HPO's 22-23 season to focus on Finnish music
The concert season also celebrates an anniversary: the Orchestra of the Helsinki Philharmonic Society, today known as the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, performed its first concert in October 1882. The jubilee concert in May reproduces the first concert 140 years ago. Susanna Mälkki’s term as Chief Conductor of the HPO culminates in the orchestra's visit to Carnegie Hall in May. The last time the orchestra performed in New York's prestigious concert venue was in 1968.
Guest conductors during the season include Dalia Stasevska, Pietari Inkinen, Sakari Oramo, Dima Slobodeniouk, Hannu Lintu, Nathalie Stutzmann, Ingo Metzmacher and Paolo Bortolameolli. Top violinists who will be performing with the orchestra as soloists include Leila Josefowicz, Isabelle Faust and Tobias Feldmann. The line-up of guest singers is equally impressive: the season kicks off with a performance of Act 2 from Tristan and Isolde starring tenor Stuart Skelton and soprano Michelle DeYoung, soprano Tuuli Takala will perform the premiere of Songs of Meena by Olli Kortekangas, and mezzo-soprano Katarina Karnéus will interpret Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder.
The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestra of Sibelius, has premiered most of the legendary Finnish composer’s major orchestral works. The HPO’s multifaceted Finnish season features not only Sibelius, but also Robert Kajanus, Laura Netzel, Helvi Leiviskä, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Magnus Lindberg and Lotta Wennäkoski. In addition to celebrating the orchestra's own anniversary, the HPO will celebrate the 70th birthday of composer Kaija Saariaho in October. In addition to the vocal series by Olli Kortekangas, compositions by Alex Freeman, Jukka Linkola, Matthew Whittall and Minna Leinonen will be premiered during the season.
Susanna Mälkki will conclude her term as Chief Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in style after so many impressive concerts, award-winning recordings and visits to renowned concert halls. In early May, the orchestra will head to the USA to perform Sibelius and Saariaho at Carnegie Hall in New York. At the HPO’s concerts at the Helsinki Music Centre in May-June, Mälkki will conduct Mahler’s Third Symphony. During her term as Chief Conductor, the themes of the orchestra’s programme have been France, German-speaking culture, Anglo-America, Italy, Asia and the Slavic countries of continental Europe.
“This season, our eyes and ears will turn especially to our homeland, Finland. Although the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is the orchestra of Sibelius, Finnish music is so much more. This year's programme offers one selection, and I hope that the coming years will continue to add to the diversity of Finnish music through both brand new and older music. As I end my term as chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra after the 2022–23 season, I feel great joy and pride in the orchestra's current rejuvenation and its important place in Finnish music life,” says Mälkki.
Tickets: Season tickets on sale 5 May – 1 August, single tickets go on sale 11 August