FESTEN is Now Playing at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet
Performances will run through May 7, 2026.
Festen is now playing at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. The show, by Mark-Anthony Turnage and Lee Hall, will run through May 7, 2026.
Wealthy hotel owner Helge gathers his friends and family to celebrate his 60th birthday. Among the guests are his wife Else and their three adult children: Christian, Michael, and Helena. On the night of the celebration, Christian delivers a speech that exposes a dark family secret. The revelation is unsettling, but even more so are the guests’ reactions to it.
Festen is a tragedy laced with black humour, a shattering experience.
Celebrated contemporary composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Lee Hall have collaborated with director Richard Jones to transform Thomas Vinterberg’s Oscar-winning 1998 cult film into a powerful opera, which premiered to critical acclaim at the Royal Opera House in London in February 2025.
Festen was awarded Best New Opera Production at the prestigious Olivier Awards in April 2025. It was also the winner of the World Premiere Award at the International Opera Awards in November 2025. Mark-Anthony Turnage won the 2026 Royal Philharmonic Society Large-Scale Composition Award.
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