Let’s say you don’t want the servants overhearing sensitive matters of state in the dining room (such a common problem these days, one finds). You can’t possibly lay the table yourself, nor serve the food, so what to do? The answer is simple: you cut a big hole in the floor and drop the table down below stairs. Once the soup is ladled, your staff will hoist it back into place – steady now – using an ingenious pulley system. Repeat between courses and, hey presto, secrecy is maintained.

This table à confidence was crucial to the royal and political life of Sweden in the 18th century, but it did more than serve as cover for covert conversations; it lent its name to the Confidencen, Stockholm’s jewel-like opera house and theatre, commissioned by Queen Louisa Ulrika and opened in 1753. It’s just one of the wealth of gorgeous historic buildings that adorn this elegant city of water and light, making it such a seductive travel destination.

Queen Louisa made sure her theatre had a private dining room where secretive meetings could be held in the fevered political atmosphere of the time. The table’s clever block-and-tackle system took its inspiration from the inventive stage machinery next door, which today – like the rest of the theatre – is restored and back in working order. After centuries of silence this riot of rococo is once again hosting seasons of opera that flourished in the late 18th century, when the Queen sought out singers, dancers, musicians and composers from across Europe to perform there.

However, the dangerous intrigue engulfing Sweden’s politics which had made the table à confidence so necessary also led to a dramatic tragedy and the theatre’s closure after only 40 years. Gustav III, known as the ‘theatre king’, had made his debut on the Confidencen stage when still a young prince, but in 1792 he was assassinated during a masquerade at the Royal Opera in central Stockholm – a shocking incident that would later inspire Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. Theatres were closed and Sweden gradually sank into cultural obscurity.

When in the 1920s the theatre historian Agne Beijer rediscovered the nearby Drottningholm Palace theatre, interest grew in reviving the Confidencen too, but it wasn’t until 1976, when opera singer Kjerstin Dellert pledged to raise the money to restore it, that serious work could be planned.

Now, every July the theatre machinery cranks into life under the seductive glow of candlelight when an opera from the Swedish baroque is revived in the Confidencen Opera and Music Festival. At other times of the year the theatre hosts seasons of concerts, theatre and ballet and should be high on the list of any musical visitor to Stockholm, pairing it perhaps with a charming boat ride out to Drottningholm to enjoy its opera season.

Summer in Stockholm is a delightful time for musical events, with endless days under a sun that rises before 4am and doesn’t set until 10pm, but in the winter, when nights can last 18 hours, Stockholm offers an altogether different experience: the celebration of Lucia, the patron saint of light. Should you be there in December, you might see processions of white-clad children and adults, singing special songs which Swedes have known for generations.

Crowned with candles, Lucia arrives early in the morning, accompanied by handmaidens and ‘star boys’, all dressed in long robes. Three wise men and children dressed as gingerbread biscuits could also feature in the many processions. Much singing ensues after which coffee and S-shaped yellow saffron buns decorated with raisins (‘lussekatter’) are served. This charming custom has become something of a symbol for Sweden and is often staged by Swedes living abroad.

Like so many Christian festivals, the Lucia celebrations have their roots in pagan times. At the darkest time of the year people believed that evil powers would stalk the land, so they would keep watch through the night, guarding their farms and animals. When Christianity arrived in Sweden the Julian calendar gave the longest night of the year between 12 and 13 December, but in 1753 (the same year, coincidentally, that the Confidecen opened) the Gregorian calendar took over and the winter solstice moved to 22 December. Sweden, however, maintains the tradition of Lucia on 13 December, with concerts throughout that week, particularly in Stockholm Cathedral in the old town and in nearby St Jacob’s church.

These fine buildings and the church of St Clara host abundant choral and organ concerts, alongside regular sung services. The Cathedral is home to an annual masterclass for choral conductors, a festival for young singers and offers regular recitals on its mighty Marcussen & Søn organ from 1960, which sits behind an ornate facade created in 1789.

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra performs throughout the year at the Konserthuset, right in the heart of the city, a venue that every three years sees an extraordinary event, one that firmly displays Stockholm’s high regard for music and musicians. The great Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson, who died in 2005, established a prize that continues to honour musicians and institutions responsible for creating an important chapter in music’s history.

At $1m it’s the biggest award in classical music and compares with the Nobel Prize for its significance and status. Winners have included the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the conductor Riccardo Muti and the soprano Nina Stemme. Last year, the prize went to the cellist Yo-Yo Ma for his work in bringing sometimes opposing communities together through music.

The ceremony is a glittering occasion, with the prize presented by King Carl Gustav amid much fanfare – a stamp of royal approbation that would surely warm the heart of his ancestor, the music-loving Louisa Ulrika, queen of the disappearing table.

Stephen Pritchard writes on music for the Observer and the classical music website Bachtrack. He trained at Portsmouth Cathedral and sings with the English Chamber Choir

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Choir & Organ magazine. Never miss an issue – subscribe today