Helsinki Festival programme is complete: Bang on a Can All-Stars, Kremerata Baltica, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and many others

Encompassing more art forms than in recent years, the Festival programme adds significant international guest orchestras and theatres, several premieres, the award-winning contemporary opera Woman at Point Zero and the premiere of Kalle Nio’s modern circus. Kicking off Helsinki Festival, the Night of the Arts’ highlight is a free acrobatic theatrical performance. 

“This year, the Helsinki Festival brings several current star orchestras for a visit. We are receiving orchestral visitors from New York and the Baltic Region as well as a top ensemble consisting of musicians from many European countries. We also want to be a literal multi-arts festival and make it possible for Helsinki Festival audiences to experience high-quality theatre, opera and circus performances”, explains Johanna Freundlich, Artistic Director of the Helsinki Festival. 

Formed by the New York music institution Bang on a Can, Bang on a Can All-Stars returns to Helsinki after a decades-long break. The sextet will perform three shows featuring two separate works at Dance House Helsinki. The Classics concert consists of a selection of classic works by the orchestra’s founders and top names in New York’s contemporary music scene. The second concert is the European premiere of David Lang’s new work before and after nature with the Helsinki Chamber Choir.

Legendary Latvian violinist and conductor Gidon Kremer brings his Kremerata Baltica orchestra to Helsinki Festival for the first time. The orchestra will play two concerts at Musiikkitalo: the first features Olli Mustonen as piano soloist and composer, and the second is a celebration of the 90th birthday of master composer Arvo Pärt.

The Pan-European Chamber Orchestra of Europe will perform a wide selection of 20th century orchestra and song music at Helsinki Festival. The orchestra is led by British star conductor Robin Ticciati and features the illuminous South African soprano Golda Schultz as soloist.

Helsinki Festival is bringing to Finland the highly-topical operatic event Woman at Point Zero that has attracted immense attention around the world. Based on Egyptian feminist writer Nawal El Saadawi’s novel and British Bushra El-Turk’s composition, the work is a new multimedia opera by LOD Muziektheater.

Helsinki Festival’s Finnish contribution includes interesting premiers. At the Festival’s opening concert, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste, will perform, for example, Sauli Zinovjev’s new composition Tarpeeton pyyhitään yli. The work is based on texts by Mirkka Rekola, and it is interpreted by soprano Helena Juntunen. At the Auringonsäteitä concert, organist Jan Lehtola and the Guards Band, conducted by Petri Komulainen, will perform Maija Hynninen’s new organ concert composed for Helsinki Festival – and, for example, Aulis Sallinen’s Palace Rhapsody. 

At the Finnish National Opera’s Helsinki Festival concert, the Orchestra will perform, among other works, the second act of Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde conducted by Hannu Lintu. The concert’s soloists include Camilla Nylund, Russell Thomas and Mika Kares.

Artist legend Jorma Uotinen will celebrate his 75th birthday at Helsinki Festival together with baritone Waltteri Torikka and the Oulu Sinfonia. The stage work will be realised at Temppeliaukio Church and combine the music of Bach, movement and light.

An already announced part of the classical music programme is the USA themed concert of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Susanna Mälkki, with the 2025 Grammy Award-winning opera singer Fleur Barron as soloist.

The stage work Tempo by magician and artist Kalle Nio, choreographer Fernando Melo and composer Samuli Kosminen is a skilful mix of dance and stage illusion. Realised in Almi Hall at the Opera House, the work is based on Harry Salmenniemi’s text delving into the multidimensionality of time.

The Opera House’s Almi Hall is also the venue for the Spanish Company Príncep Totilau’s Rrrrrr. Story of a Caterpillar, a visually enchanting and playful wordless dance and music theatre performance for children. Pianist Francesc Mora will accompany the work on stage by playing Frédéric Chopin’s most beloved compositions.

In addition to the Estonian Drama Theatre’s play Mephisto, announced earlier, Helsinki Festival’s other major theatrical event is the acclaimed interpretation of Juha Jokela’s play Fundamentalist by Estonia’s famed Von Krahl.

The already announced performance of Impermanence | Forever & Ever by the Sydney Dance Company, to be realised at Dance House Helsinki, has been expanded with an additional show, which will be performed on Saturday, 30 August at 1 p.m. 

At the Night of the Arts, Senate Square hosts an acrobatic theatrical work for the whole family. Pedaleando Hacia El Cielo  – “Pedaling Towards the Sky” is a magical performance of motion, dance, light and live music, in which bicycles rise up in the air to balance between Heaven and Earth in an August night.

The French hip hop dance group Cie Alexandra N’Possee will bring to Itäkeskus, Kontula and Suvilahti its performance of ZIG ZAG, a tale of encounters around an abandoned park bench. They are holding an open call for young people interested in dance to participate in the performance.

Merkitty Helsinki (Mapping Helsinki) highlights the most important locations for the city residents. Helsinki Festival and Helsingin Sanomat invite the people of the city to share locations that are meaningful to them. Selected locations will then host works created by Helsinki Festival’s co-operative artist EGS for the duration of the festival.

At the heart of the Night of the Arts are events produced by the residents of Helsinki themselves. The open call for events opened today on the Night of the Arts website: helsinkifestival.fi/taiteidenyo/en.

A diverse programme will also be offered by Helsinki Festival’s friendship festivals: Alakulttuuripäivä, Chamber Music Festival, Helsinki Contemporary Opera Festival, Kolibrí Festival, Outsider Art Festival, Runokuu/Poetry Moon, SAMPO Festival, Teatteri Sirkus Suosalo and Viapori Jazz.

Image: Bang on a Can All-Stars (c) Stephanie Berger