XXII BAROKKIKUOPIO 2026 – WATER / WIND

BarokkiKuopio returns to Kuopio from 15–19 July 2026 under the theme Water / Wind. This year's festival explores the movement, fluidity and power of water and air through early music, featuring concerts, musical cruises, family events and the closing performance by the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO) under the direction of baroque oboe guru Alfredo Bernardini.

The festival programme has been conceived by Artistic Director Matias Häkkinen, who has shaped BarokkiKuopio's artistic vision for ten consecutive editions. A harpsichordist, conductor and one of Finland's leading early music specialists, Matias Häkkinen is known for combining historically informed performance with bold artistic ideas and unexpected concert formats.

Where will the current carry us, and where will the wind blow?

BarokkiKuopio, Finland's early music festival in the heart of the Lakeland, returns for its 22nd edition from 15–19 July 2026 under the theme Water / Wind. Water and wind have always shaped landscapes, journeys and cultures. They can be gentle or overwhelming, life-giving or destructive, predictable or impossible to control. Like music, they are invisible forces that move us physically and emotionally.

This year's programme explores these ever-changing elements through early music from across Europe. Audiences will encounter crashing waves and quiet streams, summer breezes and powerful storms, alongside stories of travel, transformation and cultural exchange. From intimate solo recitals and family concerts to experimental performances, musical cruises and large-scale orchestral concerts by European Union Baroque orchestra and by Ensemble Nylandia (BarokkiKuopios orchestra in residence), the festival invites listeners to experience movement in all its forms.

The festival culminates in a guest performance by the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO) under the direction of Alfredo Bernardini. Their programme, Currents of Affects – A European Journey, celebrates the rich network of musical ideas that flowed across Baroque Europe and continues to inspire performers today.

BarokkiKuopio combines historically informed performance with curiosity, imagination and surprising concert experiences. Alongside internationally acclaimed artists, the festival presents Finland's leading early music performers in venues ranging from churches and museums to cafés, parks and the shores of Lake Kallavesi. Welcome to discover where the current leads.