SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Finnish National Opera: Mikko Franck nominated as  Artistic Director and General Music Director of the Finnish National Opera (BK)

At its meeting  on Wednesday  November 21st, the Board of Directors of the Finnish National Opera Foundation decided to nominate the conductor Mikko Franck for the dual post of Artistic Director and General Music Director of the company.

Although Mr Franck is currently General Music Director of  Finnish National Opera, he gave notice of resignation from the post  last year, following profound differences of opinion with former General Director Erkki Korhonen and other members of the Finnish National Opera Senior Management team. Mr. Korhonen himself later resigned from his post and was replaced by Mrs. Päivi Kärkkäinen,  formerly a senior exective with YLE, Finland's national radio and television company,  who takes up her post at the beginning of December.

The FNO Board  has circulated the proposal for comment to the relevant personnel groups with the company. Following this, the Board will  decide finally about the appointment of an Artistic Director and General Music Director at its next meeting on December 18th.

As a result of  some major restructuring to Finnish National Opera's administarion, the Artistic Director and General Music Director will be in charge of artistic planning of the opera repertoire and concert programmes for  the company, managing and developing its artistic operations and maintaining and enhancing its artistic quality. If Mr Franck's proposed appointment is  confirmed, he will be responsible for the content and artistic policy of all opera productions. By combining the positions of Artistic Director and General Music Director, the Board aims to clarify the responsibilities of the artistic management in the ongoing administrative transition at Finnish National Opera.

Mikko Franck was nominated by the Board of Directors on the strength of his knowledge of the art and music of opera, his international reputation and his international contacts. Further notice was also taken of the fact  that Mr. Franck is thoroughly familiar with  Finnish National Opera and is interested in and enthusiastic about developing the company artistically and operationally.

The Artistic Director and General Music Director, like the Artistic Director of the Finnish National Ballet, will report to the recently appointed General Director Mrs. Päivi Kärkkäinen. The General Director is responsible for general administration and financial and resource management of the Finnish National Opera.

The new Artistic Director of the Finnish National Ballet, appointed only last week, is Kenneth Greve a former principal dancer at Royal Danish Ballet,  and it is very much to be hoped that the Board of Directors will complete the opera's artistic team by confirming Mr. Franck's new joint post in mid-December.  This would be a welcome early Christmas present for all concerned and with a completely fresh senior management team in charge, Finnish National Opera and Ballet  should be able at last to overcome the troubles of the last two years.  A New Year and a new team should mean plans for a financially and artistically stronger future.


Bill Kenny