Next summer, the stage of Olavinlinna Castle will be shared by internationally acclaimed artists, Finnish opera stars and some of the most promising young talents of the new generation. Among the newly announced soloists of summer 2026 are the winners of the 2025 Timo Mustakallio Competition, mezzo-soprano Elsa Angervo and bass Martin Iivarinen. Fourteen new soloist engagements have now been added to the Savolinna Opera Festival website.
The 2026 festival season opens with Mozart’s sparkling comedy The Marriage of Figaro. The title role of Figaro will be shared by Henning von Schulman and Kristian Lindroos, with Iris Candelaria and Lucrezia Drei alternating as Susanna. The role of the Countess will be sung by sopranos Sonja Herranen and Johanna Nylund, while their scheming Count Almavivas will be portrayed by baritones Waltteri Torikka and Jérôme Boutillier. On stage, alongside leading Finnish artists such as mezzo-soprano Tuija Knihtilä and bass Matti Turunen, audiences will hear the 2025 Timo Mustakallio winners: mezzo-soprano Elsa Angervo as Cherubino and bass Martin Iivarinen as Antonio.
In Verdi’s Nabucco, which became a major audience favourite in summer 2024, the praised Marigona Qerkezi returns to Olavinlinna in the role of Abigaille, with Croatian mezzo-soprano Ena Pongrac as Fenena. The high priest Zaccaria will be sung by Finnish basses Petri Lindroos and Timo Riihonen, while Johanna Nylund returns as Anna. Tenor Giorgio Berrugi appears as Ismaele, while Otso Sipilä, who made a sensational solo debut at Olavinlinna last summer, sings Abdallo.
Puccini’s heart-rending Madama Butterfly will be interpreted by soprano Silja Aalto and tenor Antony Ciaramitaro, joined as Consul Sharpless by the Festival’s much-loved regular guest, baritone Tommi Hakala, who has appeared on some of the world’s leading opera stages. Other roles are entrusted to a new generation of artists who have given compelling performance in Savonlinna in recent summers, including tenor Tuomas Miettola, baritone Veikko Vallinoja, bass Marcel Slakonja and bass Henri Uusitalo.
“Savonlinna Opera Festival has always been a platform for a new generation of Finnish vocal talent, and next summer we will once again put this philosophy into practice.”
“Our aim in Savonlinna is, year after year, to present both established top artists from Finland and around the world and the voices of the future,” says Ville Matvejeff, Artistic Director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival. ”This is especially gratifying now that Finnish vocal art is clearly entering a new upswing, powered by a rising generation of singers. Savonlinna Opera Festival has always been a platform for a new generation of Finnish vocal talent, and next summer we will once again put this philosophy into practice.”
Performance dates for previously announced soloists have also been updated. Ticket sales for summer 2026 have exceeded last year’s pace. ”I’m convinced that audiences will be just as excited as we are to work with such an outstanding line-up of artists. I’m already very much looking very much looking forward to the thrilling opera evenings that await us next summer”, Matvejeff concludes.
The magic of Savonlinna: Midnight sun & an atmosphere like nowhere else
The Savonlinna Opera Festival is not only a showcase of exceptional opera talent – it is an experience shaped by its unique setting. Performances take place in the medieval Olavinlinna Castle, surrounded by lakes that shimmer long into the night under Finland’s midnight sun. The luminous northern summer, the historic walls, and the intimate connection between artists and audience create an extraordinary atmosphere that makes each performance truly unforgettable.
New soloist announcements (summer 2026)
The marriage of Figaro, buy tickets
Johanna Nylund / Contessa di Almaviva 3., 13., 16. & 20.7.
Elsa Angervo / Cherubino
Tuija Knihtilä / Marcellina
Matti Turunen / Bartolo
Einar Dagur Jónsson / Don Basilio, Don Curzio
Martin Iivarinen / Antonio
Nabucco, buy tickets
Ena Pongrac / Fenena
Johanna Nylund / Anna 8., 14. & 21.7.
Otso Sipilä / Abdallo
Henri Uusitalo / High priest of Baal
Madama Butterfly, buy tickets
Tommi Hakala / Sharpless
Veikko Vallinoja / Yamadori
Marcel Slakonja / Bonzo 7., 15. & 18.7.
Henri Uusitalo / Bonzo 4., 10. & 23.7.
More Information / Interview requests
Ville Matvejeff
Festival and artistic director
ville.matvejeff@operafestival.fi
phone. +358 40 721 1894
Konstanze Kaas
International account manager / dramaturg
konstanze.kaas@operafestival.fi
phone. +49 173 63 54 204
