Ilmajoki Music Festival - Ilmajoen Musiikkijuhlat
8.-18.6. 2006

Ilmajoki Premieres "Lock Of The Plains"

The opera of this summer´s Ilmajoki festival is called "Lakeuden lukko", "Lock Of The Plains." The opera is based on the newspaper Ilkka´s editor in chief, author and playwright Artturi Leinonen´s novel by the same name, first published in 1920. "Ilkka", the nationally renowned and influential newspaper of the South Ostrobothnian plains commissioned the opera to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Opera of a Clash Between two Prominent Families
"Lock Of The Plains" is a tale of the battle between two families on the South Ostrobothnian plains in the mid-nineteenth century. The borderstones of the Kantola estate and the Swedish landlord Adler´s manor lie side by side, but the heads of the two families cannot stand one another. Adler is involved in all possible fields of economics in the area, and the ruthless businessman has used suspicious means to acquire the possession of several houses and farms. The unyielding and tough Ostrobothnian spirit of Kantola, together with certain events taking place, finally cause the Adler manor "Lohikoski" ("Salmon Rapids") to end up in a state of bankrupcy.

Even though they are possessed with their mutual hatred, the two fathers cannot prevent their children Annika and Harry from falling passionately in love. Love finally defeats the bitter hatred, and unites the two resourceful families into working together for the success and development of their beloved homeland, the South Ostrobothnian plains.

Commissioned Opera of Great Interest
The Music Festival ordered the composition from Pekka Kostiainen. The Finnish National Opera´s production director Keijo Kupiainen will direct the work, with Jani Telaranta conducting. As always, the Ilmajoki Festival introduces several new, fresh and interesting voices.

-There are several interesting new names on the menu again. The still unknown Matti Wartti has a good chance of creating a blooming international career. From the young tenors, I would like to point out Mikael Pennanen as a fellow worth keeping an ear on. I am expecting quite a bit of him also as an actor, says Keijo Kupiainen, the director of the opera "Lock Of The Plains."

Club for Five and Pauli Hanhiniemi in Concert
In addition to the opera, The Ilmajoki Music Festival offers five entertainment concerts this year. The Saturday 10th of June outdoor concert features Club for Five, a five-singer a cappella group for the new generation. They will perform material from their first album "Premiere night", as well as their new album "Dream" which is to be published in early May. The other group of the evening is Pauli Hanhiniemi & Hehkumo ("Glow"). Mr. Hanhiniemi is a concept in the Finnish rock-ballad scene. The band´s music is rich in sound, and is a contemporary adaptation of the Southern Ostrobothnian plains´ songwriting tradition.

The stars of the opera "Lock Of The Plains" are taking it easy with a selection of Finnish evergreens on Saturday June 17th.  The concert is titled "Kaunista on kaipausta kantaa" ("It´s Beautiful To Be Longing.") The evening has been planned by and is hosted by the National Broadcasting Company´s hit program Iskelmäradio´s ever-popular host Maarit Niiniluoto.

Sunday 11th of June features a church concert titled "Kolme Kristiinaa", "Three Kristinas." This event is a musical and theatrical journey to the life of Queen Kristina, who lived in the 17th century.

In addition to these, the Ilmajoki Festival offers the traditional Tango Finalists´ concert on Thursday June 8th  and the Opera Children´s Choir concert on Monday the 12th  of June.

Over 30 Years of Opera
The Ilmajoki Music Festival had its 30th anniversary in 2005. The festival sets the stage to already its eighth commissioned opera this summer. This summer´s "Lock Of The Plains" is the fifth completely self-produced opera in the festival´s history.

Most of the operas performed in the festival have handled the history of Finland and South Ostrobothnia, the great turning points and ideological developments in our country´s and people´s history.  "Pohjalaisia" ("Ostrobothnians") is about life on the plains under the pressure of Russian ruling. "Jokiooppera" ("The River Opera") presents the life of local Ilmajoki people in the late 19th century. "Jaakko Ilkka" portraits an actual historical hero of a rebellious "Club War", a peasant revolt in the late 16th century. "Jääkäri Ståhl"("Jaeger Ståhl") and "Isontaloon Antti" go to the war of whites against reds in 1918. "Isänmaan tyttäret" ("Fatherland´s Daughters") tells the tale of the Continuation War (the name given to the conflict against the Russians to regain land lost in the 1939-40 Winter War) in the 1940´s. "Ameriikka" ("America") is about the emigration of thousands of Ostrobothnians to Northern America and "Pohjanmaan kautta" ("Through Bothnia") is about prohibition. The name of the opera is a popular expression which refers to the emptying of a drink with one swallow (as in "bottoms up"), as well as traveling through the area of  Southern Ostrobothnia.

All these magnificent works of art are part of Ilmajoki´s opera history.

Lock Of The Plains  -opera 13.-18. June 2006

Director Keijo Kupiainen
Libretto Heikki Keinonen ja Keijo Kupiainen
Music Pekka Kostiainen
Conductor Jani Telaranta
Orchestra Vaasa Philharmonics
Director´s assistant Eve Alho
Property master Ari Ahonpää
Set design Tuija Väänänen
Costume design Leena Rintala
Dress maker Armi Ahovaara
Stage manager Heikki Mäkynen
Rehearsal pianist Mari Taivalmaa
Choreographer Minna Järvinen
Sound and light design Akun tehdas Ltd.

Cast