Friends of Läckö Inauguration

Inauguration in 2025

The 2025 Summer Opening Ceremony will be held on Saturday 7 June. A personal invitation will be sent by post to all members.

Opening in 2023

Our summer opening went very well. The courtyard quickly filled up and the atmosphere was at its peak when Magnus Johansson and Marcos Ubeda opened with a summer psalm and then the magnificent Nessun Dorma. After that, we were treated to fine speeches and stories. Among other things, Lars-Göran Lönnermark told us about all the achievements that Läckö Vänner has accomplished during its 25 years. The presentation of Simon Irvine's award can be considered one of the great moments of the inauguration. After Bishop Åke Bonnier had declared this year's exhibitions open, we opened the exhibition floors and offered simple mingle food at Trulssons konditori in Café Stallet. All in glorious sunshine!

Opening in 2022

At last! After two pandemic years - the tradition of opening the summer season could resume. On 11 June, we were treated to brilliant speeches and exciting samples from the opera Tintomara and the Läckö Sessions. We also heard the background to this year's exhibitions, including The search for the soul of the forest by the artist duo Alexandrov Klum. As an extra treat, we were also able to enjoy delicacies from the Gastrosfär restaurant. It will be a busy summer in many ways and we can only urge you to visit the castle, often, this summer and autumn.

Opening in 2021 and 2020

Unfortunately, due to the current pandemic, it was impossible to organise the popular inauguration for both 2020 and 2021.

Inauguration 2019

The fact that the second Saturday in June is set aside for the opening of the summer exhibitions at Läckö, in the calendars of many leak connoisseurs, was well demonstrated by the good turnout, despite the fact that this day this year coincided with Whitsun and glorious summer weather.

Innkeepers Katrin Ljungblom and Stefan Söderholm met up on the castle hill with drinks and snacks, while Lidköping's Municipal Band further enhanced the atmosphere with magnificent music. Few can hold out the notes of their trumpet like Magnus Johansson, who, in keeping with tradition, performed Puccini's "Nessun dorma" accompanied by Marcos Ubeda.

Lars Bäckström, Chairman of the Foundation, welcomed everyone, this year in both Swedish and English, with a Chinese flavour. In China there is a saying about five special mountains you should see. Of these, the yellow mountain Huangshan is the most worth seeing. In Sweden we also have five castles and five mountains. The moral of the story is that you only need to see Läckö and Kinnekulle.

Next on the programme, the Peking Opera performed "Stage fighting Dang ma" and "Holding the horse" by Timothy Pilotti and Zhu Yingying, an exotic piece from a country with which we have great exchanges on many levels.

- An expression we have not seen before in the courtyard, as Magnus Lönnroth put it so well. We hope for more cultural exchanges this summer. According to the SMHI, the rain was heading our way, so Magnus shortened his information about Kulturen på Läckö Slott 2019 and asked the audience to read on websites and in brochures about all the events that will be organised at the castle and in the nature centre from now until December. The main exhibition on the second floor this year is called "Thoughts in Glass" and is organised in collaboration with the National Museum. The exhibition in the music room on the fourth floor shows art by Karl Axel Pehrson (the man behind the Guldbagge sculpture) side by side with photographs taken by Simon Irvine. In the antechamber, Rörstrand displays "A golden-edged history".

Magnus also took the opportunity to thank the Friends of Läckö for their contribution to the conservation of the Jakob and Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie statues, which are exposed to the elements in their niches all year round. They were in worse condition than expected, so it was in the Count's time that they were saved.

The annual meeting of Läckö Vänner appointed Håkan Ridal as an honorary member of Föreningen Läckö Vänner, when certificates of honour and gifts were presented. Today, the chairman Lars-Göran Lönnermark was also able to give a summary of the significant contributions Håkan Ridal has made from the formation of the association and onwards, as well as handing over tickets for next year's opera performance.

Theatre Events Manager Catarina Gnosspelius quickly introduced the audience to the somewhat convoluted story behind 'The Marriage of Figaro', the summer opera, from which we were given a few samples. Tickets for this beloved opera are almost completely sold out. Putting on such a large production requires 50-60 staff, early mornings, late nights and some concern for the weather.

Ingegerd Råman, Professor Emerita, one of the foremost figures in Swedish design, told us how, as a child, she picked up shells and pieces of glass washed up by the sea. She collected everything in a beautiful blue box. She was most fascinated by glass. This love of the material has continued over the years, from her first work in the small Johansfors glassworks to the large glassworks in Orrefors. But an object made of glass is not just the creation of a designer. It is a long chain consisting of catchers, blowers, sighters, grinders and engravers, among others, all of whom must contribute to ensure that the end product is accurate. Now there are not so many glassworks left. All the more studio glassworks where usually only one person both moulds and blows, which provides new and different opportunities.

Magnus Lönnroth admitted that they are not quite sure how many rooms there are in the castle. It is believed to be 248, but there are rumours of a speakeasy somewhere. - a speakeasy in the spirit of Bellman ... and there he appeared Bellman himself, marvellously portrayed by Matteus Blad. You'll probably find that pub, because with a swagger like Bellman's, it would be hard to keep both him and the place a secret. Läckö Gästabud is arranged 28 - 29 September.

AB Volvo's President and CEO Martin Lundstedt declared the summer exhibitions open, but before that he had time to tell us a little about Volvo's plans, including investing 1.7 billion in a new foundry in Skövde. Volvo's engines are ready for new types of fuel and they are good friends with Volvo Personvagnar AB. Martin Lundstedt admitted that he was a little unhappy about Volvo, but also about his home town of Mariestad and old Skaraborg with its interesting history. They may say what they want in Stockholm, but the founder of the capital is still buried in Varnhem Abbey Church.

With that, summer was here and the first drops of rain.