Jari Hämäläinen

Conductor (Turandot)

Jari Hämäläinen graduated from the Sibelius Academy in 1989, majoring in the piano. He was rehearsal pianist at the Finnish National Opera 1985-90, and from 1990 onwards worked at various opera houses in Germany, as a pianist, choirmaster and conductor. The Braunschweig State Opera was an important stage in his career under the tutelage of Stefan Soltesz and Brigitte Fassbaender. The latter directed a number of works in which Hämäläinen was the conductor. Braunschweig was followed by an invitation to become the General Music Director and Musical Director of the Stadttheater Pforzheim and city orchestra, the first Finn to hold such a position in Germany. Jari Hämäläinen has been Artistic Director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival since autumn 2007.