Helsinki Festival is delighted to announce the appointment of Erik Söderblom (b. 1958) as Festival Director.

Söderblom, who takes up the post from 1 May 2009, will assume responsibility for the festival’s artistic direction and organisational management.

Commenting on the appointment, the Helsinki Festival foundation said that Söderblom is ideally placed to build on the Festival’s past successes and take it forward in new directions. The new Director’s work will be focused on the year 2010 and beyond.
In addition to his considerable experience in theatre and organisational management, Söderblom has a strong background in music education. Söderblom moves to Helsinki Festival from the Helsinki Theatre Academy, where he is currently Vice Rector and Professor at the Department of Acting in Swedish. In addition to these roles, he has worked extensively as a theatre and opera director in Finland and beyond, premiering many Finnish operas and musical theatre works.

The Helsinki Festival Director is responsible for the Festival’s artistic direction, budget and funding development and the management of the Festival organisation and senior staff. Helsinki Festival’s current Director, Risto Nieminen, has been appointed Director of the Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Foundation’s Music Department from April 2009.

Nieminen has created the 2009 festival programme, due to be announced on 21 April. The 2009 Helsinki Festival will run from 13 to 30 August.