The Finnish National Opera and Ballet Announces New Principal Conductor Dima Slobodeniouk

The Board of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet Foundation decided upon the appointment of  Dima Slobodeniouk. Prior to the decision, the Board heard personnel groups of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. 

The new Principal Conductor's four-year tenure at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet will run from August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2030. The selection placed particular emphasis on the conductor's ability to develop the professional excellence of both the orchestra and the opera singers. The Principal Conductor is an active member of the artistic community, works in close collaboration with the Artistic Directors, and supports the work of guest conductors. As the musical leader of the Finnish National Opera, the Principal Conductor ensures the highest possible standard of performances. The Principal Conductor reports to the Artistic Director of the Opera, Thomas de Mallet Burgess.

“I am very pleased that Dima Slobodeniouk will take up the post of Principal Conductor this autumn. I believe that his experience, broad expertise, motivation and open character will further strengthen the already high-quality work of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. We are eagerly looking forward to the start of his tenure, says Kim Ignatius, Chair of the Board.”

The orchestra of the Finnish National Opera gave its unanimous support to the appointment of Dima Slobodeniouk as Principal Conductor. The opera singers of the Finnish National Opera felt unable to take a stance, as they have little experience of working with Dima Slobodeniouk. Regardless of this, the opera singers stated that they will support Slobodeniouk fully should he be appointed.

Helsinki-based Dima Slobodeniouk served as Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia in Spain from 2013 to 2022, and as Principal Conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Sibelius Festival from 2016 to 2021. He has worked with many leading international orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam and NHK Symphony Orchestra. At the Finnish National Opera, Slobodeniouk has previously conducted Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem in 2023. His next engagement at the Finnish National Opera will be Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes in autumn 2026.

“I have considered very carefully what our objective was in making this appointment – to find someone who has the talent, skill, communication, curiosity and collaborative spirit to unite stage and pit at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. When one strips away the many considerations relating to the appointment, Dima Slobodeniouk is the candidate who presents with the distinctive qualities to make this happen”, Thomas de Mallet Burgess says.

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