Welcome to the Strauss Concerts in the Finlandia Hall on January 5, at 7 pm and on
January 6, 2025 at 2 pm.
The duration of the concerts is approx. 2,5 hrs. incl. intermission.
Strauss Concerts at the Finlandia Hall on Epiphany Day
The Strauss Concerts invite you to a sparkling welcome to the New Year – a beloved tradition that spreads festive atmosphere and elegance.
Our concerts have during a multitude of years taken the audience to the magnificent 19th and early 20th century lifestyle in Vienna, and the upcoming concert is no exception.
The Lohja City Orchestra, reinforced by students from the Sibelius Academy will perform the most beloved melodies of the Strauss dynasty under the direction of the charismatic maestro Atso Almila. The concert will also stage internationally renowned opera singers from Finland, Southern Africa and the USA who interpret the music with passion and virtuosity.
Atso Almila, conductor
Atso Almila, an internationally respected conductor is also a composer, columnist and opinion leader. Almila has composed not only seven operas but also five symphonies and a lot of other music. He is also leading master classes in in addition to conducting both Finland and internationally.
He was the professor of conducting at the Sibelius Academy, involved in all forms of music theatre, he produces sharp witty texts to mention some of his talents.
Molly Dzangare, soprano
Zimbabwean soprano Molly Dzangare has quickly emerged as an exciting new name on the international opera scene. Her expressive voice, strong musical presence and captivating stage charisma have earned her recognition in international competitions. In 2026, Dzangare won First Prize at the UNISA International Voice Competition, and in 2025 she was a finalist in the prestigious International Belvedere Singing Competition. Her repertoire includes works such as Die Fledermaus, The Turn of the Screw and Les contes d’Hoffmann.
Dzangare is an exciting voice among a new generation of opera singers, with an international career on the rise.
Carmen Traut, soprano
Carmen Traut is a South African soprano celebrated for her silvery lyric voice and radiant stage presence. In 2024 she won the Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition and in 2025 the Fine Music Radio Bursary Competition, also becoming a finalist at the Neues Lied Art Festival Cape Town.
She has performed with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra at the Youth Classical Concert and was named a Young Artist of the Songmakers’ Guild in 2024 and 2025.
On stage she debuted as Adele in Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, with further concerts and gala appearances.
Mick Rafalski, tenor
American tenor Mick Rafalski, originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, is a versatile stage and concert artist. His extensive US credits include the Broadway National Tour of Peter and the Starcatcher, Hairspray in Concert with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and My Fair Lady at the Bay Street Theater in New York. A seasoned performer of classic American theater, his roles include leading parts in South Pacific, Oklahoma!, Into the Woods, and Sweeney Todd. Internationally, he has performed as a vocalist for Disney in Tokyo and Paris. Mick is an alumnus of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Jussi Vänttinen, baritone
Finnish baritone Jussi Vänttinen is a versatile opera and concert singer known for his strong stage presence and expressive performances. In 2019, he won the men’s category of the Lappeenranta National Singing Competition and made his Finnish National Opera debut the same year in Bizet’s Carmen. His repertoire includes the title role in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro and roles in many other operas. Alongside opera, Vänttinen is also active as a lied and concert singer. With his strong musical expression and wide-ranging repertoire, he is an exciting presence on the Finnish opera scene.
STAY AT HOTEL AX
In cooperation with the Strauss Concerts, Hotel AX offers accommodation for two at a special price.
Reservations with the code STRAUSS at hotelax.fi.
