RÚV English Radio

Today on RÚV English Radio, 27 - the opera premiering tonight at Borgarleikhúsið.

27 (https://www.borgarleikhus.is/syningar/27) tells the love story of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, two women who created in Paris a home, a community, and a refuge for some of 20th century’s greatest artists.

Darren met composer Ricky Ian Gordon, director Bjarni Snæbjörnsson, and Íris Björk Gunn­ars­dótt­ir, who both produces the opera and performs the role of Gertrude - and is the founder of the opera company hinÓperan (https://hinoperan.is/en/about.html), which works to increase the visibility of queer characters.

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

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RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today on RÚV English Radio, some more bite-sized Icelandic language learning, in the latest weekly episode of Auðskilið.

Each week, as part of our regular programming, RÚV English Radio hopes to assist with the learning of Icelandic - https://www.ruv.is/english/2026-01-19-learn-icelandic-with-ruv-english-radio-463826

In weekly shows, called Auðskilið - which means "easily understood" - you can follow along with a recent news story, written and read in a simple form of Icelandic.

Today, the plans for a new national stadium. Follow along with the text here - https://www.ruv.is/audskilid/2026-09-29-ny-thjodarholl-kemur-2030-488339

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today, RÚV English Radio returns to Mengi.

Mengi is Reykjavík's longest running independent music venue. This weekend, starting tomorrow (Thursday), you can enjoy three nights of improvised creativity, at the Festival of Improvised Music (https://www.facebook.com/events/2337754820103393).

See details of all the acts here: https://mengi.net/events.html

Darren met Mengi's artistic director John McCowen to hear more.

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today, RÚV English Radio talks again to artist Michelle Bird.

Michelle Bird's (https://theartofmichellebird.com/) new exhibition is Fish out of Water - compiled of paintings created in the past 12 years, almost the time that she has officially lived in Iceland.

It runs at Gallerí Grótta in Seltjarnarnes (https://www.icelandicartcenter.is/venues/gallery-grotta), for one month, from November 5.

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today, RÚV English Radio is in the water.

Watsu (water shiatsu) is a form of passive aquatic bodywork and hydrotherapy - and are there many better places than Iceland to practice such an activity?

Darren was guided through his first Watsu session by Steve Fernandez of Water Therapy Iceland (https://watertherapy.is/).

Dip your toes in these waters with workshops and courses (https://watertherapy.is/watsu-basic/) this week at Hátún 12 in Reykjavík.

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today, something very big, is very old.

In 1926, 42 crates arrived in Iceland aboard the ship Lagarfoss from Germany. The cargo weighed 11 tonnes and contained a new organ for Fríkirkjan Church in Reykjavík - with an organ builder from the Sauer factory to assemble what was Iceland's biggest musical instrument.

The 100th anniversary of the organ is celebrated this year with a series of free concerts - the next is this Sunday. (https://www.facebook.com/events/1493344029271735)

Darren spoke to organist Gunnar Gunnarsson.

The concerts:

25 October at 16:00 – Lára Bryndís Eggertsdóttir

22 November at 16:00 – Björn Steinar Sólbergsson

29 November at 16:00 – Áki Ásgeirsson

20 December at 16:00 – Sigurður Flosason and Gunnar Gunnarsson

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today on RÚV English Radio, some more bite-sized Icelandic language learning, in the latest weekly episode of Auðskilið.

Each week, as part of our regular programming, RÚV English Radio hopes to assist with the learning of Icelandic - https://www.ruv.is/english/2026-01-19-learn-icelandic-with-ruv-english-radio-463826

In weekly shows, called Auðskilið - which means "easily understood" - you can follow along with a recent news story, written and read in a simple form of Icelandic.

Today, the "glossy ibis" comes to Vestmannaeyjar. Follow along with the text here - https://www.ruv.is/audskilid/2026-09-27-bognefur-i-vestmannaeyjum-488192

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today on RÚV English Radio, the return of the Opera Days festival to Reykjavík.

Reykjavík Opera Days, Óperudagur, (https://www.operudagar.is/en/dagskra/) celebrates opera in Iceland, and classical voices more generally. The festival kicks off this week.

The festival director is Guja Sandholt, who also performs in Béla Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, receiving its Icelandic premiere.

Darren spoke to Guja ahead of the events.

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today on RÚV English Radio, an interview from RÚV's foreign desk, which produces a radio programme about foreign affairs, Heimskviður (https://www.ruv.is/utvarp/spila/heimskvidur/29234), broadcast on Rás 1. Many of the interviews happen in English, and occasionally we will replay them here.

Serbians living in Iceland have tried to set up a polling station to vote in Serbian elections. They say they have a venue in Reykjavik that meets all requirements. According to Serbian law, if at least 100 people register to vote at an overseas location, an official polling station must be opened - but despite having that number of voters and a location, Serbian election authorities have still refused to approve the polling place.

The group also say Oslo, where the nearest Serbian embassy is located, is too far for most of them to travel.

RÚV's Ólöf Ragnarsdóttir spoke to two of the community here in Iceland - Mladen Zivanovic, a teacher, and Milos Petrovic, associate professor of sports science.

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.

Today, RÚV English Radio is back in Hvammstangi.

The Icelandic Seal Center (https://selasetur.is/en/) in Hvammstangi is a fun and educational experience for all ages, where you can learn all about these fascinating creatures, how to see them, and how to help keep them safe.

Darren was guided round by centre manager Örvar B. Eiríksson, and Sandra Magdalena Granquist, who runs the research department in association with the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.

RÚV English Radio is heard around the world and in Iceland, celebrating Icelandic culture, art, music, language, and much more.

Let us know where you're listening - in Iceland, or around the world - we'd love to give you a mention! Email [email protected]

Find this episode and previous shows & podcasts here, Spotify, Apple, and all podcast places. Find us on Facebook too.

RÚV English Radio, from Iceland's national broadcasting service, RÚV.