Winner of the international piano competition Top of the World and the Finnish soprano Reetta Haavisto appear as soloists with
The Arctic Philharmonic in our festival´s opening concert.
In 2015 we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of composer Jean Sibelius and the programme presents some of his most loved works. In many ways, Sibelius´ music is synonymous with Finnish national identity.
Top of the World International Piano Competition is open to young pianists between the ages of 17 and 35, and takes place
biannually in Tromsø. Top of the World will welcome entrants of the highest calibre to Tromsø for the fourth time, and a winner
will be announced on the 19th of June. The newly crowned winner will appear in Festive Harstad the next day as the soloist in
a piano concerto.
Young Finnish soprano Reetta Haavisto is blessed with a beautiful and powerful voice. She is an artist of great charisma and stage presence. Reetta has a remarkably broad repertoire which stretches from the baroque up to the present day.
Haavisto has already become a regular favourite at the Finnish National Opera. Since 2011 she has gained acclaim for roles in operas by Donizetti, Puccini and Rossini. In December 2014 she was the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Reetta Haavisto has been invited to play a prominent roll in Finland´s celebrations of Jan Sibelius 150th birthday. This includes an appearance with the Bern Symphony Orchestra as the soloist in Sibelius´choral symphony Kullervo in May 2015.
Like so many young Finnish stars of classical music Haavisto is a graduate of the renowned Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. As well as studying opera she has a wide repertoire of more intimate Lied music. Her exquisite recording of the Rachmaninoff Romances can be heard on the FC Records label. Reetta has won various awards including a special prize at the Lappeenranta Singing Competition, and a lied prize in the 7th Internationaler Lions Gesangswettbewerb des Opernfestivals Gut Immling.
The Arctic Philharmonic participates in the final of Top of the World and it is a great pleasure to present them in our opening concert.