Dima Slobodeniouk Proposed as Principal Conductor of Finnish National Opera and Ballet

The Board of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet Foundation has proposed Dima Slobodeniouk as the new Principal Conductor. At the same meeting, the Board also decided to extend Thomas de Mallet Burgess's tenure as Artistic Director of Finnish National Opera by three years, until 31 July 2030.

The Board will make its final decision on the appointment of the Principal Conductor at its meeting on Wednesday, 10 June, after hearing artistic 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 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2030. The selection placed particular emphasis on the conductor's ability to develop the professional excellence of both the orchestra and the ensemble of 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.

Dima Slobodeniouk is a widely respected conductor. He is known as a collegial and practical professional with the ability to inspire those around him to deliver exceptional results. The orchestra of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet has assessed Slobodeniouk's previous work at the house in highly positive terms.

”Dima's conducting at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet demonstrated exceptional musical vision, clarity, and effectiveness. In the recruitment interview, Dima also made a compelling case for his commitment to our wider mission, values, and working culture,” says Thomas de Mallet Burgess.

The recruitment process was open and conducted with the assistance of a recruitment specialist as well as through direct outreach. The Board of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet made its selection on the basis of the candidates' professional merits, interviews, preparatory assignments, and aptitude assessments. Over 80 individuals were involved in the process, of whom 54 submitted applications.

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 the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam, NHK Symphony Orchestra, and many other leading orchestras worldwide.

Slobodeniouk began his violin studies at the Central Music School in Moscow and continued at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, where he also embarked on his conducting studies, graduating in 2001. His many successful engagements include Modest Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in 2025. At the Finnish National Opera, Slobodeniouk 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.

Dima Slobodeniouk, General Director of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet Gita Kadambi, Artistic Director of the Opera Thomas de Mallet Burgess, and members of the Board are not available for comment prior to 11 June 2026. A press conference and the opportunity for interviews with the candidate will be arranged following the final appointment decision.

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