Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra opens its season 2026/27 with Sibelius’s Kullervo
TPO opens its autumn season on Thursday 3 September 2026 at Tampere Hall with Jean Sibelius's monumental Kullervo. The concert also marks the beginning of Chief Conductor Matthew Halls's fourth and final season with the orchestra.
Based on the Kalevala, Kullervo is one of the landmarks of Finnish orchestral music. Scored for orchestra, male choir and vocal soloists, the work tells the tragic story of one of the epic’s most compelling characters and remains among the greatest achievements in Finnish music. Written by the young Sibelius, Kullervo already displays the ambition, originality and dramatic power that would later make him Finland’s most celebrated composer. Based on the Kalevala, Kullervo is one of the landmarks of Finnish orchestral music. Scored for orchestra, male choir and vocal soloists, the work tells the tragic story of one of the epic’s most compelling characters and remains among the greatest achievements in Finnish music.
The internationally acclaimed opera stars Johanna Rusanen-Kartano and Ville Rusanen appear as soloists in the Tampere concert. The male chorus in Kullervo brings together the male voices of the Tampere Philharmonic Choir and the Tampere Opera Chorus, as well as the Pirkanpojat boys’ choir. Kullervo concert is conducted by Chief Conductor Matthew Halls.
An early highlight of the season follows on 11 September, when audiences in Tampere will have an opportunity to hear the orchestra’s future Chief Conductor, Kristian Sallinen, in the concert Sibelius 5. Sallinen was appointed Tampere Philharmonic’s next Chief Conductor and Artistic Director in June 2026 and will begin his tenure in autumn 2027. Read the appointment news.
More information and tickets to Kullervo concert
