A birthday present from the orchestra

The Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2023.

To mark the occasion, the orchestra musicians will give their audience a birthday present: the immensely popular free foyer concerts will be staged in Töölö, Helsinki, on the anniversary weekend from 1 to 3 September. Three concerts will take place at the Concert Hall of the R Building of Sibelius Academy (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9) and two in the impressive ballroom of the Aalto University Töölö (Runeberginkatu 14-16).

Top Soloists

The concerts will also feature vocal music performed by renowned soloists from the Finnish National Opera. Taking the stage are Lilli Paasikivi, Mari Palo, Helianna Herkkola, Kevin Greenlaw, and Jaakko Kortekangas.

programme

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT 1.9.2023, Sibelius Academy, R Building at 7 p.m. (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9)

Duration approximately 1 hour

Dmitri Shostakovich: Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok, op. 127 (1967)

Mari Palo, soprano
Mikk Murdvee, violin
Samuli Peltonen, cello 
Kirill Kozlovski, piano 

Arnold Schönberg: Verklärte Nacht op. 4 (1899)
String sextet

Jukka Merjanen and Anna Husgafvel, violin
Carl Lee and Rémi Moingeon, viola
Kirsti Väyrynen-Lausund and Anne Lagercrantz, cello

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT II 2.9.2023, Sibelius Academy, R Building at 3 p.m (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9)

Duration approximately 55 min

Mozart: Sérénade no. 10 B KV 361/370a “Gran Partita” (1781/82)

Amelia Coleman and Laura Kemppainen, oboe 
Niina Selin, Veera Myllyniemi, clarinet
Tuulia Ylönen, Arto Vainio, basset horn
Asko Padinki and Vertti Tapanainen, bassoon 
Tommi Viertonen, Terhikki Tapani, Jaakko Välimäki, Hannu Kilpi, horn 
Marko Mikkola, double bass 
Katerina Torp, Sini Sihvonen, dancers
Sofia Ruija, choreography

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT III 2.9.2023, Sibelius Academy, R Building at 7 p.m. (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9)

Duration approximately 50 min

Igor Stravinsky: Octet (1922)

Matti Närhinsalo, flute
Niina Selin, clarinet 
Yasuko Matsuzaki-Svala and Ilmari Kuoppa, bassoon 
Alessandro Chiavetta and Scott Natzke, trumpet
John Kotka and Francisco Couto, trombone 
Mikael Loponen, conductor 

Maurice Ravel: Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé (1913)

Helianna Herkkola, soprano  
Timo Pulakka and Matti Närhinsalo, flute 
Niina Selin and Tuulia Ylönen, clarinet 
Emilia Karjunen and Anna Husgafvel, violin 
Silja Salorinne, viola 
Jussi Seppänen, cello 
Kirill Kozlovski, piano 

Francis Poulenc: Le Bal Masqué (1932)

Kevin Greenlaw, baritone  
Maija Linkola, violin 
Jaakko Paarvala, cello  
Veera Pesu, oboe 
Tuulia Ylönen, clarinet 
Yasuko Matsuzaki-Svala, bassoon 
Alessandro Chiavetta, trumpet 
Virva Kuusi, percussion 
Kirill Kozlovski, piano 
Mikael Loponen, conductor 

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT IV 3.9.2023, Aalto University Töölö at 3 p.m. (Runeberginkatu 14-16)

Duration approximately 1 hour

Luciano Berio: Folk Songs (1964)

Lilli Paasikivi, mezzosoprano
Riitta-Liisa Ristiluoma, viola 
Samuli Peltonen, cello 
Timo Pulakka, flute 
Niina Selin, clarinet 
Heikki Parviainen and Tuomas Siddall, percussion 
Ya-Wen Lin, harp 
Mikael Loponen, conductor 

Richard Strauss: Metamorphosen (1944-45)

Jukka Merjanen, Aleksi Trygg, Ulla Davidsson, Benita Nordell, Ruth Haav, Aet Ratassepp, Susanna Fini, Dora Asterstad, Ilona Vuorenoja, Tuuli Talvitie, violin
Riitta-Liisa Ristiluoma, Marilou Robitaille-Hains, Kaisa Pulkamo, Deborah Mussafia, Markku Lintunen, viola 
Kirsti Väyrynen-Lausund, Jussi Viitala, Ville Turunen, Laura Bucht, Jussi Seppänen, cello 
Miika Asunta, Henri Dunderfelt, Tapio Lydecken, double bass
Mikk Murdvee, conductor

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT V 3.9.2023, Aalto University Töölö at 7 p.m. (Runeberginkatu 14-16)

Duration approximately 1 hour

Einojuhani Rautavaara: Playgrounds for Angels (1981)

Jaakko Välimäki, horn 
Touko Lundell, Esko Savioja, Alessandro Chiavetta, Scott Natzke, trumpet 
John Kotka, Vittorio Brunod, Francisco Couto, Niklas Larsson, trombone 
Simo Finni, tuba 
Hannu Lintu, conductor 

Gustav Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (1884-85, 1919)

Jaakko Kortekangas, baritone 
Andrus Haav, 1. violin 
Einari Liikkanen, 2. violin 
Jussi Aalto, viola
Laura Bucht, cello 
Petja Wagoner, double bass 
Ilkka Laivaara, flute 
Veera Myllyniemi, clarinet 
Jukka Koski, percussion 
Kirill Kozlovski, piano 
Satu Elijärvi, harmonium 
Hannu Lintu, conductor 

Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring (1943-44) 21′

Johannes Latvala and Tuomas Ikonen, 1. violin 
Tuuli Talvitie and Markku Sihvonen, 2. violin 
Carl Lee ja Ari-Pekka Hämäläinen, viola 
Johan Carlsson and Jussi Viitala, cello 
Sami Koivukangas, double bass 
Ilkka Laivaara, flute 
Veera Myllyniemi, clarinet 
Janne Pulkkinen, bassoon 
Kirill Kozlovski, piano 
Hannu Lintu, conductor 
Tuuli Ezer, Ida Laukkanen, Sini Sihvonen, dancers
Sofia Ruija, choreography

tickets & Performances

There’s a maximum of 2 tickets per customer.

Information about the concert venues

Accessible entry to the R Building of Sibelius Academy is through the main entrance on Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu. The concert hall can be reached by lift. Learn more about the R Building.

Accessible routes to the ballroom of the Aalto University Töölö are available from both main entrances. The ballroom can be accessed via the stairs, which have a mobility lift. Find out more about the venue.