Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra’s Park Concert

Information

Free admission

Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and Tampere Hall in co-operation with Tampereen Energia invite you to the traditional Park concert on Saturday, August 8th!

Matthew Halls, conductor
Tuomas Katajala, tenor
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra

In the outdoor concert, the orchestra will be conducted by the TPO’s chief conductor Matthew Halls and the sparkling soloist will be tenor Tuomas Katajala. DJ Juissi will tune you into the park atmosphere from 3 pm onwards.

On the day of the concert, Tampere Hall will also host the family-friendly Moomin – The Grand Celebration Day event. Free entry there as well.

Free admission to both events. See you there!

Production by Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Tampereen Energia, and Tampere Hall

Schedule

3:00–5:40 pm – S-Wings by DJ Juissi

Enjoy familiar pop and rock hits reimagined as swinging tunes and smooth jazz arrangements.

5:40 pm – Greetings from the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Tampereen Energia, and Tampere Hall

6:00 pm – Tampere Philharmonic Park Concert begins

Park Concert programme

Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Music from Swan Lake: Scene, Mazurka, Dance of the Little Swans (Danse des cygnes), Waltz

Johann Strauss: Overture from Die Fledermaus

Giacomo Puccini: Intermezzo from Suor Angelica

Giacomo Puccini: Cavaradossi’s aria E lucevan le stelle (The stars were shining) from Tosca

Giuseppe Verdi: Overture from Luisa Miller

Ernesto de Curtis: Non ti scordar di me (Forget me not)

Georges Bizet: Music from Carmen: Overture, Seguidilla, Habanera

Franz Lehár: Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (Yours is my whole heart) from The Land of Smiles (Das Land des Lächelns)

Benjamin Britten: Storm from Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Lensky’s aria Kuda, kuda from Eugene Onegin

Good to know

Weather information

If the weather is unsettled on the day of the concert, please bring your own rain protection. We recommend raincoats and ponchos, as umbrellas can obstruct the view of people seated behind you.

Umbrellas may be used if you are seated farther back in the park. However, umbrellas are strictly prohibited in the seating area directly in front of the stage.

If the rain becomes too heavy, the concert may need to be temporarily suspended.

Accessibility

A wheelchair platform is available in the event area, and the park is generally accessible for wheelchair users. Capacity on the platform is limited. An assistant may accompany a wheelchair user on the platform if space permits. Our staff will be present nearby to provide assistance if needed.

Food and drinks

During the Park Concert, a selection of hot and cold beverages as well as sweet and savoury snacks will be available for purchase in Sorsapuisto Park.

Restaurant Tuhto will serve guests with extended opening hours from 12 noon to 9:00 pm on the day of the concert. In addition to its regular menu, the restaurant will offer light refreshments that may also be taken into the park area.

Ticket offers

On the day of the concert, discounted tickets for Tampere Hall and Tampere Philharmonic autumn events will be available from the Tampere Hall ticket office. The special offers will be announced during the event week.

Tampere Hall’s Game On summer exhibition will be open with extended hours until 9:00 pm on Saturday, 8 August. Evening tickets will be available at the Tampere Hall ticket office on Saturday, 8 August, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Opera music at the Park Concert

Chief Conductor Matthew Halls’s final season with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra will open with an opera-themed outdoor concert featuring tenor Tuomas Katajala as soloist. The traditional Park Concert, co-organised by the Tampere Philharmonic, Tampere Hall and Tampereen Energia, will take place in Sorsapuisto Park in Tampere on Saturday, 8 August. Admission is free.

The long-standing Park Concert will fill Sorsapuisto Park in Tampere with music on Saturday, 8 August 2026 at 6 pm. This large-scale, free concert for all ages marks the start of the city’s cultural autumn season. Last year, an estimated 10,000 music lovers gathered to enjoy the live sound of a symphony orchestra.

The concert will be conducted for the fourth time by British conductor Matthew Halls, for whom the upcoming season will be his last as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO). Recently appointed Artistic Partner of the Belgian National Orchestra, Halls performs regularly with major orchestras across Europe and the United States.

The programme pays tribute to Tampere Opera, which celebrates its 80th anniversary and is one of Finland’s longest-running uninterrupted operatic traditions. The soloist is Tuomas Katajala, one of the most versatile and sought-after tenors in the Nordic countries. The concert features highlights from the operatic repertoire, alongside beloved operetta and ballet music.

– Opera’s romantic and passionate melodies will resonate at the Park Concert, complemented by a touch of beloved operetta and ballet music. The outstanding tenor Tuomas Katajala will perform well-known arias by Puccini, Verdi and Tchaikovsky together with the orchestra under the baton of Chief Conductor Matthew Halls. It is once again our pleasure, together with our partners Tampere Hall and Tampere Energy, to welcome audiences to enjoy a summer evening of music in Sorsapuisto Park, says Eija Oravuo, General Manager of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra.

An energetic public celebration

The free Park Concert has been made possible by Tampereen Energia for the past 10 years. This vibrant public celebration can be experienced only on site in Sorsapuisto Park, and audiences are encouraged to arrive early using walking, cycling or public transport. Before the concert, DJ Juissi will entertain the audience from 3 pm.

– The Park Concert has become a shared summer tradition for the people of Tampere, where high-quality music is accessible to all. We are delighted to help make possible an event that brings together thousands of people to enjoy culture and community in the heart of the city. At the same time, our long-standing partnership with Tampere Hall supports sustainable events through renewable district heating and cooling solutions, says Jussi Laitinen, CEO of Tampereen Energia.

Restaurant Tuhto will be open with extended hours from 11 am to 9 pm (kitchen closes at 8 pm). The Game On summer exhibition will be open from 9 am to 9 pm, and tickets for autumn events and concerts at discounted prices will be available from the Tampere Hall ticket office.

TPO’s popular ticket hunt returns once again. This time, the orchestra will provide 30 “Faun Passes” that will be hidden at the Park Concert in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Afternoon of Fauns chamber music series. Park Concert visitors can also win concert gift cards by taking part in the TPO’s audience survey, open from 8 August to 15 November. The survey forms part of a nationwide audience study by the Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras.

On the same day, Saturday 8 August from 10 am to 4 pm, Tampere Hall will host the Moomin – The Grand Celebration Day event for families with children. Admission is free. The Moomin Museum in Tampere Hall will be open from 9 am to 5 pm.