Dima Slobodeniouk nominated for chief conductor of the National Opera

The same board will make the final decision at its meeting on Wednesday, June 10, after first consulting the artistic personnel groups of the National Opera and Ballet. The four-year term of the new chief conductor begins on August 1.

Russian born Slobodeniouk began his violin studies in Moscow before moving to Finland at the age of 16. At the turn of the millennium, he studied in the conducting class of the Sibelius Academy Come on Almilan, Jorma Panula and Leif Segerstamin under.

In his career, Slobodeniouk has served as the chief conductor of Sinfonia Lahti, the artistic director of the Sibelius Festival, and the musical director of the Spanish Galician Symphony Orchestra. He has also conducted at the National Opera Giuseppe Verdin Requiem Mass in 2023.

“Dima’s work as a conductor at the National Opera and Ballet showed exceptional musical vision, clarity and efficiency”, states the artistic director Thomas de Mallet Burgess in the bulletin. At the same meeting, the board of the National Opera decided to extend de Mallet Burgess’ directorship until 2030.

At the beginning of the year Left the position of chief conductor of the National Opera Hannu Lintuaccording to which de Mallet Burgess would have halved his workload and thus his remuneration. The chief conductor does not enjoy a monthly salary, but his remuneration is based on the number of performances conducted. Lintu moved on to conduct the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

In the press release, the National Opera particularly emphasizes de Mallett Burgess’s positive view of chief conductor candidate Slobodeniouk.