Finnish National Opera and Ballet is a national artistic institution, offering opera and ballet performances and other events to audiences of all ages. Guest performances, school operas, TV broadcasts and streaming bring FNOB to everyone all over the country and even the globe.
FNOB generally stages four new opera productions and three new ballet productions each year. Added to these are revivals of old productions, resulting in a programme that is different every week and may include dozens of productions in the course of the year. FNOB performs both established classics and contemporary opera and dance works, especially new Finnish works.
FNOB is the only professional opera company in Finland. It traces its history back to 1911; the Ballet was founded in 1922. The company occupied the tiny Alexander Theatre for decades until the purpose-built Opera House was finally inaugurated in 1993.
The audience outreach department at Finnish National Opera arranges activities for children and teens and for other audience groups requiring special attention. Audience education reaches some 25,000 to 35,000 people every year. Our purpose is for these groups to gain experiences of opera and ballet on their terms – often through participation and learning by doing. Our activities focus on the communal nature of the art form and its intangibility: a live performance is something that happens here and now.
Our work with comprehensive schools is an important part of what we do. We offer schools and other educational institutions opportunities to visit the Opera House and to get to know opera and ballet better. Although the main point of our productions is to give artistic experiences, they also develop children’s social skills, creativity and cultural competence. Teachers and instructors can discover new methods and opportunities for multi-discipline teaching within their respective curricula.
