Regional Opera in Finland - Survival and Success

This thesis explores the regional opera field in Finland through an analysis of four regional opera companies. It assesses organizational structure, leadership, artistic ambitions, community involvement, volunteers, finances, contributions and educational aspects. The thesis also provides a brief history of Finnish opera and an overview of the regional opera field. Based on the assessments, the thesis provides recommendations for building stable regional opera operations in the city of Turku, where regional opera operations have been on hold due to economic difficulty. The recommendations emphasize strategic planning, diversifying revenue sources, assigning competent leadership, establishing a devoted volunteer force and developing a solid connection to the community.