Customer service

What is your dress code? Should I dress formally for premieres?

The Finnish National Opera and Ballet is for everyone, which means there’s no official dress code. You’re welcome to visit us in a suit or an evening gown, or in a jumper and jeans. Visit the OopperaLooks page for some examples of our audience’s varied styles.

Many of our visitors do like to dress a little smarter, however. Men often arrive in suits or suit jackets, and ladies are seen wearing evening gowns. Premieres still have an air of glamour, which is reflected in the visitors’ slightly more formal wear. Despite the lack of dress code, our audience seems to slightly upgrade their everyday style when dressing for the opera or ballet. It’s your personal choice, however!

Where can I buy the programme booklet?

You can buy the programme booklet from our lobby personnel, the Opera Shop, trolleys in the foyers, and the sales counter for programme booklets upstairs. The programme booklet provides fascinating background information about the performance and introduces the creative team. It also makes a lovely souvenir when you want to reminisce about the experience later.

Most of our programme booklets include a section in English with artist CVs, a synopsis of the production and other information on the performance.

Do I have to pay for the cloakroom?

Cloakroom services are included as part of your visit and are free of charge. A €5 fee applies to lost cloakroom tickets, however. Please note that for reasons of fire safety, you’re not allowed to bring large backpacks, bags or other bulky items to the auditorium.

Where are the restrooms located?

There are several toilets in the Opera House. These are located in the Alfons Lobby near the entrance on the Töölönlahti bay side, the Aino Lobby on the main entrance side (Mannerheimintie side), and the Juha Corner at the far end of the Main Foyer. Accessible toilets can be found in the Alfons Lobby (Töölönlahti bay side).

Where can I enquire about lost property?

You can enquire about lost property from our concierge-on-call on +358 9 4030 2306. Lost property is delivered biweekly to the Suomen löytötavarapiste lost property service. The Finnish National Opera and Ballet is not responsible for visitors’ personal items.

How do I let you know about a change of address?

You can update your customer information easily via your customer account in our online store. You can also let us know about changes to your email address, telephone number, or home address by contacting our customer service on +358 9 4030 2210 Mon–Fri 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or at liput[at]opera.fi.

Can I take photos or videos of the performance?

Taking photos or videos or recording the music of a performance is strictly forbidden. We encourange our audience to enjoy the performance with all their senses and revisit it on our website, where we publish photos and possibly trailers of the show.

You are, however, more than welcome to film the curtain call and post photos from our foyers on social media. Capture the interval ambience and tag @oopperabaletti on your photos so we can see them, too!

Please refrain from sharing photos of other audience members without their permission.

How long is the performance?

The length of our performances varies. You can see the length of each production on the production’s dedicated page. The duration of the performance is also printed on the cast sheets, which are handed out in the foyer.

How long is the interval? Is it included in the duration of the performance?

For most performance, the length of the interval is 30 minutes. Some performances have two intervals, but most have just one. We always include the interval in the duration of the performance.

Can I leave the auditorium during the performance?

It’s not advisable to leave the auditorium during a performance, as we want to minimise disturbance to our audience and artists. In case you do have to leave in the middle of the performance, you can only return after the interval.

Can I enter the auditorium late if the performance has already started?

Latecomers are not accepted, as we want to minimise disturbance to our audience and artists during the performance. If you arrive late, our lobby personnel will assist you.

Are mobile tickets accepted?

A ticket shown on the screen of your mobile phone is perfectly valid. Take a look at our Opera&Ballet mobile app, too!

When is the ticket office open?

The Finnish National Opera and Ballet customer service in the Alfons Lobby on the side of the Töölönlahti bay entrance is open on Mondays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from Tuesday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturdays and bank holidays the customer service point usually opens two hours before the start of Main Stage performances and one hour before other performances and concerts.

In summer, on bank holidays, and on other special occasions the opening times may vary. You will find the most up-to-date opening times here.

Do you have a waiting list for sold-out performances?

Unfortunately we don’t operate a waiting list. You can monitor ticket availability online or call our customer service to make enquiries. Tickets can be exchanged up to 24 hours before the performance, so the availability of tickets may vary at short notice during the performance season.

Can you let me know when ticket sales start for a certain performance?

The easiest way to keep up to date is to subscribe to the email newsletter of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. The newsletter is in Finnish. In addition to this, we publish the start date of ticket sales on the dedicated page of each performance. You can also follow us on social media.

Usually ticket sales start in March–April for autumn season performances and in September–October for spring season performances. There may be exceptions to this, however.

How do I find my seat?

Your exact seat number is displayed on your ticket, along with guidance on whether to enter the auditorium from the left or right side. Row numbers are found at the end of each row, and seats have numbers. You can check the location of your seat beforehand on the seat map.

The entrance to the Stalls is located downstairs from the Main Foyer. The 1st Balcony is on the same level as the Main Foyer. The 2nd Balcony is accessed via lift or stairs and the 3rd Balcony only via stairs.

What is the view like from the Balconies?

The views from the Balconies are fine, though the guard railing may restrict the view slightly on the first row of the 3rd Balcony. You can compare the view to the stage from different parts of the auditorium on the Stages page.

Is the seating in the Stalls raked?

Yes, the seating in the Stalls is sloped to ensure the best possible view from everywhere in the auditorium. This means, however, that the view of the Swedish and English surtitles is slightly obscured in the seats on the edges of row 19 (698–700 and 725–727).

What’s the best way to get to the Opera House?

The most convenient way to arrive at the Opera House is by public transport – trams and buses. For routes and schedules, please see the HSL route planner.

More information can be found from Arriving at the Opera House page.

Where can I park my car?

The nearest public car park is located on Mäntymäki field at just 100 metres from the Opera House. A parking charge applies on weekdays until 9 p.m., but parking is free at all other times. Besides the Opera House, local parking serves the customers of the Kisahalli sports hall, the Olympic Stadium, and the Bolt Arena, as well as the residents of the Töölö district, so we recommend allowing sufficient time to find a parking space.

Please note that there may be a shortage of parking spaces in the area during events at the Olympic Stadium.

Where can I find an accessible entrance?

The Finnish National Opera and Ballet has its own car park on the Töölönlahti bay side on Oopperankuja, which is reserved specifically for visitors with limited mobility. The accessible entrance to the Opera House is also located on the Töölönlahti bay side.

Where can I find a lift?

There is a lift in the Alfons Lobby near the Töölönlahti bay entrance. The lift takes you to the lobbies, the Main Foyer, and the 1st and 2nd Balconies. The Stalls are accessed via stairs from the Main Foyer. The 3rd Balcony is reached via stairs from the Balcony Foyer. Almi Hall is also accessible by lift.

Do you restrict the use of fragrances in any of your performances or seats?

Unfortunately fragrances are not completely banned in any of the performances or seats at the Opera House, but we encourage every visitor to take others into consideration when putting on perfume or aftershave. There will always be someone in the audience who is sensitive to fragrances.

Which performances are suitable for children?

The age limit to our Main Stage performances is 5. The duration, loud noises and bright lights of the performance can be overwhelming for babies and toddlers. For this reason we do not admit visitors under 5 years of age. You’ll find an age recommendation on the dedicated page of each production.

Besides the great classics of opera and ballet, we also offer plenty of smaller-scale performances and events created specifically for children and young people. These include, for example, the First Touch of Opera and Ballet workshops for babies, Mini Operas for toddlers, and Opera and Ballet in action workshops for pre-schoolers. These events are very popular, so it’s a good idea to reserve tickets in good time. Read more about what we offer to families and explore our child-friendly productions.

What is the age recommendation for your performances?

Children under the age of 5 are not admitted to Main Stage performances. To check the age recommendation, please visit the dedicated page of each production on our website. You’re also welcome to ask our customer service staff for more information about the age recommendations and the content of the production when buying tickets.

Where can children see best?

For children we recommend the front Stalls or the centre of the 1st Balcony. We also provide booster cushions to help children see better.

For fire safety reasons, an adult may not have a child on their lap during a performance. Please note that all visitors, regardless of their age, must have their own ticket. Read more about our discount tickets for under 20-year-olds.

Where can I order refreshments in advance?

You can order refreshments in advance from our online store as well as by calling or visiting our customer service point. The customer service point is located in the Alfons Lobby by the entrance on the Töölönlahti bay side.

How early should I order refreshments in order to ensure my favourite seat?

We recommend that you order refreshments well in advance of the performance, for example when you buy your tickets. For premieres in particular, it’s a good idea to order refreshments at the very start of the season. You can order refreshments in our online store, by telephone or in person from our customer service point. The refreshments are paid upon making the order.

Is the refreshment selection available at the Opera House the same as in the online store?

The refreshment selection available on the evening of the performance is considerably smaller than that in the online store. You can order refreshments online up to 24 hours before the start of the performance, and our phone service accepts refreshment orders until 11:30 a.m. on the day of the performance, subject to table availability. For Saturday performances, orders in person or by telephone must be completed by 4 p.m. on the Friday before.

Do you have any vegan products available?

Certainly. You can check the dietary information for the entire product selection in our online store.

Where else besides the service counters can I get water?

Water is available in the Main Foyer near the service counters as well as in the Balcony Foyer.

Does the Opera Restaurant serve lattes, cappuccinos and espressos?

It does indeed. Speciality coffees can be ordered at the service counter Bar & Café Juha.

Where can I leave my dirty dishes?

You can leave your dirty dishes on empty tables and counters.

Who has designed the Opera House?

The Opera House was designed by the architect studio Hyvämäki – Karhunen – Parkkinen. The design contest was announced in 1975 and the Opera House was inaugurated by the Töölönlahti bay in 1993.

How many people do the auditoriums seat?

The auditorium of the Main Stage has 1305 seats, while the Almi Hall seats between 200 to 500 people depending on the event. The beautiful foyers are also suitable venues for small-scale performances and concerts. In addition to this, the Opera House is a popular location for private celebrations and congresses. If you’d like to organise an event for a bigger or smaller group of people, we are happy to help.