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participation

About Participation

Opera and Ballet is for everyone. In Participation work, we want to engage, inspire, and introduce people of all ages to the world of opera and ballet. Learn more about our projects.

what is participation?
for preschoolers
for schools
dress rehearsals
culture kids
Frequently asked questions
contact

participation spreads the word about opera and ballet

The aim of Participation is to welcome everyone to the world of opera and ballet. We want to spark curiosity, share knowledge and inspire people from all walks of life to explore these art forms.

Most of our work is aimed at children and young people, but we also create programmes for senior citizens, young adults, and our regular audiences. We work closely together with organisations, universities and municipalities across Finland.

The majority of our Participation activities take place at the Opera House in Helsinki, but we also bring the joy of the arts to other parts of the country on our tours. Almost all our events are free of charge, though a small fee may apply to some performances.

participation in numbers

33

Tour localities

301

Performances

284

Workshops

32494

Visitors and participants

*figures from 2024

what we do

For preschoolers

Our programmes for preschoolers introduce the magic of opera and ballet through performances and workshops.

Opera & Ballet in Action sessions introduce 5–6-year-olds to the fascinating world of opera and ballet through hands-on activities like dancing and crafts. Each session is inspired by a work currently in the repertoire.

Mini Operas are cheerful 30-minute performances where two skillful singers and two musicians bring to life a whole opera’s characters and rich orchestral sound.

Daycare and preschool groups in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area can attend the Opera & Ballet in Action sessions and Mini Operas free of charge. Advance registration is required, and detailed instructions and schedules are available on our For preschoolers page.

read more and enrol

For schools

Opera and ballet are much more than just main stage performances. We provide school-age children and young people a variety of opportunities to get to know our art.

Dress rehearsals and the Art Testers campaign for young people offer experiences from the audience perspective, school operas are staged together with professionals, and Ballet energy for schools workshops get schoolchildren people moving. On 17 Dec 2025, the Finnish National Ballet invites all Finnish comprehensive schools to watch The Nutcracker and the Mouse King online. We also offer a variety of learning materials related to opera and ballet.

Even though the primary aim of our activities for schools is to offer art experiences, they also help pupils learn to co-operate creatively. Teachers and supervisors, meanwhile, discover new ways of working and possibilities for multidisciplinary teaching within the curriculum.

read more

Dress Rehearsals

The last rehearsals before the opening night are called Dress Rehearsals. We provide schoolchildren, students and other special groups the opportunity to visit our Dress Rehearsals as a test audience.

Registration for free Dress Rehearsals takes place in advance according to the published schedule. The timetable and available rehearsals are listed on the Dress Rehearsals page.

You can also attend Dress Rehearsals with a Culture Companion, a service provided by the City of Helsinki. More information about the Culture Companions is available on the Culture Companions page.

read more and enrol

Culture Kids

Every child born in Helsinki in 2020 or later is invited to become a Culture Kid. Each Culture Kid is sponsored by a cultural organisation, which offers them and their families a personal connection to the arts. The Finnish National Opera and Ballet is the sponsor of all Helsinki children born in 2026.

The Culture Kids and their families will be invited to two events every year until the child starts school. All events are free of charge.

Families can register their child as a Culture Kid via the City of Helsinki website.

read more and register at hel.fi

More than 30 years of participation work

The House of the Sun and Carmen were the Finnish National Opera and Ballet’s first inclusive artistic-pedagogical projects within Participation. They were implemented together with students from Sibelius Academy, part of the University of the Arts Helsinki, artists from the London Sinfonietta, as well as schools in the Greater Helsinki region. This project was the first of its kind in Finland.

Over the years, we have worked with audience groups of all ages, making music, composing and moving together with prisoners, the homeless, and people in drug rehabilitation. We have also organised sign language and voice interpretation of performances and won an international award for the best children’s opera of the year in 2017.

Frequently asked questions about participation

Below you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about our Participation performances. For more information about the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, please visit our Customer Service page.

Where can I eat my packed lunch?

Each of our events has a designated area for enjoying your own snacks. Our staff will guide you to the right place on the day of the performance.

Can I take photos during the performance? 

Unfortunately, this is not permitted, for example for reasons of copyright. There will be an opportunity to take photos at the end of the performance, after the applause.

How long is the performance? 

The length of our performances varies, but most of them last around 30 minutes. You can check the duration of a particular performance on its dedicated page on our website.

We are unable to attend an event for which we have enrolled. Who should we inform?

We’re very sorry to hear that. Please email yleisotyo[at]opera.fi if you are unable to attend after all.

Can we change the size of our group after enrolment?

Changing the size of the group is unfortunately not possible once enrolment has ended, as we are unable to increase the number of seats available in the audience. If your group size decreases after enrolment because of illness, for example, you do not need to let us know.

Is it possible to go to the toilet during the performance? 

We recommend visiting the toilet before the performance. If need be, you may also leave during the Participation performance, but please note that children must always be accompanied by an adult. Please also note that if you leave the Main Stage auditorium during a performance, you will only be readmitted after the interval.

Is the venue accessible?  

All our Participation performances are accessible. Visit the Accessibility page to find out how we ensure accessibility  at the Opera House.

Can I bring a stroller to a performance? 

Unfortunately, that is not possible. You can leave strollers near the cloakroom for storage during the performance. We recommend opting for a baby carrier or similar instead. 

Do infants need their own ticket? 

No they don’t. Infants (under 1-year-olds) can take part in foyer events for families free of charge (such as Opera and Ballet in Action sessions or Mini Operas) on an adult’s lap. All children who are able to sit up must have their own ticket.

There is a strict age limit of 5 for Main Stage performances. Everyone attending Main Stage and Almi Hall performances requires their own ticket. For reasons of fire safety, children are not allowed to sit on an adult’s lap in Main Stage or Almi Hall performances. Learn more about attending a performance with children.

contact us

Producer Kirsi Järvinen +358 50 590 9930
Producer and project coordinator Kerttu Riihimaa +358 50 445 0118
Producer Inka Hulkko +358 50 328 6090
Customer service representative, ticket send outs for Art Testers, Minna Pehkonen
Dress rehearsals and culture companions: yleisotyo[at]opera.fi

firstname.lastname[at]opera.fi

Participation
Finnish National Opera and Ballet
Street address: Helsinginkatu 58, 00260 Helsinki, Finland
Postal address: PL 176, 00251 Helsinki, Finland