Opera på Skäret: 20 years of summer opera in a spectacular setting

By Malin Norman | Photos: Andreas Hylthen

For more than 20 years, Opera på Skäret has staged summer opera in one of the world’s most remarkable opera houses. The former sawmill by the shore of Lake Ljusnaren in Bergslagen is renowned for its acoustics, and every year attracts an audience from near and afar. This summer promises a top-class performance of Turandot, Giacomo Puccini’s final opera.

Deeply embedded in the mining district of Bergslagen, Opera på Skäret is Sweden’s leading summer opera experience. Since its start in 2004, the old sawmill has seen some 130,000 visitors enjoying world-class opera performances with soloists of high international class, superior orchestras and Opera på Skäret’s own opera choir.

Over the years, opera fans have been able to enjoy works by great Italian masters such as Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Donizetti and Leoncavallo, as well as works by Wagner and Mozart. Two decades on, Opera på Skäret is a well-established international arena for summer opera in one of the world’s most distinctive opera houses.

“Our success is thanks to the unique location, phenomenal acoustics and fantastic singers and musicians, and we offer opera in the original language,” says Alexander Niclasson, artistic leader and stage director. “We have an incredibly loyal audience from near and afar, who loves what we’re doing. And our production is equally popular amongst performers. Every year, we have around 500-600 singers applying to take part, and we keep the artistic focus high when choosing the performers.”

Opera på Skäret: 20 years of summer opera in a spectacular setting

Rigoletto, 2023.

Old timber warehouse by the shore

The region of Bergslagen was an industrial powerhouse in Sweden from the 17th century up to the recession in the 1970s. Opera på Skäret is located in an old sawmill dating back to 1896, strategically placed by the shore of the vast Lake Ljusnaren. At its peak the sawmill employed around 200 workers, until it was eventually closed down in 1967. The large red building, previously used as a timber warehouse, seats 800 people.

“The setting in an old sawmill is exceptional and yet feels so close to nature,” says Niclasson. “It’s in the middle of nowhere and just beautiful. Even though the opera is performed indoors, nature is just around the corner and you can actually feel the breeze from the lake and the aromas from the forest. The combination of nature and top-class opera is quite special.”

The story of the summer opera began on a late summer day in 1996 when opera singer and violinist Sten Niclasson discovered the old timber warehouse at the closed sawmill, and conceived the idea of creating an opera house there. It took eight years before he was able to organise the opera galas that marked the inception of Opera på Skäret in 2004.

Star performance in Turandot

This summer, visitors will be able to see Turandot, an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini. “Turandot became Giacomo Puccini’s final opera and is immensely beloved worldwide,” says Niclasson. “It will be a great performance, with a fantastic orchestra and our biggest choir so far!”

Turandot is the operatic fairy tale of an oppressed people under an imperial dynasty in China. The merciless Princess Turandot is set to marry according to tradition but refuses to face the same fate as an ancestor, who was murdered after getting married. She does not want to be reduced to being subordinate to a man and has therefore, in order to delay marriage, imposed the condition that a suitor must correctly answer three riddles. If the suitor fails, he is executed.

Under the direction of renowned Italian opera director Lev Pugliese, Turandot will be performed from 26 July to 24 August. The opera was initially planned for 2020 and then 2021, but was cancelled due to the pandemic. “This summer, we will finally be able to offer our audience the opportunity to see this fantastic opera, with colourful décor and costumes, some 100 performers and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra in the orchestra pit.”

Take the opera train to Skäret

Adding another layer to the experience is the possibility of taking the opera train from Stockholm. “You can take the vintage train from Stockholm Central and arrive right here, by the opera house,” says Niclasson. The package includes he return trip from Stockholm, a two-course lunch and a three-course dinner, and the opera ticket of course. There is also an opera bus operating four different routes in Sweden, a convenient alternative, and visitors can also arrive by car, boat, kayak, or even seaplane.

In addition to the opera, there are plenty of things to see and do in the area. For instance, visitors can take the opportunity to go fishing, canoeing or swimming in Lake Ljusnaren, stay for a few days and discover Örebro, visit nearby Falu Mine, and enjoy a delicious dinner at Grythyttan.