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Olavinlinna: A Festival of Classics and Commemorations in 2025
In 2025, the Savonlinna Opera Festival returns to the iconic Olavinlinna Castle, celebrating its 550th anniversary with a diverse lineup of operatic masterpieces and unique performances. With events spanning from Giuseppe Verdi's 'Macbeth' to the enchanting 'Turandot' by Giacomo Puccini, the festival promises an unforgettable experience. From captivating performances by world-renowned artists to the illustrious Timo Mustakallio Singing Competition, this festival brings together a harmonious blend of history, culture, and music.
Jul 1, 2025
Share1. 550 Years of Olavinlinna
At Olavinlinna’s anniversary concert, the summer evening is filled with gratitude and vitality. The world’s northernmost medieval castle has been a stage for history and culture in war and peace. The 550 years that have passed in the border region have transformed the castle into a treasure. It is time for a great celebration.
Jul 3, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Olavinlinna
2. Macbeth
How destructive can a relationship become? What kind of dark chemistry makes a couple into a monster that neither of them would be on their own? Danger rings out in Verdi’s legendary classic. King Macbeth and his wife covet power and have blood on their hands.
4 - 15 Jul, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Olavinlinna
3. Turandot
‘Now is the time to go to Savonlinna if you are interested in world-class vocal art. The tenor Amadi Lagha plays the role of Calaf in Puccini’s Turandot in a way that is rarely heard, at least on Finnish opera stages’, wrote the reviewer from Helsingin Sanomat in 2018, and now this magnificence is coming back again. Princess Turandot is Ewa Płonka, a musician who has been transformed almost overnight from a concert pianist into an opera singer, and who is now in demand at the world’s foremost opera houses.
5 - 25 Jul, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Olavinlinna
4. Boris Godunov
An autocrat in Russia, using every means at his disposal. Politics, manipulation – and fear, loneliness. Boris Godunov is one of the most powerful classics in the history of opera, and is particularly impressive at Olavinlinna. It features the deep sound of low male voices, and its grand choral scenes are masterful.
11 - 24 Jul, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Olavinlinna
5. Timo Mustakallio Singing Competition
The 33rd Timo Mustakallio Singing Competition highlights talents of the future. The winner is not necessarily the most highly developed participant, but a singer with exceptional vocal talent and special interpretative skills.
Jul 13, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Savonlinna Hall
6. The Last Temptations
The opera The Last Temptations (1975) by Joonas Kokkonen (1921–96) is one of the most successful and popular Finnish operas of all time. 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of its premiere. What better time to celebrate this landmark work than during the anniversary year of Olavinlinna Castle?
22 - 30 Jul, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Olavinlinna
7. The Fairy Queen
Guest artists in summer 2025 are Festival Perelada from the Catalan countryside. Perelada is one of the most interesting cultural events in southern Europe. Concerts and opera performances take place in the medieval town’s castle, park, church and monastery.
Jul 29 - Aug 2, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Olavinlinna
8. Il diluvio universale
Vibrant baroque music sounds especially good in the acoustics of Olavinlinna. We experience delicacy and richness at the same time, a bit like the fluffy wigs of the courtiers, or like macarons.
Aug 1, 2025
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna · Olavinlinna
Conclusion
The Savonlinna Opera Festival at Olavinlinna in 2025 promises a spectacular celebration of art and history. With a program that traverses the rich tapestry of opera, from timeless classics to emerging talents, it’s a testament to the enduring allure of this cultural form. As the festival commemorates the 550th anniversary of Olavinlinna, it pays homage not only to the past but also to the vibrant future of opera. It’s an invitation to experience the magic of live performance in a setting where history and music collide harmoniously.
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