The Board of Finland Festivals has named the Mikkeli Music Festival as Festival of the Year 2023.
The Board of Finland Festivals named the Mikkeli Music Festival as Festival of the Year 2023. The Board states reasons for its decision as follows:
What to do when the long-term collaboration with your partner turns impossible overnight? The Mikkeli Music Festival found itself in a whirlwind in the spring of 2022 when Russia started military aggression against Ukraine. Continuing collaboration with St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theater was out of the question even though the programme of the festival was finalised and ticket sales was just about to start. In the midst of the crisis, the festival organisers did not freeze but immediately took up the challenge - and came out victorious
In a few weeks, the festival built a completely new collaboration model with the Philharmonia Orchestra with professional expertise and exceptional courage. The result was a regenerated festival under the theme "New Hope" – a natural synthesis of excellence from Finland and abroad, traditional concerts, social dialogue and a wide range of additional concerts and performances.
The Mikkeli Music Festival was organised for the first time in 1992 as a small-scale chamber music event, from which the event has grown into one of the most significant classic music festivals in Finland. Over the years, the festival has featured Finland's best musicians and numerous international stars. The unique collaboration that started this year with Philharmonia Orchestra will last at least until 2026.
The Mikkeli Music Festival will take place next summer from July 28 to August 5. The festival programme is now published and ticket sales begins on Wednesday, November 30 at 9:00 a.m.
Finland Festivals has nominated the Festival of the Year regularly since 1999, with the exception of pandemic years. The most recent five award-winning festivals are:
More information:
Kai Amberla, Executive Director, Finland Festivals, tel. +358 40 5515 752, kai.amberla@festivals.fi
Teemu Laasanen, Festival Manager, Mikkeli Music Festival, tel. +358 40 513 1864, festival@mikkelinmusiikkijuhlat.fi
27.4.2023
25.4.2023
3.4.2023
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The Board of Finland Festivals has named the Mikkeli Music Festival as Festival of the Year 2023.
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