The Turku Music Festival that was to be held from 6 to 16 August 2020 has been cancelled due to the direct and indirect impacts of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The Finnish Government and the City of Turku have both ruled that major public events remain prohibited up until 31 July and that assemblies of more than 50 people are prohibited until further notice. More recently, the Government announced that cultural events involving fewer than 500 people may be held with special arrangements. However, there is no information as yet on what these special arrangements might be, and unfortunately this comes too late to change anything as regards our festival. The Government has not excluded the possibility that the assembly restrictions may be extended further. It is also uncertain whether performers from abroad would be able to travel to Finland at all. The restrictions in place in Europe and in Finland and their knock-on effects render it impossible to organise the festival in August as planned.
“This is a regrettable decision, but we considered it carefully and concluded that it was the only possible course of action. We always follow the instructions of the authorities, and we also wish to avoid any risk of compromising the health and safety of either our performers or our audiences. Ticket sales are also very challenging to promote in the current situation where our customers are understandably hesitant about planning to attend major events in August,” says Liisa Ketomäki, Managing Director of the Turku Music Festival Foundation.
The decision to cancel the festival was made at this time so that it could be announced well in advance to performers, partners and the general public. “We are devastated to have to cancel the festival this year, but there is no other sustainable option,” says Liisa Ketomäki.
“The cancellation of this year’s festival is of course a huge disappointment, but under the circumstances we had no choice. For me, it is important that we are able to invite all of this year’s wonderful artists to our next festival. Art is a source of sustenance for all of us, in good times and difficult times, and I hope we will see you all soon again at the Turku Music Festival,” says conductor Klaus Mäkelä, artistic director of the Turku Music Festival.
Customers who have already purchased tickets may return them for a refund or exchange them for a voucher to the Turku Music Festival that will be valid until 31 December 2021. The festival is exploring the possibility to reschedule or stream a number of concerts, and further information on this will be provided in June.
The recital by American baritone Thomas Hampson, ‘Songs of America’ (original date 15 August 2020) will be postponed to 2021 with an amended programme (and without the participation of soprano Nadine Sierra). The recital will be given at Turku Concert Hall on Saturday 24 April 2021 at 19.00. Tickets already purchased for Hampson’s recital will be honoured as is, but customers may also return them for a refund by 31 May 2020 if the new date is not convenient.
Unless otherwise announced later, the concerts of the Turku Music Festival scheduled for autumn 2020 (Franco Fagioli and the Basel Chamber Orchestra on 4 October, and Joyce DiDonato and Il Pomo d’Oro on 7 December) will go ahead as scheduled.
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Lippupiste refund instructions
If you have already purchased tickets, you may exchange them for a voucher to the Turku Music Festival. Alternatively, you may return the tickets and request a refund. Refunds for tickets to the postponed ‘Songs of America’ recital must be requested by 31 May 2020.
Turku Music Festival’s gift voucher can only be redeemed at Lippu.fi Full-service Ticket Outlets and is valid until 31 December 2021. Find your nearest Lippu.fi Full-service Ticket Outlet here: https://www.lippu.fi/en/help/outlets/
Send an e-mail to Lippupiste at or phone 0600 900 900 (EUR 2 per min + local call charge). In the message, give your postal address and the individual numbers of the original tickets or other identifying details such as the booking number.
You may also request a refund online at https://web.lippu.fi/palautus, or you may mail in your tickets, enclosing your contact information and bank account details, to:
Lippupiste Oy / [name of event] returns
Kalevantie 2 (B-talo)
FI-33100 Tampere
You will be refunded the price of the actual ticket(s). Service charges and delivery charges will not be refunded.
Please note that because of the large number of refunds being processed there are delays in paying out refunds.