This week

Norway and Sweden

Afternoon on 3 this week offers a rare opportunity to get a flavour of the musical life of Norway and Sweden, in a big cultural year for the two Scandinavian nations. Stavanger in southern Norway is European Capital of Culture (along with Liverpool of course), orchestras from both Norway and Sweden triumphed at the 2008 Proms – the Gothenburg Symphony with their charismatic young Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the Oslo Philharmonic with their Finnish Music Director Jukka-Pekka Saraste – and Swedish women seem to be taking over the singing firmament.

• Listen to Afternoon on 3 broadcasts from the last 7 days

Afternoon on 3

Drop in on concert halls and opera houses all over the world, spend a week at a major European music festival, follow one of the BBC orchestras on tour, or immerse yourself in a performance by a highly acclaimed soloist or chamber group, all without leaving the comfort of your own home.
From piano solos to grand opera, Afternoon on 3 provides a selection of live and specially-recorded music, featuring top lunchtime chamber recitals and major operas from the most famous opera houses, as well as showcasing the BBC's performing groups and surveying the world's finest orchestras in concerts recorded near and far.

BBC Performing Groups

You can hear performances by the BBC Performing Groups on Afternoon on 3. Click here to find out more about them.