Estimated duration
2 h, incl. intermission
Organizer
Helsingin tapahtumasäätiö sr
The Cleveland Orchestra, one of the world’s most renowned symphony orchestras, will perform a second concert at Helsinki Festival. In addition to the previously announced concert, the orchestra will perform at Helsinki Music Centre on 29 August, featuring Sergei Prokofiev’s Second Symphony and Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.
The Cleveland Orchestra, one of the world’s most prestigious symphony orchestras, one of the “Big Five” of the most renowned orchestras in the United States, returns to Finland after decades of waiting. The orchestra, which has rarely visited the Nordic countries, last performed in Finland in 1965.
Founded in 1918, the orchestra has been led for the last 22 years by top Austrian conductor Franz Welser-Möst, who also led the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in a memorable performance at the 2015 Helsinki Festival.
The Cleveland Orchestra is still regarded as one of the world’s best active orchestras, and in 2020 the New York Times named it the best in America. Under Welser-Möst, the orchestra has been honed to its technical and artistic peak.
First performed in Paris in 1925, Prokofiev’s Second Symphony is renowned for its rhythmic power and the influence of the European avant-garde of its time – Prokofiev himself described the work as a vision of “iron and steel”.
Berlioz’s Fantastic Symphony has established itself as one of the most important orchestral works of the 19th century. Berlioz pioneered new orchestral practices and techniques to achieve dreamlike and opium-infused visions unheard of in Western music at the time.
The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Programme:
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40
Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14
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 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.