Former NIGHTWISH singer TARJA TURUNEN has issued the following update:

“It is so nice to be back at home. The sun is shining and I can go out for running every day!

The trees are green already and the city looks pretty. I enjoy my morning coffee every morning outside in my beautiful balcony. Oh, life is good.

I have decided the concert program for my Christmas concerts already and started to rehearse for them. After next European rock tour, I won’t have too much time to go through all (only five days) so I have to do it right now.

It feels good to get my mind into different mood again with classical music, even though it might feel odd to you to imagine me singing Xmas song at this time of the year. I am sure though that the Christmas concerts in Finland will be a success again with Kalevi, Erkki and Marzi. It’s been a pleasure to perform with them.

I am working hard to get this project outside of the Finnish borders my friends! I know that many of you are already coming to see my concerts in Finland, but my biggest wish is to get this tradition abroad in 2011.

Soon I will start checking all the material that was filmed and recorded in Lahti, Finland last Christmas for a DVD release next year.

I am truly excited though about the ALICE COOPER tour that is starting in two weeks. I am sure I am going to learn many things from Mr. Cooper during this tour and it is an honour to be part of it. Few artists nowadays are putting a show on stage and he is one of them.

There are many German cities we will be travelling through, so I hope to see many of my German friends in the shows.

There is also going to be a signing session in Media Markt, Munich on the 6th of November at 12pm. Be there!

Few words about a new project I am starting to work with; as I told you earlier, I have many plans for side projects. I have been really lucky to meet and work with many talented people during my career and this won’t be an exception.

Though I have known these people already for some years and even worked with them!

Now we are putting all our strength and knowledge together, creating something very beautiful. Some of you might be quite surprised about this, but it is something I have wanted to do already for many years.

I just haven’t had enough time, or possibilities. You’ll get to know more about it when the time is right

With all my love, Tarja”

The rest of Turunen’s European tour dates are as follows:

November (with Alice Cooper)

4 - Porsche Arena - Stuttgart, Germany
5 - Bigbox - Kempten, Germany
6 - Zenith - Munich, Germany
8 - Max Schmeling Hall - Berlin, Germany
9 - Arena - Leipzig, Germany
11 - Jahrhunderthalle - Frankfurt, Germany
12 - Westfalanhalle - Dortmund, Germany
13 - VW Halle - Braunschweig, Germany

November

15 - JAKO Arena - Bamberg, Germany
16 - Schützenhaus Albisgüetli - Zurich, Switzerland
19 - Zenith Hall - Saint Etienne, France

December

7 - Verkatehdas - Hämeenlinna, Finland
9 - Tampere-talo - Tampere, Finland
15 - Rockhal Club – Luxemburg