FINLAND - The Savonlinna Opera Festival, Finland's most celebrated summer opera event, presents the return of Verdi's Macbeth to the historic stage of Olavinlinna Castle (July 4-15) as part of its 2025 season, which celebrates the 550th anniversary of the manor.

 This revival of Ralf Långbacka's acclaimed production, hailed as "the best Macbeth ever" and taken around the world, will be conducted by Lorenzo Passerini and will feature an illustrious cast, including world-renowned singers such as French baritone Ludovic Tézier and Spanish soprano Saioa Hernández, who is making her festival debut. Passerini and Tézier return to Savonlinna after the highly acclaimed Tosca of 2022, where the baritone gave a groundbreaking performance in the role of Scarpia. Passerini is a young but renowned conductor from Valtellina, recently appointed principal conductor of the Jyväskylä Sinfonia, also in Finland.

 This season also marks a poignant moment as the festival pays tribute to the late Anneli Qveflander, a Finnish pioneer of costume design and artistic director, who recently passed away at the age of 96. Qveflander's visionary work, in both opera and theater, has had an undeniable influence on the Finnish opera scene and the Savonlinna Opera Festival.

 For artistic director Ville Matvejeff, Anneli Qveflander was a true pioneer of Finnish scenography. Her art brought depth and authenticity to the stage of Olavinlinna, enriching the visual narrative of the opera. Her contribution continues to inspire and set a high standard for future generations.

 The 2025 festival season, which runs from July 3rd to August 2nd, will also feature other operatic masterpieces such as Puccini's Turandot (July 5-25), Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, and Joonas Kokkonen's The Last Temptations, as well as Purcell's The Fairy Queen from the guest opera company Festival Perelada. These performances, set against the backdrop of the northernmost medieval castle in the world, promise an unforgettable experience for both opera enthusiasts and newcomers.

 The Savonlinna Opera Festival is Finland's leading cultural event. Renowned worldwide for its high-quality opera performances and concerts, it attracts music lovers from all over the world to the charming lakeside town of Savonlinna every summer. The month-long festival, established in 1910, is held at Olavinlinna, an imposing castle on the shore of Finland's largest lake. The setting creates a unique and evocative atmosphere for its 60,000 visitors, who, once inside, are enchanted by classics and rare works, as well as world premieres and touring productions from prestigious opera houses such as Teatro alla Scala.

 The Festival's excellent organization, now well-established over the years, provides detailed information on accommodation, restaurants, maps, and transportation related to the event, and offers the possibility, by consulting the festival website, to access related links and book tickets online. 

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