Finnish Conductor Jonas Rannila Admits to Misconduct Allegations Amid Investigations by National Opera and Pori Sinfonietta

The musician whose inappropriate behavior Long Play wrote about went public himself. The Finnish National Opera and Pori Sinfonietta say they are investigating the harassment case.

At the end of May, Long Play published a long story "The Musician's Paradox," in which eleven men studying and working in the arts told of years of inappropriate sexually suggestive behavior by a musician in a position of power. The case is backed up by a wide range of other evidence, including an exchange of messages. Long Play did not release the musician's name.

Today, Monday, conductor Jonas Rannila posted an update on Facebook saying he was the "Musician" in the case. In his update, Rannila apologizes and says he does not subscribe to the things said in the story "as they stand."

The Long Play story mentions a freelance organization in which Rannila is in a dominant position. The organization's productions have featured many young students. For some of them, this is their very first professional gig. The dependence on job opportunities is one of the reasons why the inappropriate behavior could have continued for so long.

The organization is called Opera Box. It was founded in 2016 and has received hundreds of thousands of euros in public funding and a large number of grants. Jonas Rannila is the musical director of Opera Box. In addition to him, two other people are in charge of Opera Box: artistic director Ville Saukkonen and opera director Ville Salonen, tenor.

Several people have told Long Play that director Saukkonen has been aware of Rannila's inappropriate behavior and has been concerned about it. Long Play has tried to ask Saukkonen what he has known. Saukkonen answered the first call but hung up after hearing the subject matter of the case. Since then, he has not returned calls or messages.

Long Play could not reach Ville Salonen for comment.

This Spring Jonas Rannila was appointed as the new chief conductor of the Pori Sinfonietta. Esa Kohtamäki, Director of the City of Pori's Department of Culture, says the information now in the public domain came as a complete surprise to the city.

"It was agreed that the person in question would be consulted and then we would agree within the city what to do," says Kohtamäki.

The hearing will take place this week, Kohtamäki says. In addition to Kohtamäki herself, at least the city's lawyer and HR manager will be involved.

More information on the situation is expected later this week.

"This week we should get things settled in such a way that we can come out with it."

Kohtamäki cannot say what will happen to Rannila's scheduled gigs. For example, the winners of the ongoing international Mirjam Helin song contest are promised gigs, including one with the Pori Sinfonietta. Jonas Rannila has been appointed conductor.

Communications said that the matter was being investigated internally at the National Opera and that no interviews would be granted.

On Facebook, Rannila says that he has "failed to understand the importance of my slowly developing power in my private life and my behavior has therefore offended others." Yet he also says: "I cannot endorse the allegations in the article as such and I hope that I can address the issues with those concerned. I offer my deepest apologies to anyone who has been offended by my behavior. This was not my intention. I also apologize for any inconvenience caused to my colleagues, associates, and employers. I hope that my privacy will be respected and that I will be able to deal with things in peace. I have understood the problematic aspects of my behavior and will act differently in the future. I thank those close to me for their support. I will not comment further."