The Finnish National Ballet's perennial favourite, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, is playing to packed audiences at Helsinki's Opera House. This Finnish adaptation of Tchaikovsky's classic is set in the town of Porvoo about a century ago. The seven performances between December 22 and January 5 are nearly all sold out, with a few seats still available.
For those who prefer to crack a harder sort of nut, the capital's leading rock venue, Tavastia Club, hosts the annual Helldone Festival on 28-31 December, starring HIM and the 69 Eyes from Helsinki, the Liverpool metal band Anathema and four other bands. The shows are all sold out.
Choir Contest in Tampere
Meanwhile in Tampere, an appearance by veteran actor and singer Vesa-Matti Loiri at Tampere Hall on Sunday evening was nearly sold out in advance.
On Monday 21 December, there is a free concert featuring the two finalists in a Christmas choir contest at Tampere's Old Church. Late on Christmas Eve, there is another free choral concert at St Alexander's Church, featuring the youth choir Sympaatti. Tampere's Lutheran Cathedral offers a series of free classical concerts on New Year's Eve.
On January 2, Tampere Hall hosts a concert of Viennese New Year's Eve music, performed by the Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra. The same programme can be heard the following day at Helsinki's Finlandia Hall.
In Turku, Stars in the Dark
In Turku, there is a free Christmas concert on Sunday billed as You Can Only See Stars in the Dark at St Henry's Ecumenical Art Chapel, an unusual building of copper and wood that opened four years ago.
Also on Sunday evening, the nearby town of Kaarina celebrates its 700th anniversary with a gala concert at Kaarina's Lutheran Church.
Oulu: Island Sounds and Charity Benefit
Near the largest northern city of Oulu, there is a Christmas concert on Sunday evening in the Lutheran Church on the island of Hailuoto.
On Monday evening, veteran pop-country singer Mikko Alatalo -- who is also a Centre Party MP -- holds his annual holiday concert at a church in the Karjasilta neighbourhood. Admission is free, but donations go to aid victims of drought in East Africa.
This week, churches all over Finland offer popular sing-along events known as Kauneimmat Joululaulut (The Most Beautiful Christmas Songs), sponsored by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission.
