The Board of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet Foundation has officially appointed Dima Slobodeniouk as its new Principal Conductor. Slobodeniouk will take up the post in August 2026. The decision was made at a board meeting on June 10 and Slobodeniouk’s tenure will run through July 31, 2030. In a statement, Kim Ignatius, Chair of the Board said, “I am very {…}
The Finnish National Opera has announced its 2026-27 season. New Productions Monica Zanettin and Liana Aleksanyan lead Verdi’s “Aida” Giorgi Sturua, Milen Bozhkov, Emilia Rukavina, Tuija Knihtilä, Tuomas Pursio, Samuli Takkula, Don Lee, Young-Doo Park, Volodymyr Tyshkov, and Koit Soasepp. Noa Naamat directs the production and Dan Ettinger and Harri Karri conduct. Performance Dates: August 28, 2026 – Oct. 1, 2026 Kevin {…}
The Finnish National Opera has announced its first new production of the 2026-27 season. The company said that it will present a new production of Gluck’s “Orfeo” featuring Michał Sławecki and Kangmin Justin Kim in the title role, Suvi Väyrynen and Saara Rauvala as Amor and Sonja Herranen and Anna Barletta as Euridice. The production is set to be directed {…}
The Finnish National Opera is set to present “Festen” by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Lee Hall. The production by Richard Jones, which first opened at the Royal Opera House in London in February 2025 to critical acclaim, will star Darren Jeffery, Susan Bickley, Daniel Brenna, John Chest and Natalya Romaniw. They will be joined by Georgia Jarman, Kirsi Tiihonen and Robert Bork. James Hendry {…}
(Photo: Sakari Viika/Finnish Music Quarterly) Throughout operatic history, family difficulties are among the most widely utilized themes by composers, with the more recognizable feuds seemingly being children and their (step) mothers. From Pamina and her mother (“Die Zauberflöte”), Hansel, Gretel, and their stepmother (“Hansel and Gretel”), Lucette/Cinderella and her stepmother (“Cendrillon”), and Elektra and her stepmother (“Elektra”), there is something {…}
Finnish National Opera’s The Sugar Factory – New Opera Works has announced the selection of 12 artists from 300 applicants. The program, which the Finnish Cultural Foundation funds, selected its artists through an open call. The premieres of the works created through this collaboration will take place at the Finnish National Opera’s Almi Hall in autumn 2026. According to a {…}
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. {…}
The Aalto Theatre in Essen and the Finnish National Opera have announced “Day of Night” composed by Outi Tarkiainen. The new opera based on Niillas Holmberg’s Sámi novel will feature a libretto by Aleksi Barrière. In a statement composer Outi Tarkiainenspoke about his dream of creating a Sámi-themed opera for nearly a decade before finding inspiration in Niillas Holmberg’s debut {…}
The Finnish National Opera has announced it is launching a new opera writing laboratory. The new writing program will be supported with €1.2m from the Finnish Cultural Foundation. This new initiative was proposed by Thomas de Mallet Burgess, Artistic Director at Finnish National Opera, and is designed to explore the challenges and opportunities in the writing and development of new {…}
The Finnish National Opera has announced a new commission “Morgonstjärnan – The Morning Star.” The new work set to premiere on Jan. 30, 2026, will be composed by Sebastian Fagerlund and written by Gunilla Hemming. The work will be adapted from Karl Ove Knausgård’s acclaimed novel and will be the first opera based on Knausgård’s work. In a statement, Fagerlund {…}
On Sept. 17, Helsinki Airport passengers will able to experience opera and ballet in a collaboration between Finavia and Finnish National Opera and Ballet. The two companies will open a visual and audio installation at the airport, where snippets of opera and ballet performed at the Opera House in Töölönlahti, Helsinki, will be projected on one of the walls of {…}