh Book Festival in August. Lars Saabye Christensen, Jo Nesbø, Kjell Ola Dahl, Erik Reinert and Eva Joly are all part of the very strong Norwegian line-up. 
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Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg will be represented by his lyrical 'Holberg Suite' at a concert during BBC Proms performed by the Scottish Ensemble. In addition, a selection of string classics, including Elgar's Serenade, whose broad, melodic second movement is every bit as affecting as the composer's Cello Concerto or Enigma Variations, will also be performed. [+] Read more

Norwegian artist Fride Klykken will exhibit with Hideku Inoue at the Edinburgh Art Festival this summer. The show explores the patterns that define and chart family ties through generations. Artists Inoue (Japan) and Klykken have collaborated through researching memories of grandparents. 
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Usher Hall and Edinburgh International Festival hosts Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex, featuring Norwegian baritone Terje Stensvold on 23 of August. The programme opens with Stravinsky’s ballet Orpheus, an evocation of the classical Greek myth. 
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 Based on the Oscar-nominated Norwegian cult film, Simon Bent’s hilarious adaptation of ‘Elling’ now moves to the Trafalgar Studios, Whitehall, following its sell-out success this spring at the Bush Theatre. Meet Elling and Kjell Bjarne, the odd couple of the dysfunctional world. Given a flat in the centre of Oslo by social services, their mission is to re-assimilate themselves back into society. [+] Read more

 From the record 1,870 entries received for the prestigious BP Portrait Award, Ingolv Helland is one of only 60 artists chosen to take part in an exhibition showcasing the best works that were entered. The Portrait Award, now in its 28th year, is a highly successful annual event aimed at encouraging artists to focus upon, and develop, the theme of painted portraiture within their work. [+] Read more

 Following the success of his last two novels ‘The Half Brother’ and ‘Herman’, one of Norway’s most celebrated authors, Lars Saabye Christensen, now publishes his latest novel ‘The Model’ in the UK. The novel follows the painter Peter Wih and asks how far he is willing to go in order to create his art.
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 Norwegian author Helene Uri's second novel 'Honey Tongues', translated by Kari Dickson, is now out in the UK. It tells the story of four friends in their thirties who have known each other since school. They make up a ‘sewing circle’ where no sewing is done, but much exquisite food is lovingly prepared and consumed and increasingly bitchy gossip exchanged.  [+] Read more

 In 'The Conqueror', the second volume of the trilogy about Jonas Wergeland, Jan Kjærstad’s narrative enmeshes the reader more and more closely not only in the life of one man, but also in that of an entire nation and its culture in the latter half of the twentieth century. The first volume of the triology, 'The Seducer', was the winner of the Nordic Prize for Literature 2001. [+] Read more

The Royal Norwegian Embassy produces a monthly online newsletter which lists new and exciting events involving Norwegian artists and professionals. This year, one lucky newsletter subscriber and a friend will be sent to Norway for a stylish weekend break in Oslo. Find out how you could be heading north...
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