The national theatre of Karelia is the state drama theatre in Petrozavodsk. It is the only Russian Finnish theatre, where performances are on Karelian, Russian and Finnish languages. In this building in 1918 was the headquarters of the red guards, then the theatre "Triumph", and in 1965 was the reconstruction of the building, which greatly changed the appearance of the theatre. After reconstruction in 2003, the building acquired its current appearance.

First national theatre, the troupe began working here in March 1921. Its organizers are the Finns-immigrants from the revolutionary ranks under the leadership of Viktor Linder, a former Director and actor theatres in Finland. Theatrical repertoire consisted of Finnish works of pre-revolutionary drama. Considerable forces demanded from the artists, the staging of the play "In the crucial years", which reflected real life edge of the village.

For the organization of the Karelian national theatre was chosen as candidate in the person of Ragnar Center – known playwright and poet of the time. The first actors were the graduates of the Karelian Department of the Art school in Leningrad. The task of the national theatre was to familiarize the population with the world drama, the representatives of which were: Gorky's "Enemies", B. Lavrenev "Fault" and many others. In the autumn of 1937, the theatre ceased its operation under the slogans of the struggle against bourgeois nationalism. The theatre was restored in 1940 after it had been converted Karelian SSR into the Karelian-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic.

In the postwar years, the Finnish theatre has become one of the leading national theatres of the former USSR, because only they can use special headphones for simultaneous translation of words in Russian language. As before, most of the performances consisted of translated Soviet plays. Plays by A. Afinogenov, J. Smuul, A. Korneychuk was raised in the Finnish language. Since 1968 for theatrical productions began to attract Finnish Directors. With the theatre began to cooperate well-known Directors: Timo Ventola, Kaisa Korhonen, Harry Liuksila, which put the majority of Finnish plays. In 1982 the theatre was awarded the order of Friendship of peoples on the occasion of its 50th anniversary since Foundation.

During 1993 and 2003 the main theater Director was honored artist of Lithuania and artist of the Karelian Republic Leonid Vladimirov. In 1997 he opened a Studio of the National theatre in Petrozavodsk state Conservatory. Artistic Director of the Studio was the theater Director Arvid Zeland, who has worked in this position until 2004.

With regard to the latter the most significant works of the national theatre, we can note: "Autumn and winter" on the play by L. Norena, "Play Strindberg" on the play by F. dürrenmatt. Some of the actors involved in the productions, received the national award "Onega mask" for the best role for the period of the theatrical season. The show called "Niskavuori", staged by J. wuolijoki has won the same award for best Director Andrey Andreev.

24 June 2003 after eight years of reconstruction was opened the Grand theatre's stage, which was equipped with the most modern sound and lighting equipments. A large stage was opened with the premiere of "Nummifer" in Finnish classic Comedy drama "the Shoemakers NUMMI" by Aleksis Kivi. In the period from 2003 to 2004 in the " new setting: "Secret rendezvous" Director Oleg Nikolaenko, "Sakhalin's wife," directed by Irina Zubrickas, "Tartuffe" by Andrey Andreev. Delivered in 2003 at the little theatre production of "the Creation of the world. Songs the first and second" was recognized as the best performance of the Fifth International festival of Finno-Ugric theatres in Yoshkar-Ola. Also, the production won the International theatre festival under the name "Big candle".