TARJA TURUNEN Rehearsing For European Tour; Photos Available

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has updated her blog with photos from the rehearsal sessions for her upcoming European tour, which is scheduled to kick off tomorrow (Wednesday, May 7) in Cologne, Germany.

Commented Tarja: It feels great to be together again with the band and crew and to know that we will have fun for a month. We are already laughing with Mike's [Terrana, drums] jokes all the time.

"The songs we are adding to the set are getting together very nicely now. Some new and some old songs… We have prepared few surprises for you again.

"This tour will take me to some cities I have never been before and to others that I don’t even remember if I have been to. I am really looking forward to have a chance to see new places again and walk their streets in the mornings."

Turunen released her new solo album, "My Winter Storm", in the U.S. at the end of February. The CD was made available in two exclusive U.S. versions via Fontana: the standard and deluxe editions (the latter featuring extra tracks not released elsewhere, as well visually stimulating bonus DVD content).

"My Winter Storm" was produced by Daniel Presley (FAITH NO MORE, JEWEL, THE BREEDERS), who has been joined in the studio by a truly stellar line-up of musicians: Doug Wimbish on bass (LIVING COLOUR, ANNIE LENNOX, JOE SATRIANI, JEFF BECK, MADONNA, ROLLING STONES), Alex Scholpp on electric guitars (FARMER BOYS) and Earl Harvin on drums (SEAL, PET SHOP BOYS, AIR), a player personally selected by Tarja after she saw him stealing the show at a SEAL concert. Keyboards and programming, meanwhile, are being provided by Torsten Stenzel, whose previous credits include NELLY FURTADO, MOBY, TINA TURNER, VANESSA MAE and more.

Upcoming Tarja Turunen shows:

May 07 - Live Music Hall - Cologne, Germany
May 09 - Wave Gothic Treffen Festival - Leipzig, Germany
May 11 - Hala Novesta - Zlin, Czech
May 12 - Klub Stodola - Warsaw, Poland
May 14 - Schlachthof - Wiesbaden, Germany
May 17 - Muffathalle - Munich, Germany
May 18 - Rohstofflager - Zurich, Switzerland
May 20 - Orpheum - Graz, Austria
May 21 - Alcatraz - Milan, Italy
May 23 - Filharmonie - Filderstadt, Germany
May 24 - Docks - Hamburg, Germany
May 27 - KB - Malmö, Sweden
May 28 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway
May 30 - Tragarn - Gothenburg, Sweden
Jun. 01 - Tyrol - Stockholm, Sweden
Jun. 03 - Tavastia - Hensinki, Finland