Festivals around Sweden & Italy 2025

We welcome mandolin players & singers to our festivals in Sweden.

Please contact us for more information.

CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO

Plays Concerts, Café Concerts & Opera around Sweden

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VIEWS FROM VADSTENA, MEDEVI, GRÄNNA & VISINGSÖ, SWEDEN

Some of the concerts will take place around Lake Vättern

CAFÉ CONCERTS & OPERA WITH CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO

M U S I C  B Y  V I V A L D I

Baroque music in Swedish castles and mansions

CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO PLAYS HÄNDEL

A café concert from Ljung's castle, Sweden

CAFÉ CONCERTS AT LJUNGS SLOTT (CASTLE) NEAR LINKÖPING, SWEDEN

Every Friday at 14:00 - 16:00 in the large dining room at the castle

4, 11, 18 and 25 July, as well as 1 August 2025

CAFÉ CONCERTS

A luxurious experience from the 18th century

EVERYONE LIKES TO ENJOY A CUP OF COFFEE, OR WHY NOT, AFTERNOON TEA AND BE ENTERTAINED AT THE SAME TIME

That's exactly what this is about. Carl Michael Bellman already knew that, so he also became immensely popular. Here you get the chance to listen to classical music in a Swedish castle or manor house, while enjoying a lovely cup of coffee or tea and a good pastry.

INSPIRATION FROM THE CARNIVAL OF VENICE

We have taken inspiration and concepts from Carnevale di Venezia, where we have performed since 1998, and moved the event into Swedish castles and manors. With over 20 years of experience in how the musical entertainment at the carnival in Venice is at its best, we have now established the idea in a few places in Sweden and at the same time tailored the programs for a Swedish and international audience. The response from the audience has been far beyond the usual.

MIMMIE GRENNÄS & LARS FORSLUND

play café concerts at Ljung's castle

THE VIVALDI FESTIVAL OF SWEDEN

Concerts in Sweden 11 June - 30 August 2025

CONCERTS 2025 WITH CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO

MUSIC BY VIVALDI

Baroque music in churches and castles

VIVALDI'S MUSIC

Vivaldi's music has once again become high fashion, with a modern audience. Many of Vivaldi's operas are now in the repertoire at the major opera houses. His music is life-affirming and rhythmic. Vivaldi was in his time one of Italy's most sought-after opera composers. In Venice, Rome and Florence, his operas filled the theaters to capacity. Antonio Vivaldi was trained as a priest and was called in Venice in his time "Il Prete Rosso", the red priest because of his red hair. But he could only dedicate himself to the priesthood for a short time as he suffered from chronic asthma bronchitis. Instead, Antonio Vivaldi became Maestro del Violino and principal rector of the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, a home for orphaned girls. He worked there for 40 years and developed one of the most respected orchestras of the time. The concerts at the Ospedale della Pietà were then famous throughout Europe. After 40 years at the Ospedale della Pietà, Vivaldi moved to Vienna.

SUMMER CONCERTS AROUND SWEDEN 2025

CONCERTS

Wednesday 11 June 18:00 Mikaelskyrkan, Ryd - Linköping

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"From Vivaldi to Beethoven"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart & Beethoven

Thursday 19 June 18:30 Selångers kyrka, west of Sundsvall

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Musik för mandolin och cembalo av

Vivaldi, Bach och Beethoven med flera

Sunday 22 june 18:00 Säterbo kyrka, near Arboga

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Thursday 26 June 18:00 or 19:00 Hultsjö kyrka, near Sävsjö

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Sunday 29 june at ?? Brahekyrkan, on the island Visingsö, Gränna

Camerata Mandolino Classico

Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Wednesday 2 july 19:00 Vänge kyrka, near Uppsala

Camerata Mandolino Classico

Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

SUMMER CONCERTS AROUND SWEDEN 2025

CONCERTS

Friday 4 July 14:00 - 16:00 Ljungs slott (castle), near Linköping

Café Concerts with Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Sunday 6 July 18:00 Rommele kyrka, near Trollhättan

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Wednesday 9 July 19:00 Kronoparkskyrkan, Karlstad

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Lovely sounds from the Baroque"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and organetto by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Thursday 10 July 19:00 Husaby kyrka, near Götene

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Friday 11 July 14:00 - 16:00 Ljungs slott (castle), near Linköping

Café Concerts with Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Sunday 13 July 18:00 Landeryds kyrka, near Linköping

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Från Venedig till Wien"

Music for flute, mandolin and harpsichord by

Vivaldi, Bach, Haydn & Beethoven and more

Wednesday 16 July 19:00 Rytterne kyrka, near Västerås

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Från Vivaldi till Beethoven"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart & Beethoven

Friday 18 July 14:00 - 16:00 Ljungs slott (castle), near Linköping

Café Concerts with Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Saturday 19 July 22:00 Breviks kyrka, near Karlsborg / Hjo

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Lovely sounds from the Baroque"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and organetto by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Korvgrillning / hot dog, barbecue after the concert!

SUMMER CONCERTS AROUND SWEDEN 2025

CONCERTS

Wednesday 23 July 19:00 Överselö kyrka, near Strängnäss

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Il prete rosso - Den röde prästen"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Antonio Vivaldi and his contemporaries

Friday 25 July 14:00 - 16:00 Ljungs slott (castle), near Linköping

Café Concerts with Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Sunday 27 July ?? One of the churches in Ydre

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Wednesday 30 July 19:00 Kråksmåla träkyrka, near Nybro

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Friday 1 August 14:00 - 16:00 Ljungs slott (castle), near Linköping

Café Concerts with Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Sunday 3 August 18:00 Övre Ulleruds kyrka, near Forshaga-Munkfors

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Wednesday 6 August 19:00 One of the churches in Ödeshög

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Lovely sounds from the Baroque"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and organetto by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Thursday 7 August 18:00?? Ringarums kyrka, Ringarum

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Musikaliska pärlor från 1700-talets Europa"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

Sunday 10 August 18:00 Björskogs kyrka, near Kungsör

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Lovely sounds from the Baroque"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and organetto by

Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann and more

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SEMINAR & CONCERTS

Venue will be announced later

SCHEDULE 2025

Monday 11 August 10:00 - 19:00 Vadstena

Music for mandolin, cembalino d'amore and organetto

"Seminar for mandolin & basso continuo"

Lars Forslund, instructor & coach

Tuesday 12 August 10:00 - 19:00 Vadstena

Music for mandolin, cembalino d'amore and organetto

"Seminar for mandolin & basso continuo"

Lars Forslund, instructor & coach

Wednesday 13 August 10:00 - 17:00 Vadstena

Music for mandolin, cembalino d'amore and organetto

"Seminar for mandolin & basso continuo"

Lars Forslund, instructor & coach

Wednesday 13 August 19:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

1. CONCERT - "From Vivaldi to Beethoven"

Music for mandolino and cembalino d'amore by

Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart & Beethoven

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Thursday 14 August 10:00 - 13:00 Vadstena

Music for mandolin, cembalino d'amore and organetto

"Seminar for mandolin & basso continuo"

Lars Forslund, instructor & coach

Thursday 14 August 15:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

2. CONCERT - "From Versailles to the French Revolution"

Music for mandolino and cembalino d'amore

by Lully, Couperin, Rameau and Edelmann

Thursday 14 August 19:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

3. CONCERT - "Music for the soul - Musica per lo spirito"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino d'amore

by Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries

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Friday 15 August 10:00 - 13:00 Vadstena

Music for mandolin, cembalino d'amore and organetto

"Seminar for mandolin & basso continuo"

Lars Forslund, instructor & coach

Friday 15 August 15:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

4. CONCERT - "Slow and beautiful"

Music for mandolino and cembalino d'amore

by Johann Sebastian Bach

Friday 15 August 19:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

5. CONCERT - "Il prete rosso - The red priest"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino d'amore

by Antonio Vivaldi and his contemporaries

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Saturday 16 August 10:00 - 13:00 Vadstena

Music for flute, mandolin, cembalino d'amore and organetto

"Seminar for flute, mandolin & basso continuo"

Mimmie Grennäs and Lars Forslund, instructors & coaches

Saturday 16 August 15:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

6. CONCERT - "Lovely sounds from the Baroque"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and organetto

by Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann and others

Saturday 16 August 19:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

7. CONCERT - "heavenly beautiful Opera-arias by Vivaldi"

Music for soprano, mezzo-soprano, flauto dolce,

mandolino, cembalino d'amore

and organetto by Vivaldi

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Sunday 17 August 10:00 - 13:00 Vadstena

Music for flute, mandolin, cembalino d'amore and organetto

"Seminar for flute, mandolin & basso continuo"

Mimmie Grennäs and Lars Forslund, instructors & coaches

Sunday 17 August 15:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

8. CONCERT - "A musical journey in 18th century Europe"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino d'amore

by Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann and others

Sunday 17 August 19:00 Vadstena

Camerata Mandolino Classico with soloists

9. CONCERT - "Gloria di Lorenzo Cristiano"

Music for soprano, mezzo-soprano, flauto dolce, mandolino, cembalino d'amore,

and organetto by Lorenzo Cristiano, Vivaldi, Corelli and Lars Forslund

Reservation for any changes!

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CONCERTS

Sunday 31 August 18:00 Sankt Pauli kyrka, Skiftinge-Eskilstuna

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Från Vivaldi till Beethoven"

Music for flauto dolce, mandolino and cembalino by

Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart & Beethoven

Free entrance to all churches

Reservation for any changes

Always check with the respective church / parish on their website regarding

the time and place of the concerts

Please, scroll down for more concerts in Italy

Reservation for any changes!

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BRAHEKYRKAN AT THE ISLAND OF VISINGSÖ

Some of the concerts will take place in this beautiful church

A STEAMBOAT ON LAKE VÄTTERN, SWEDEN

Lake Vättern is one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe

Cottages house & coffe shop at Medevi Brunn

ABOUT MEDEVI BRUNN

The spa was founded in 1678, the same year as Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice, by Count Gustaf Soop and the royal doctor Urban Hjärne. Queen Hedvig Eleonora had a summer residence built at Medevi säteri, on the hills overlooking the village, at the recommendation of Hjärne. Since then, people have been coming to Medevi every summer to cure themselves from a ilments by drinking the mineral water and by covering themselves in mudwraps. Most buildings date back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

The concert & dinner hall at Medevi Brunn

OUR RELATION TO MEDEVI BRUNN

In 1985 we organized an international mandolin festival here at Medevi Brunn with Yasuo Kuwahara and his orchestra Filmusica from Japan, Keith Harris with friends from Australia, people, soloists and orchestras from Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Austria and so on.

Birgitta klostret & klosterkyrkan in Vadstena

ABOUT VADSTENA

A short history of Vadstena. First known mentioning of Vadstena dates back to the second half of the 13th century. The area around the town had been important already during the Viking Age and was considered a center of power. It would eventually be the testimony of the well-known Swedish King Magnus Eriksson and his queen Blanka that in 1346 gifted the area of Vadstena to Birgitta Birgersdotter’s planned abbey. Birgitta would later become a saint known as Heliga Birgitta,or Saint Bridget in English.

Vadstena Abbey was completed in 1384, eleven years after the death of Birgitta Birgersdotter. A town began to grow around the abbey and it received its town privileges in the year 1400. The importance of the town and the abbey grew during the 15th century and Vadstena became a cultural center in Scandinavia. The abbey would at the mid 15th century be in possession of around 1000 farm steads.

If you remember the story of the Venetian nobelman Pietro Querini in ”The Lofoten Suite” I told you about that Querini visited Vadstena klosterkyrka 2 May 1432 for a Catholic Mass, on the way back to Venice after his stay in Lofoten.

Vadstena Abbey met its adversary in the first half of the 16th century. Gustav Vasa became Swedish king in 1521 and would soon thereafter introduce the Reformation in Sweden. The Reformation meant a fast decline in the importance of the abbey. Its struggles did, however, continue all the way to 1595 when its last parts closed down.

Gustav Vasa affected the town in more ways than one. He did not only make the decision that would lead to the end of the abbey. He also began the construction of fortification in the town. The purpose of the construction would, however, change before completion. The final result was eventually Vadstena Castle, a renaissance castle that was first completed in the first half of the 17th century. Even before completion, it did house royals. Not even a decision to build a castle in the town in 1544 helped to increase the size of the stagnating population. Vadstena lost its town privileges in 1643 in competition with nearby Askersund. The last royal to stay in the castle was Ulrika Eleonora in 1716. The castle was abandoned and would for centuries mainly be used for smaller workshops and storage. The old buildings that were once the abbey saw a similar decline in importance. They were for some time used as a prison before being turned into a mental hospital in 1829.

MY RELATION TO VADSTENA
First time I visited Vadstena was in 1972 and I was a young student, visiting the Opera Festival of Vadstena Opera Academy. Next time was in 1978 when I started to play the viola in Vadstena Chamber Orchestra for about three years. It was a wonderful time and I learned so much about musicality and how to play in an orchestra. I worked with very good musicians of Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.

In 1982 I founded the first mandolin festival, ever in Sweden at Visingsö and Vadstena. Since then I have played hundreds of concerts in Vadstena and organized mandolin festivals, opera festivals, choral festivals and so on. Allways playing the mandolin as a soloist with stringorchestras and of course with mandolin orchestras. All my friends, like Takashi Ochi, Keith Harris, Yasuo Kuwahara and others, and many,many German, Italian, Japanese, Scandinavian mandolin orchestras, Russian domra and balalaika orchestras, Russian and Czech chamber orchestras, as well as more than 100 italian musicians and operasingers has performed in my festivals here in Vadstena and around the Lake Vättern. Many choirs, instrumental soloists and opera singers has given concerts and opera performances in my festivals. I lived and worked in Vadstena 1992 – 1998 and than I moved to Ödeshög.

The hostel in Ödeshög

ABOUT ÖDESHÖG

Ödeshög carries not just one, but several exciting stories that have played a major role in Sweden's history. These stories include everything from a treacherous assassination plot against a grand king, hidden treasures, the fight for women's rights, unsolved mysteries from the Viking Age and revelations from God. Ödeshög is mostly known for its historical remains from the Iron Age and the Middle Ages. But in a bog called Dags mosse, not far from Alvastra Klosterruin, archaeologists have found remains of a settlement with lots of exciting finds that stretch all the way back to the Stone Age, that is, an incredible 5,000 years back in time.

The settlement is a so-called stilt building, where stilts have been built around a floor of logs that have been laid directly on the bog (wetland). It is 1,000 square meters in size and consists of thousands of stakes and sticks. Remains of nearly 100 fireplaces have also been found, which indicates that there were no fixed walls, but people lived in temporary huts. This is one of Sweden's strangest and most imaginative wooden constructions that remain from the Stone Age. During the excavations, several tools were found that were commonly used in hunting, fishing and grain cultivation. But they also found jewelry and among the slightly more unpleasant finds, a skull that had signs of being scalped. Rock carvings consist of various symbols that have been carved, cut, ground or tapped into rock slabs and rocks. In Hästholmen, not far from Hästholmen harbour, there is a large rock carving with scenes, rites and events from the Bronze Age people in Östergötland. There are at least 207 symbols on the slab. Some of the more difficult to interpret & debated symbols consist of a couple of ships representing, among other things, two embracing people.

Some archaeologists say the image probably depicts a bride and groom on a ship. In other words, on the shores of Lake Vättern, we would see a love and fertility rite practiced over 3,000 years ago. There are also motifs of animals, hunting scenes, people and so-called bowl pits. Bowl pits are small pits in the rock face that probably had great significance in sacrificial contexts to get close to the gods or other supernatural beings.The Smoke Stone, which stands next to Rök's church near its original location, still teases researchers with its complicated web of stories. The stone is studded with runes and maple runes - on the front there are around 280 and on the back around 450. Even the narrow sides bear text and even the top surface has been used, but the rune carver has placed his text so ingeniously that all the runes can be read by whoever standing on the ground. It has been said that Rökstenen is our first Swedish poem and it must already have been considered a literary and artistic masterpiece when it was written. The decorative text has been executed by a runic carver with a distinct sense of form and ornamentation. He also considers himself a very literate poet with a great knowledge of the mythical stories and imaginary worlds of the time. Through his strange creation, he seems to have deliberately wanted to put the reader's acumen and education to the test. Nowadays, researchers almost agree on how the Rökstenen's runes should be read, but not how they should be interpreted. Here there are exclusive elements of legends, dark myths and a number of different heroic poems as well as episodes from Varin's own family history.

The smoke stone still hides its secret - maybe you'll be the one to crack the code? Through its monumental size and rich decoration, the Smoke Stone reveals that Varin most likely belonged to an influential family. In addition, the prominent place of the god Tor in the later part of the text can be explained by an effort to give Varin and his family a divine anchoring and legitimacy. In this way, the stone certainly functioned both as a memorial to a missing son and as a status symbol for the family.

The story behind Alvastra Klosterruin. Alvastra monastery was founded in 1143 by French monks who belonged to the powerful Cistercian order. From Clairvaux in France to Swedish Östergötland, the monks brought with them modern methods of administration, technology and construction. During the Middle Ages, the area around Alvastra was an area that had great significance for the rise of the Swedish kingdom. Here lived the powerful Sverkerätten with Sverker the elder, known as the king of the Eastern Goths and later became the ruler of the Swedes. We don't know for sure, but there are many indications that it was thanks to the Sverkerätten that Alvastra monastery was built. For nearly 400 years, Alvastra monastery flourished. But with the Reformation, the monastery was dissolved and the land ownership was transferred to the crown. Alvastra's property became Alvastra's royal estate. The material in the monastery buildings themselves came to interest various builders and was used, among other things, to build Vadstena Castle and for Per Brahe's buildings by Lake Vättern. Since 1898, the monastery ruins have been restored and conserved in several rounds. Saint Birgitta in Alvastra Kloster St. Bridget (1303-1373) is one of Europe's patron saints and one of the most interesting and important figures of the Middle Ages. She is world-renowned for her apparitions, for the monastic order she founded and for her long pilgrimages.

She set off for Spain, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Rome. But it was in Alvastra monastery outside Vadstena that she received many of her most famous revelations, and it was there that she felt called to be "Christ's bride and mouthpiece".

MY RELATION TO ÖDESHÖG
My parents bought a mannor house outside Ödeshög 1986 and they moved from Stockholm where I also growned up. In 1998 my family moved from Vadstena to that big house and we started immediately “The House of Music” (Musikens hus), and started to organize concerts, opera and rehearsals in the house. I started also the cultural exchange with Venice 1998. After that, my involvement with Venice took off at the highest level with hundreds of exchange concerts in Venice and Sweden. In the mansion we could also host all the Venetian musicians during our rehearsals, operas and concerts. In 2011 we sold the house and moved in to the center of the village of Ödeshög.

Gränna, Visingsö and Lake Vättern

ABOUT GRÄNNA

Few places in Sweden are as associated with the thought of one single product as Gränna. The town lying next to lake Vättern is famous for its traditional sweet and that is the ”Polkagris”. Once in town, it is really difficult to miss the stores selling the sweets because they are literally everywhere.

Polkagrisar,this particular candy stick is what has made Gränna famous. A poor 35-year-old widow, Amalia Eriksson, invented the peppermint candystick in Gränna in 1859. While in Gränna you will not only have the possibility to taste these hard sweets but you can see how they are made. There are several small shops around the town and most of these are making their own sweets and it is all on display for you to see.

A short history of Gränna. The town of Gränna was founded in 1652 by count Per Brahe the Younger. The original name of the town was Brahe-Grenna. There is no major event in the history of Gränna itself. But there is a lot more history to explore on the nearby island of Visingsö.

ABOUT VISINGSÖ

Here was the residence of the Swedish Monarchy during the 12th and 13thcenturies. Four kings died on the island during that period. They are Karl Sverkersson, Erik Knutsson, Johan Sverkersson and Magnus Ladulås. The island also had oak trees planted by the Swedish navy during the 19th century. This was to secure the availability of timber for future ship constructions. The issue that now has occurred is that the timber is ready, but there is a lack of ships being built of timber.

In the middle of lake Vättern – Sweden’s second largest lake –you will find the island of Visingsö. This island has historic importance in Sweden. While either walking, cycling, or taking a horse ride around the island you will have the possibility to enjoy all the sights, the nature, and the water that is all around. The Visingsborg Slottsruin consists only of the south wing, just a fraction of the former castle. In its last phase, which was completed in 1662, the fairy-tale castle consisted of four equal-sized wings, which formed a closed square around a large courtyard.

The castle had four towers whose gilded roof tops towered over the roof sand stepped gables. To protect against attacks, the complex was surrounded by ramparts and bastions, which were equipped with cannons. Weapons were stored in the armory for about 800 soldiers, and the last lord of the castle had a private army of about 200 men.

The size of the castle was no coincidence, because it was the seat of the noble family Brahe, which possessed extensive estates in the provinces of Västergötland, Småland and Östergötland and formed the largest county in Sweden in the 17th century.

The construction of the castle began in 1561 with the west wing, after Per Brahe the Elder became a Count, appointed by King Erik XIV. His son Magnus Brahe added the east and south wing, which formed the state lyest part of the castle, with its halls and chambers.

The last lord of the manor, Per Brahe the Younger, who also had built the luxurious manor Brahehus, completed the castle by adding the missing north wing. As an educated and very history-interested contemporary he had installed an imposing library and gave the entire castle the last luxurious touch.

MY RELATION TO GRÄNNA / VISINGSÖ
In 1982 I started Sweden's absolute first mandolin festival and there were musicians from America including Mark Davis and Marilynn Mair from Providence, Rhode Island, USA and mandolinists from Berkely Mandolin Orchestra, San Francisco and the legendary mandolin enthusiast Norman Levin from Arlington, Washington D.C.

On Visingsö, we recorded a gramophone record, a double LP that became a success in Sweden and was played on radio and TV. One of the mandolin concertos by Vivaldi became the signature tune for a television program, the Italian language course "Buongiorno Italia". I sent the LP to Takashi Ochi, who by return mail invited me to Das Deutsche Zupforchester, and after that the whole international mandolin world opened up to me and collaborations with Japanese, German, Austrian and Scandinavian mandolin orchestras became extremely large.

MUSICA BRAHE FESTIVAL
In 2002 I founded Musica Brahe Festival with 56 concerts in 22 comunes and in 4 regions around Lake Vättern. The name reflects Count Per Brahe the Younger, who was a great humanist during Sweden's great power era in the 17th century. He was the king's closest man and he founded the Swedish school system and built schools, also in Finland. He was a highly educated man and he studied in Venice in Italy, Giessen in Germany and lute playing with John Dowland in London, England.

VENETIAN MUSICIANS & FIREWORKS
There were many Venetian musicians invited to the Musica Brahe Festival 2002 and the palette of music spanned from the Baroque and Renaissance to contemporary music. Music was performed for small chamber ensembles, Spaghetti opera with skilled opera singers and the region's best symphony orchestra which, among other things, played Handel's fireworks music outdoors in the castle grounds at Vadstena castle with professional pyrotechnicians who timed the fireworks exately with the music, bar to bar, and when the timpani played the fireworks were in the air at the millisecond right.

CULTURAL SCHOLARSHIP
This event led to that I, as a producer, received Ödeshög's cultural scholarship for a considerable sum as the year's most interesting cultural worker, for my efforts in the Musica Brahe Festival, which I myself had created. I worked, at the time, as a professional music producer in the state and regional cultural activities of Sweden in Jönköping County.

40 YEARS OF MANDOLIN MUSIC
For more than 40 years, every summer, I have organized music festivals, always with the mandolin in focus, around Lake Vättern and its surroundings. In 2005, I founded the Vivaldi Festival of Sweden, which celebrates its 20th anniversary 2025. During these years, my ensembles Musica Festiva and Camerata Mandolino Classico have played thousands of concerts in Sweden, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Japan. Mostly of the concerts in Japan was played with Maestro Yasuo Kuwahara.

THE PROJECT OF CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO
This project that we will now jointly launch is part of the Vivaldi Festival of Sweden and I look forward to playing with you during the summer of 2025 in Sweden when Sweden is at its most beautiful with bright nights, lovely baths outdoor and rolling landscapes in our beautiful region around Lake Vättern.

The very best regards! Lars Forslund - Artistic Director of The Vivaldi Festival & The Mandolin Academy

A warm Welcome to the Musical Festivity close to the Nature!

THE VIVALDI FESTIVAL OF SWEDEN

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Lake Vättern and the wonderful beach at Gränna

VENEZIA - FESTIVAL MUSICHE AL TEMPO DEI DOGI

CONCERTS IN VENICE AND AROUND THE LAGUNA 2025

CONCERTS

Saturday 13 September Chiesa dei Gesuati, Venice

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Music from the time of the Doges"

Music for mandolin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by

Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Galuppi, Paolucci and more

Sunday 14 September Chiesa di San Lio, Venice

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Music from the time of the Doges"

Music for mandolin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by

Vivaldi, Frescobaldi, Piccone and more

FESTIVAL SUONI SULLA LAGUNA

Wednesday 17 September Chiesa dei Gesuati, Lido - Venice

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Music from the time of the Doges"

Music for mandolin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by

Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Galuppi, Paolucci and more

Thursday 18 September Chiesa dei Gesuati, Burano-Venice

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Music from the time of the Doges"

Music for mandolin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by

Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Galuppi, Paolucci and more

FESTIVAL DI MUSICA ANTICA SARDEGNA

CONCERTS IN CAGLIARI AND ORISTANO, SARDINIA

CONCERTS

Saturday 20 September ,Cagliari

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Music from the time of the Doges"

Music for mandolin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by

Vivaldi, Frescobaldi, Piccone and more

Sunday 21 September ,Oristano

Camerata Mandolino Classico

"Music from the time of the Doges"

Music for mandolin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by

Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Galuppi, Paolucci and more

CONTACT US ABOUT THE FESTIVALS

Concerts, Café Concerts & Opera around Sweden 2025

INFORMATION

The concert program for the concerts 2025 has not been determined.

Please come back to our website later! Feel free to contact us

with questions about the concerts 2025!

Please contact us for any questions!

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WATCH OUR VIDEOS

Beautiful 3D films about The Carnival of Venice in the 18th century. Or play along to our soundtracks.

Music by Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Näslund and others