Overview
14–18 July
A massive structure of rough-hewn granite rising from a rocky islet, the castle at Savonlinna is the largest in Scandinavia. It was built in 1475 and frequently re-fortified during the next three centuries, for this was border country: Nordic occupancy alternated with Russian until modern times.
Opera has been performed here in the courtyard since 1912, so it even pre-dates Verona as a festival in a spectacular historic setting. During the last few decades its artistic achievements have placed this festival among the best in the world, yet its unlikely and rather inaccessible location keeps the number of international visitors well below what it deserves.
The courtyard is backed by a starkly beautiful wall of rough medieval masonry: its huge gateway and precipitous staircase make a wonderful setting for productions of operas. Musically, the acoustically-designed temporary roof allows both intimate scenes and vast choral ensembles to sound at their best. In all three performances, the Savonlinna Festival Orchestra and Choir – picked from among the finest instrumentalists and singers in Scandinavia – will have the greatest opportunities to show their strength.
The lake district of eastern Finland is an area of gently beguiling beauty. Thousands of inter-connected lakes meet forests of birch and pine at an incredibly convoluted shoreline, the pattern varied with scattered patches of pasture and arable land neatly arranged around timber farmsteads. The scenery and pure air provide a restful and refreshing foil to nights at the opera.
This is one of our more leisurely tours with plenty of free time around a gentle programme of visits and excursions.
20–25 July
Location, location, location … This oft-repeated estate agents’ mantra holds true even – or especially – for opera festivals. At almost all the most memorable of these summer gatherings the festival setting plays an important role, and nowhere is that more true than of Savonlinna, a small, pleasant town in the heart of Finland’s beautiful lakeland. In addition to waterscapes, forests and fresh air, this tranquil town boasts the magnificent castle of Olavinlinna, which in 2025 is celebrating its 550th anniversary. Built in 1475 as a fortress by the Swedes to deter Russian invaders, in the 20th century it found a more peaceful purpose as home to the Savonlinna Opera Festival, now one of the great annual events of the operatic calendar.
Savonlinna played an important role in the extraordinary flowering of modern Finnish opera in the 1970s, and Joonas Kokkonen’s The Last Temptations was for several years a fixture there. As part of the 2025 celebratory season this landmark work returns, starring today’s leading Finnish bass Mika Kares as the preacher Paavo Ruotsalainen, and audiences will get a chance to hear music by one of the most important Finnish composers after Sibelius.
Mika Kares has another major assignment at Savonlinna this coming summer: the title role in Modest Mussorgsky’s mighty opera Boris Godunov. The new production is by Nicola Raab, and though this work drawn from Russian history never loses its resonance, it will surely resonate all the more powerfully today in eastern Finland. The third opera on our itinerary is Giacomo Puccini’s swansong Turandot, among Savonlinna’s most admired stagings and here starring one of today’s most admired exponents of Turandot herself, the Polish soprano Ewa Płonka.
The tour begins with two nights in Helsinki, whose art and architecture are key to understanding the Finnish national movement that led to the country’s independence in 1917. Completing our cultural picture are visits to the architecturally significant Villa Kokkonen - the composer’s home designed by Alvar Aalto - and Sibelius’s house Ainola, sights within easy reach of Helsinki.
14–18 July
Day 1
Fly at c. 10.15am from London Heathrow to Helsinki (Finnair) and drive on to Savonlinna. The 200-mile journey is broken up by dinner in a manor house.
Day 2
After a morning lecture, visit the castle of St Olaf at Savonlinna for a guided tour. The afternoon is free before an early dinner. Evening opera: Macbeth (Verdi) (sung in Italian). Lorenzo Passerini (conductor), Ralf Långbacka (director); Ludovic Tézier (Macbeth), Saioa Hernández (Lady Macbeth), Goran Juric (Banco), Johan Krogius (Macduff), Cassandre Berthon (Lady-in-waiting).
Day 3
The morning is spent on a boat cruising through beautiful lakeland scenery. Some free time before a lecture and early dinner. Evening opera: Turandot (Puccini) (sung in Italian). Yves Abel (conductor), Pet Halmenr (director); Ewa Płonka (Turandot), Amadi Lagha (Calaf), Tuuli Takala or Sonja Herranen (Liù), Petri Lindroos (Timur).
Day 4
Visit the Punkaharju nature reserve and the Finnish Forest Museum. Lunch is included here before driving to Kerimäki, the largest wooden church in the world (1840s). Return to Savonlinna for some free time. Evening opera: Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) (sung in Russian). Dima Slobodeniouk (conductor), Nicola Raab (director); Mika Kares (Boris), Timo Riihonen (Pimen), Olga Heikkilä (Ksenia), Arttu Kataja (Tschelkalov), Tuomas Katajala (Grigori), Matti Turunen (Varlaam).
Day 5
Drive from Savonlinna to Helsinki for the flight to London, arriving at Heathrow at c. 5.00pm.
20–25 July
Day 1
Helsinki. Fly at c. 10.15am from London Heathrow to Helsinki (Finnair). Begin with a walk through the Neo-Classical heart of the city: the Esplanade, Senate Square, cathedral and Market Square. First of two nights in Helsinki.
Day 2
Helsinki. In the morning visit Tuusula Lake with its turn of the century villa for Sibelius as well as the Kokkonen Villa by Aalto. The Ateneum, Finland’s foremost art museum houses a collection of brilliant National Romantic pictures.
Day 3
Helsinki, Savonlinna. Drive on to Savonlinna. The 200-mile journey is broken up by lunch in a manor house. Evening opera: The Last Temptations (Kokkonen) (sung in Finnish). Ville Matvejeff (conductor), Mikko Kouki (director); Mika Kares (Paavo Ruotsalainen), Silja Aalto (Riitta), Johan Krogius (Juhana), Petri Lindroos (Jaakko Högman), Tuomas Miettola (1st man), Laura Malmivaara (Anna Loviisa). First of three nights in Savonlinna.
Day 4
Savonlinna. After a morning lecture, visit the castle of St Olaf at Savonlinna for a guided tour. Evening opera: Turandot (Puccini) (sung in Italian). Yves Abel (conductor), Pet Halmenr (director); Ewa Płonka (Turandot), Amadi Lagha (Calaf), Tuuli Takala or Sonja Herranen (Liù), Petri Lindroos (Timur)
Day 5
Savonlinna. The morning is spent on a boat cruising through beautiful lakeland scenery. Some free time before a lecture and early dinner. Evening opera: Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) (sung in Russian). Dima Slobodeniouk (conductor), Nicola Raab (director); Mika Kares (Boris), Timo Riihonen (Pimen), Olga Heikkilä (Ksenia), Arttu Kataja (Tschelkalov), Tuomas Katajala (Grigori), Matti Turunen (Varlaam).
Day 6
Savonlina, Helsinki. Drive from Savonlinna to Helsinki for the flight to London, arriving at Heathrow at c. 5.00pm.
Simon Rees
Simon is a freelance dramaturg, translating opera librettos for singing and surtitles, as well as lecturing and writing on opera, theatre, art and architecture. He is an Associate Lecturer at the Wales International Academy of Voice, and also teaches at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. A novelist, poet and librettist, from 1989 to 2012 he was dramaturg at Welsh National Opera. Website: dramaturg.co.uk
Dr John Allison
Editor of Opera magazine and music critic. He was born in South Africa and completed his PhD degree while playing the piano and working as assistant organist at Cape Town cathedral. Since moving to London in 1989 he has written for publications around the world, authored two books and served on the juries of many international competitions. He co-founded the International Opera Awards in 2013. He reviews for the Daily Telegraph and has previously held positions as music critic on The Sunday Telegraph and The Times.
Price, per person
14–18 July
Two sharing: £3,370 or £3,100 without flights. Single occupancy: £3,840 or £3,570 without flights.
20–25 July
Two sharing: £3,630 or £3,360 without flights. Single occupancy: £4,090 or £3,820 without flights.
Included
Flights (economy class) with Finnair (aircraft: Airbus A350-900); travel by private coach; accommodation as described below; 2 lunches and 3 dinners with wine; admissions to sites visited with the group; all tips; all taxes; the services of the lecturer, tour manager and guides.
Music
Top category tickets for 3 operas, costing c. £430.
Accommodation
14–18 July
Sokos Hotel Seurahuone, located by the lake in Savonlinna, this hotel is the best in town. It is basic but adequately equipped and with modern facilities. All rooms (including rooms for single occupancy) have twin beds and most have showers instead of baths.
20–25 July
Hotel Haven, Helsinki: smart, boutique hotel close to the harbour.Sokos Hotel Seurahuone located by the lake in Savonlinna, this hotel is the best in town. It is basic but adequately equipped and with modern facilities. All rooms (including rooms for single occupancy) have twin beds and most have showers instead of baths
How strenuous?
We walk from the hotel to the castle, often on cobbled streets, for all performances (just over half a mile each way). The tour would not be suitable for anyone who could not cope with this. There is also a forest walk covering uneven ground. There are long coach journeys on days 1 and 5; average distance by coach per day: 86 miles.
Are you fit enough to join the tour?
Group size
Between 10 and 24 participants.
Travel advice
Before booking, please refer to the FCDO website to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting.
'Our lecturer was extremely knowledgeable and interesting – both in lectures and socially.'
'Dinner in the castle was super – so atmospheric.'
'Good restaurants and an outstanding experience to dine in the castle.'
'I am not prone to writing excellent as there are usually small disappointments, however on this occasion I felt it was the only way to describe the holiday.'
'Really enjoyable – very impressive orchestra and chorus. The soloists were maginificent.'
'Perhaps because of the fresh air and forests in Finland, I actually felt more relaxed than I have been for years.'
'Operas very spectacular in the castle setting…most enjoyable.'