Mikko Franck
Mikko Franck was born in 1979 in Helsinki, Finland. He began his conducting career at the early age of 17 and has since worked with major orchestras and opera houses across the world.
From 2002 to 2007, Mikko Franck was Music Director of the Orchestre National de Belgique. In 2006, he took up the position of General Music Director of Finnish National Opera, and the following year was appointed Artistic Director and General Music Director, a dual position he held until August 2013.
In September 2015, Mikko Franck became Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Since assuming this position, he has taken the orchestra on tours of Europe, China and South Korea, and championed their creative and eclectic style of programming. His initial contract with the orchestra has twice been extended, most recently until September 2025.
During the 2020/21 season, as well as fulfilling a busy concert schedule in Paris, Mikko Franck will return as guest conductor to the Chicago Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic orchestras, amongst others.
Equally devoted to opera, he has conducted over the past few years the Vienna State Opera productions of La Bohème, Salome, Lohengrin, Josephs Legende, Elektra, Tosca, La Fanciulla del West, Die tote Stadt, and Tristan und Isolde. The 2020/21 season will include a production of Tristan und Isolde at the Palau de les Arts, Valencia.
Mikko Franck’s considerable discography includes both symphonic works and opera. He has made several recordings with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, most recently Franck by Franck, released in April 2020, with César Franck’s Symphony in D minor and his rarely performed symphonic poem, Ce qu’on entend sur la montagne.
In February 2018, Mikko Franck was nominated Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF France and in this capacity has made two field visits to Benin and one to Senegal. Upon his nomination he stated: “Every child is unique; every life is important. Every child, regardless of their origin, should have the right to live in a safe and healthy environment, to follow their dreams and to realise their full potential”