Jiří Kylián – Haeni Kim – Marcos Morau
Senses
See it. Hear it. Feel it.
Senses is the Finnish National Ballet’s third contemporary dance evening, offering new perspectives on dance. More than just a performance, it’s an extended event that invites everyone to take part.
The evening utilises movement to awaken the senses. While the audience cannot literally taste, smell or touch, the visual presence of human bodies on stage sparks sensations in the imagination. Following in the footsteps of T(r)anssi and Pulse, the evening combines compelling contemporary dance on stage with relaxed pre- and after-parties, as well as unexpected delights during the interval.
“None of this felt out of place or forced, but rather welcome and natural. It’s about time that an evening at the Opera House looks and sounds like this.”
– Helsingin Sanomat on T(r)anssi
Tickets and performances
Close
Close, a new work by Haeni Kim commissioned by the Finnish National Ballet, explores the dual meaning of its title: closeness and closedness. It investigates the boundaries and distances that shape our encounters with others and with ourselves.
Wings of Wax
Wings of Wax is one of Jiří Kylián’s most sought-after works internationally, and critics around the world have acclaimed its diversity and inventiveness. Originally created for eight dancers of the Nederlands Dans Theater in 1997, the choreography centres on the desire of classically trained ballet dancers to defy gravity – from lifts and jumps to standing en pointe. According to Kylián, we all defy gravity in a spiritual sense: “We try to steer clear of the heavy thoughts that drag us down. We associate everything that’s up above, in the heavens, with light and positivity, and everything that’s underground seems to be related to hell and damnation.” In the title Wings of Wax, Kylián refers to the Greek myth of Icarus, who learned to fly with wings made of wax and feathers.
Étude
The Spanish choreographer Marcos Morau’s new work, Étude, premiered at Paris Opera Ballet in March 2026. Its next performances will take place at the Finnish National Ballet. Morau is renowned for works that leverage the arts’ interdisciplinary dimension, often combining movement and image. Étude explores the relationship between darkness and light, the light that allows us to imagine and create, despite doubts and shadows. Étude studies not just ballet, but also the very act of looking.
Gallery
Creative team
Close
- Choreography, Set and Costume Design
- Hae Ni Kim
- Music
- Franz Liszt
- Lighting Design
- Heikki Paasonen
Wings of Wax
- Choreography
- Jiří Kylián
- Music
- H.I.F. von Biber, John Cage, Philip Glass, J.S. Bach
- Set and Lighting Design
- Michael Simon
- Costume Desgn
- Joke Visser
Étude
- Choreography
- Marcos Morau
- Music
- Gustave Rudman
- Set Design
- Max Glaenzel
- Costume Desgn
- Silvia Delagneau
Cast
Cast will be published later.
The keys to an entertaining evening
The performance takes place on our Main Stage, which has no fewer than 1,300 seats in its auditorium. Please note that the 3rd balcony is very high up. It provides an impressive view, but the front-row seats on this level may not suit those with a fear of heights. Explore the Main Stage and find out more about where to sit. You can also compare the view from different parts of the auditorium.
Price categories: Seats in the auditorium are priced according to the view of the stage and divided into eight price categories (A–H). In addition to seat location, the price is affected by the performance date and demand. Only standard-priced tickets are available in the lowest price categories (F–H).
Discounts
Discounts are available for selected productions, performances, and seats in the Stalls and the 1st and 2nd Balconies, unless otherwise indicated.
- Pensioners: €10 discount per ticket for selected seats in the Stalls and the 1st Balcony. The discount is available to all holders of the card for national pension recipients and anyone aged 65 or over.
- Students, military and non-military servicemen: 40% discount on the full ticket price.
- Children and those aged 20 and under: 40–50% discount on the full ticket price.
- Same-day tickets: A special rate of €30 per ticket is available for those aged 20 and under, students, military and non-military servicemen, the unemployed, and pensioners. The discount applies to seats in the Stalls, no earlier than 12 hours before the performance and subject to availability.
Please note that full-price and concessionary tickets for under-20s, students, and pensioners can be exchanged in our online store free of charge up to 24 hours before the performance. The value of the ticket(s) is credited to your customer account for later use.
Children and young people up to the age of 20 are eligible for a 40–50% discount on ticket prices.
Please note that children under the age of 5 are not admitted to Main Stage performances. The age recommendation for each production can be found at the top of its dedicated page.
For the best view, we recommend seats in the front Stalls or the centre of the 1st Balcony. If you’re unsure which seats would be most suitable, our customer service team will be happy to help you find the best options.
To ensure an enjoyable and memorable visit, see our Visiting with children page for more tips.
You can easily purchase accessible seats either through our online store or customer service. On the auditorium map, you can check the locations of accessible seats in the Main Stage auditorium (pdf). The accessible seats are marked with wheelchair icons to make choosing your seat easier.
Read more detailed instructions for purchasing accessible seats and ensure your visit is effortlessly enjoyable from start to finish.
The programme booklet provides background information about the production, its creators, and the story. It is published on the day of the premiere and can be purchased before the performance from the customer service desk in the Töölönlahti lobby, the sales desk at the Mannerheimintie entrance, all open counters of the Opera Restaurant, and selected members of our lobby staff. The price of the programme booklet is €7.
You can also buy the programme booklet in advance from our customer service desk or online via the Order refreshments page. See more detailed instructions here on how to purchase the programme booklet on the Order refreshments page.
The digital cast details for each opera and ballet, including the evening’s cast and creative team, are published online no later than on the day of the performance (please note that the link opens in a separate window). Cast details are also available on the displays and touch screens in the foyers, as well as under the My events tab in the mobile app.
Enhance your experience with refreshments. You can enjoy refreshments before the performance or during the interval. We recommend placing your order in advance, either through our online store or by calling our customer service. If tables are still available, online sales close no later than 24 hours before the performance.
Using the Opera&Ballet mobile app, you can order interval refreshments to a pick-up counter until shortly before the performance begins. Learn more about pick-up orders.
The Opera House is located by Töölönlahti bay. Our address is Helsinginkatu 58, which is well served by public transport.
The main entrance on the Mannerheimintie side usually opens 1.5 hours before the start of a Main Stage performance. Please make sure you arrive in good time, at least 15 minutes before the performance begins. Latecomers are only admitted after the interval so as not to disturb the performance.
How to dress for the performance? Can I wear perfume? Do I need to pay for the cloakroom? Find answers to these questions and more on our Tips for visitors page. We have put together a comprehensive guide to help make your visit to the Opera House a success.