Estimated duration
3 h 30 min., incl. intermission
Organizer
Helsinki Early Music Festival, Musiikkitalo & Suomalainen barokkiorkesteri
The International Baroque Singing Competition Aria Borealis culminates in the semi-staged final.
The second Aria Borealis International Baroque Singing Competition will take place in Helsinki in October 2026. Following the video pre-selection round, eight singers have been chosen to advance to the live rounds. They will compete in the chamber music semifinal on 2 October and the semi-staged final on 4 October. Representing eight different countries and voice types ranging from coloratura soprano to bass-baritone, the finalists can be explored in more detail here..
The final consist of a ‘pasticcio’ of Georg Friedrich Händel operas and oratorios titled The Transforming Fire, conceived by writer-director Aleksi Barrière and featuring many beloved arias from the master’s catalogue. The eight singers, for whom the pasticcio was specially crafted, will lend their voices to a montage of scenes showcasing Händel’s interest in the psychology of transformation, whether in the form of love, grief, or resilience. The final programme will be published later on the FiBo website.
The inaugural Aria Borealis competition, held in Bodø, Northern Norway, in 2022, was won by soprano Johanna Falkinger. Since her victory, she has appeared with leading figures in the early music world, including Jordi Savall and Christina Pluhar.
The Aria Borealis International Baroque Singing Competition, dedicated to singers specialising in early music, was created, developed and is jointly directed by the four ensembles of the Nordic Baroque Scene (NBS) network: Barokkanerne (Norway), Concerto Copenhagen (Denmark), the Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble (Sweden), and the Finnish Baroque Orchestra (Finland). The Helsinki edition is also presented in collaboration with Floridante (Estonia). Unlike many other competitions, Aria Borealis places its emphasis above all on artistic interaction and collaboration between performers. You can read more about the ideas behind the competition in a blog post published on the FiBO website in 2022.
The jury consists of Emma Kirkby, Veerle Däcklerck, Justin Doyle, and Jadran Ducumb.
The competition is organised by the Helsinki Early Music Festival, Musiikkitalo, and the Finnish Baroque Orchestra. Alongside the competition, a series of public events under the name Boreallas will also be held.
Read more on the competitions own website: ariaborealis.com
Performers
Maija Rautasuo, coloratura soprano (Finland)
Mari Aschehoug, soprano (Norway)
Josefine Mindus, soprano (Sweden)
Antonia Ortner, soprano (Austria)
Lucija Ercegovac, mezzo-soprano (Croatia)
Virgile Pellerin, countertenor (France)
Martin Höhler, tenor (Germany)
Lucas Zuehl, bass-baritone (The United States)
Finnish Baroque Orchestra
Musicians from the Nordic baroque orchestras
Irma Niskanen, music leader
Justin Doyle, choir preparation
Aleksi Barrière, stage direction
Tickets to Musiikkitalo concerts and other events are available to purchase on our website, by telephone and at our physical box office.
Book tickets for 10–20 or more people is by contacting group sales service by email at ryhmat@musiikkitalo.fi or by telephone on 0600 411 101 (Monday to Friday, 9:00–15:00).
How about a cup of coffee, a bite to eat or a glass of bubbly during the interval? Order your drinks in advance to beat the queues and make the most of your concert visit. Interval refreshments are not available at all concerts.
Our location could not be more central or easier to get to. Almost all forms of Helsinki public transport stop right outside our doors, cycle parking is provided at all our entrances, and Aimo Park Finlandia, our nearest multi-storey car park, offers lift access directly to our main foyer.
At Helsinki Music Centre we are proud to be an accessible and welcoming place for everyone. Tactile handrails and signage have been fitted across the building, and there are tactile indicator strips on the floor too to guide partially sighted and blind visitors. Induction loops are always available, and guide or companion dogs are of course permitted within the building.
Concert Hall
When purchasing a concert ticket in the Music Centre’s ticket shop, you can view the sightline from your seat in a 360-degree view.
How to use the 360-degree view: Select your preferred seat on the seating map and then choose the ticket type.
On a mobile device, the 360-degree image opens when you tap the chevron at the top edge of the bottom panel. Tapping the image again opens it in full-screen mode, allowing you to rotate the view.
On a computer, you will find the “My Seat” section in the upper-right corner of the ticket shop. Below the heading, a photo of the Concert Hall is displayed. Clicking the image opens the view from the selected seat. You can rotate the image with your mouse to explore the view from the seat in greater detail.
The route to your seat is always printed on your ticket. Check the door number to find out which entrance to take. The seating areas are marked with letters. There is level access to all wheelchair seats from the main entrances. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with our venue – our staff are always on hand to help you find your seat.
Black Box, Camerata and Sonore
Use the row number printed on your ticket to find your seat. Wheelchair seats are situated on the same level as the entrance. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with our venue – our staff area always on hand to help you find your seat.
Unallocated seating
Please choose your seat on the day.
Floor plans
You can view our floor plans before your visit.
Cloakroom
We ask you to leave your coat and any larger items in the cloakroom. The cloakroom is free of charge.
Latecomers
Latecomers will be asked to wait until a suitable break in the performance or admitted after the interval.
Photography
You are not permitted to record concert performances at Helsinki Music Centre. However, you may take photographs before and after the concert and during applause. Individual concert organisers may have their own, more detail guidance regarding recording and photography.
Dress code
We’re happy to say we have no dress code at Helsinki Music Centre, and we positively encourage you to come as you are. However, we would be grateful if you could avoid wearing strong perfume during your visit so that people with asthma and fragrance sensitivity can enjoy our concerts symptom free.
