Co-Principal Bassoon

Malmö Opera is the heart and voice of music drama in Southern Sweden. The house was opened in 1944 and is situated in the center of the Öresund region comprising Southern Sweden and Eastern Denmark, only 25 minutes by train from Copenhagen. The main auditorium holds an audience of 1500, and the stage is one of the largest in Europe. Malmö opera performs a wide variety of repertoire including new operatic works and Musicals. 275 permanent employees and 500–700 freelance employees are engaged throughout a typical season where Malmö opera presents around 300 performances both inside the opera house and on tours around the region of Skåne. Malmö Opera offers employment in an inspiring and creative environment in which it delivers award-winning performances for its audience. Malmö Opera believes that its diversity of competences and broad artistic interests provides world-class working conditions for its employees.

Malmö Opera Orchestra was founded in 1991 and is one of Sweden's youngest orchestras. The orchestra of 62 musicians performs the entire range of music drama with the highest international standards, artists, and conductors.

The Malmö Opera Orchestra has a vacancy for Co-Principal Bassoon.

Audition October 20 – 21, 2026

The audition takes place by personal invitation only.

Compulsory repertoire:

Round 1:

W.A. Mozart - Concerto K 191 - 1st and 2nd movement until reprise, no cadenzas

I. Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 - 2nd movement solo

W.A. Mozart - Marriage of Figaro

Round 2:

Camille Saint Saens - Sonata op. 168, first movement, and second movement only until no. 2, mm 69 (before E major part).

Bernstein - West Side Story

W. A. Mozart - Cosi fan tutte - finale 1st Act No. 18

G. Verdi – Aida

Round 3:

A. Mozart - Sonata K 292 for bassoon and cello - 1st movement, only until repeat (mm 47), playing with the principal bassoonist as first, then switching, and candidate plays 1st when repeating.

Nielsen - Wind Quintet op. 43 - 1st movement, no repeat, with members of the orchestra

van Beethoven - Symphony no. 4 - 4th movement

G. Donizetti - Una furtiva lagrima

Orchestral excerpts can be downloaded through the following link from August 31st : https://www.malmoopera.se/noter-for-nedladdning

Job description and qualifications

As a candidate for this position Malmö Opera expects you will have the commensurate experience and higher education qualifications to work in a high-quality professional ensemble and environment.

As a member of the Malmö opera orchestra, you will contribute with curiosity, openness, competence, and tolerance to an internationally successful and well-respected ensemble. It is essential for Malmö Opera that the successful candidate contributes to creating healthy cooperation and quality results across all the exciting and diverse contexts it produces.

In addition to the main opera productions, the successful candidate will also work in smaller ensembles and contribute to the chamber music series.

Employment conditions

The employment will commence on January 1st, 2027, or as mutually agreed. The position is permanent, with a one-year trial period.

Due to the nature of a working in an opera orchestra in a house like Malmö Opera, the successful candidate may be required to play Contrabassoon as part of the rotation of services within the group, for example where the Principal or Co-principal positions double on Contra. Contrabassoon however will not be part of the audition as only the primary function of Co-principal bassoon is assessed. If during the trial, the rotation of the group and repertoire requires it, playing contrabassoon may be required of the candidate

Non-EU citizens (except for the Nordic countries) need a work and residence permit to work in Sweden. Malmö Opera cannot guarantee that permits will be granted by the authority.

We welcome your application no later than September 13th, 2026.

Please apply by clicking on the APPLY-button below, attaching your CV, and filling in the application form.

We do not accept applications by email.