The 60th anniversary of the Orchestra of the FNO

The Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2023. The orchestra, which was founded on 12 August 1963, has played a decisive role in the evolution of the Finnish National Opera and the great rise of Finnish opera.

The start of a new era in 1963

The Opera House gets an orchestra

On 12 August, 1963, the decorative small auditorium of the old Opera House was teeming with opera personnel and journalists. Alfons Almi took to the stage and started a speech in his booming tenor voice. ”Not only have we gathered here to celebrate the beginning of a new season at the Finnish National Opera, but also to witness the start of a completely new era in the history of opera in Finland.”

”With extreme gratitude and great pride, I present you the future musical core of the Finnish National Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera.”

An extract from Juhani Koivisto’s book on the first five decades of the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera.

Jubilee concerts in autumn 2023

Helsinki Festival: Boulanger and Mahler – The 60th Anniversary of the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera

The jubilee concert of the orchestra will take place in Helsinki Music Centre on 22 August as part of the programme of the Helsinki Festival. The evening’s repertoire will feature Lili Boulanger’s cantata Faust et Hélène and Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. The concert will be conducted by the Chief Conductor of the Orchestra of the FNO, Hannu Lintu, with Tuomas Katajala, Miina-Liisa Värelä, and Stefan Astakhov performing as soloists.

Aulis Sallinen has composed a fanfare for the Finnish National Opera and Ballet in honour of the 60th anniversary of the orchestra. The fanfare in its symphony orchestra arrangement will be heard for the first time at the orchestra’s 60th anniversary concert.

A chamber music festival in Töölö

To celebrate the occasion, the musicians of the orchestra will also give a birthday present to the audience: the free and hugely popular Music in the Foyer concerts will be recreated in Töölö in the anniversary weekend from 1 to 3 September. There will be three concerts at the concert hall of Sibelius Academy’s R building and two more in the magnificent banquet hall of the Helsinki School of Business. You’re cordially invited to enjoy the charming chamber music!

The artistic planners of the chamber music festival are Chief Conductor Hannu Lintu and the orchestra musicians Touko Lundell, Samuli Peltonen and Tuulia Ylönen.

More information about the festival will be announced during spring 2023.

The orchestra

The largest orchestra in Finland

The Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera (FNO) is the largest orchestra in Finland, with 111 musicians. It was established in 1963 and expanded significantly after moving to the new Opera House in 1993. In addition to performing in opera and ballet productions, the Orchestra of the FNO holds its own regular concerts.

Learn about the orchestra musicians

Pop in to the photo exhibition

Photo exhibition in the Main Foyer

The 60th anniversary of the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera is also celebrated in a photo exhibition in the Main Foyer of the Opera House from 30 March. The exhibition is open on performance days, with doors opening 1.5 hours before the performance at the earliest. Entrance is free and everyone is invited.