The Board of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet Foundation has announced it is recommending Thomas de Mallet Burgess as the next Artistic Director for the company.

“As an Artistic Director, Thomas brings a combination of experience and creativity that would boldly develop the future of opera at the Finnish National Opera,” said General Director Gita Kadambi.

English opera director de Mallet Burgess is currently General Director at New Zealand Opera, a position he has held since 2018. During his time he has transformed New Zealand’s national opera company. In 2012, he founded the innovative site-specific opera company, Lost & Found Opera in Australia and worked as its Artistic Director until 2018. He has also worked at the Canadian Opera Company, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opera Ireland and Wexford Festival Opera.

The Finnish National Opera said that the proposal followed a motion by General Director Gita Kadambi and was unanimously supported by the nomination and remuneration committee appointed by the Board.

Kadambi said, ”From many promising candidates, Thomas was the one who fulfilled our criteria best. He has excellent leadership skills and the artistic vision and talent needed for developing the opera art form and introducing it to new, broader audiences. Along with an extensive professional network, he has a track record in financially sound long-term planning. As an Artistic Director, Thomas has a combination of experience and creativity that would boldly develop the future of opera at the Finnish National Opera.”

The board will next hear personnel groups of the Finnish National Opera, after which it will decide upon the appointment in a meeting on Oct. 11, 2022.