Estimated duration
2 h, incl. intermission
Organizer
Helsinki Early Music Festival, Musiikkitalo & Suomalainen barokkiorkesteri
The International Baroque Singing Competition Aria Borealis, held for the second time, will take place in Helsinki in October 2026.
The International Baroque Singing Competition Aria Borealis, held for the second time, will take place in Helsinki in October 2026. The first edition of the competition was held in Bodø, Northern Norway, in 2022.
The Aria Borealis Singing Competition, intended for singers specializing in early music, was created, developed, and is led by four ensembles of the Nordic Baroque Scene (NBS) network: Barokkanerne (Norway), Concerto Copenhagen (Denmark), Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble (Sweden), and the Finnish Baroque Orchestra (Finland). For the Helsinki edition, cooperation will also include Floridante (Estonia).
This singing competition is above all about interaction and collaboration between performers. You can read more about the ideas behind the competition in a blog post (in Finnish) published on the FiBO website in 2022.
The jury consists of Emma Kirkby, Veerle Däcklerck, Justin Doyle, and Jadran Ducumb.
The competition is part of the Helsinki Early Music Festival, held from 27 September to 4 October 2026. Other organizers of the competition include Musiikkitalo and the Finnish Baroque Orchestra. In connection with the competition, public events under the name Boreallas will also be organized.
The eight singers selected from the video preselection will take part in both the chamber-music-style semifinal on 2 October and the semi-staged final on 4 October. In addition to cash prizes, awards include performance opportunities with baroque orchestras and, for example, the RIAS Chamber Choir.
Read more on the competitions own website: ariaborealis.com
Performers
Competition finalists
Josefine Mindus, soprano (Sweden)
Antonia Ortner, soprano (Austria)
Maija Rautasuo, coloratura soprano (Finland)
Lucija Ercegovac, mezzosoprano (Croatia)
Virgile Pellerin, countertenor (France)
Martin Höhler, tenor (Germany)
Lucas Zuehl, bass-baritone (USA)
Mari Aschehoug, soprano (Norway)
Musicians from Nordic baroque orchestras
Finnish Baroque Orchestra
Schedule
Schedule, 2 October
6.30–7.30 pm – Part I (competitors 1–3)
8–9 pm – Part II (competitors 4–6)
9.20–10 pm – Part III (competitors 7–8)
Please note: the tickets for part I are sold separately.
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
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.
