The Finnish National Opera has announced its 2025-26 season.

Premieres 

Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel”  will get a new production by Richard Jones and will be presented for the first time since 1996. The new Finnish translation by Mikko Koivusalo will star Tommi Hakala, Samuli Takkula, Tuija Knihtilä, Maiju Vaahtoluoto, Elli Vallinoja, Polina Liiv, Suvi Väyrynen, Emma Mustaniemi, Dan Karlström, and Roland Liiv. Antony Hermus conducts.

Performance Dates: Oct. 24-Nov. 28, 2025

The spring season will open with the world premiere of “Morgonstjärnan – The Morning Star” by Sebastian Fagerlund, Gunilla Hemming, and Karl Ove Knausgård.  Thomas de Mallet Burgess directs the production with conductor Hannu Lintu leading the orchestra. The soloists include Johan Reuter, Helena Juntunen, Tommi Hakala, Jenny Carlstedt, Niklas Björling Rygert, Nicholas Söderlund, and Mari Palo.

Performance Dates: Jan. 30-March 10, 2026

Susan Bullock and Michael Mayes lead Béla Bartók’s “Duke Bluebeard’s Castle” in a production directed by Daisy Evans.

Performance Dates: Feb. 20-28, 2026

Mark-Anthony Turnage’s “Festen” will make its Finnish Opera premiere in Richard Jones’ production. James Hendry conducts the opera, which will star Darren Jeffery, Susan Bickley, Daniel Brenna, John Chest, Natalya Romaniw, Carole Wilson, Jukka Rasilainen, Peter Brathwaite, Clare Presland, Akseli Ferrand, Roland Liiv, and Ann-Marie Walsh.

Performance Dates: March 27-May 7, 2026

The season’s final opera premiere will be a double evening including Sibelius’s symphonic poem “Luonnotar” and Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta.” Sibelius’ work will star Silja Aalto while Tchaikovsky’s work will star Nina Bezu, Mika Kares, Iurii Samoilov, and Edgaras Montvidas. Antony McDonald directs the new production, while Kristian Sallinen conducts.

Performance Dates: May 15-30, 2026

CircOpera

Jere Erkkilä’s CircOpera 2.0 will again thrill audiences for all ages with its fusion of opera and contemporary circus. World-class circus artists will perform alongside the full Finnish National Opera Orchestra and soloists Iris Candelaria, Johanna Lehesvuori, Elli Vallinoja, Pihla Terttunen, Anna Erokhina, Minna Grönthal, Jussi Vänttinen, Juha Pikkarainen, Koit Soasepp, Visa Kohva, Markus Nykänen, and Tuomas Miettola.

Performance Dates: August 22- Sept. 30, 2025

Revivals 

Strauss’ “Elektra” returns with a cast that includes Ricarda Merbeth, Vida Miknevičiūtė, Sophie Koch, Mika Pohjonen, and Sam Taskinen. Patrice Chéreau’s production will be conducted by Hannu Lintu.

Performance Dates: Sept. 17-Oct. 4, 2025

Elisabet Strid and Magdalena Hinterdobler will star in Puccini’s “Tosca” alongside Milen Bozhkov, Teodor Ilincai, Tuomas Pursio, and Claudio Sgura. Xiang Zhang and Pietro Rizzo conduct the production by Christof Loy.

Performance Dates: Nov. 19, 2025-Jan. 13, 2026

Verdi’s “La Traviata” will star Diana Alexe, Tuuli Takala, Alejandro Luévanos, Markus Nykänen, Stefano Meo, and Heikki Kilpeläinen. Stephanie Childress conducts the production.

Performance Dates: Feb. 11-March 25, 2026

Concerts 

A concert at Tapiola Church will be performed as part of the Organ Night and Aria festival. The concert will feature choral gems from operas such as “Il Trovatore,” “The Magic Flute,” “La Bohème,” and “Madama Butterfly.” The stars of the evening will be the singers of the Chorus of the FNO.

Performance Date: August 7, 2025

The next concert in the season will feature Camilla Nylund, Russell Thomas, Mika Kares, Marina Prusendskaya, Samuli Takkula, and Jere Hölttä performing the second act of “Tristan und Isolde.” Chief Conductor Hannu Lintu conducts.

Performance Date: August 21, 2025

The Chorus of the FNO celebrates its 80th anniversary with a gala concert featuring soloists Helena Juntunen and Arttu Kataja. The FNO orchestra is conducted by Markus Stenz in a program that includes music by Berg and Brahms.

Performance Date: Nov. 4, 2025

The concert series at Musiikkitalo will continue in spring 2026 with two additional performances that will be announced at a later date.