Which Finnish town hosts the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival?

Savonlinna is the Finnish town that hosts the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival.

The festival is staged mainly at Olavinlinna Castle, a medieval fortress standing on an island in Lake Saimaa. Its setting is one of the most distinctive opera venues in Europe, combining performances with the architectural atmosphere of a fifteenth-century castle.

The event developed from an opera festival organized in 1912 by Finnish soprano Aino Ackté. After a long interruption, the modern festival was revived in 1967 and has since become an important international summer arts event.

Savonlinna is in southeastern Finland and is known for its lake landscapes as well as its cultural program. The festival’s repertoire includes Finnish and international opera, so it is not limited to works by Finnish composers.