Estimated duration
3 h 20 min., incl. intermission
Organizer
Helsingin tapahtumasäätiö sr
Khovanshchina’s story of greed, power and madness resonates in our time stronger than ever before.
The history of Modest Mussorgsky’s opera Khovanshchina is fascinating and complex. Mussorgsky started the project already in 1872 while still working on the opera Boris Godunov. The composer began a compulsive investigation into a dark part of Russian history, the 17th century rebellion of the streltsy, soldiers armed with muskets. The events, full of conspiracies and ruthless violence, did not leave the composer alone, but Mussorgsky only managed to complete the piano score before his death in 1881. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov finalised the work, and the opera premiered in 1886.
The opera will be performed at Helsinki Festival as a previously-unheard concert version compiled by Esa-Pekka Salonen. The grand production conducted by Salonen will bring a group of nearly two hundred musicians onto the stage: the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, singers from Tapiola Chamber Choir, Dominante and The Helsinki Chamber Choir and dozens of soloists. The orchestration devised by Dmitri Shostakovich in 1959 and the finale arranged by Igor Stravinsky are woven together by composer Gerard McBurney who also directs the creation of this unique interpretation with a sound world created by the renowned sound artist Tuomas Norvio. Salonen and the FRSO’s Khovanshchina will continue to the Salzburg Easter Festival 2025.
Khovanshchina’s story of greed, power and madness resonates in our time stronger than ever before.
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Tapiola Chamber Choir
Dominante
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Gerard McBurney, director
Mika Kares, bass – Prince Ivan Khovansky
Tuomas Katajala, tenor – Andrey Khovansky
Giorgi Sturua, tenor – Prince Vasily Golitsin
Tomi Punkeri, baritone – Boyar Fyodor Shaklovity
Nadezhda Karyazina, alto – Marfa
Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, tenor – Scrivener
Olga Heikkilä, soprano – Susanna
Ain Anger, bass – Dosifey
Natalia Tanasii, soprano – Emma
Johan Krogius, tenor – Kuzka
Tuomas Norvio, sound design
Elias Brown, assistant conductor
Charlotte McBurney, assistant director
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.
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 charge is 2 euros. You can pay with a bank or credit card if you don’t have cash with you. You can also pay the cloakroom in advance when buying your ticket.
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.
