Finnish National Opera 2005-2006 season
Themes: Strauss, Mozart, France

There are three themes featured in the course of the Finnish National opera 2005-2006 season: France, Strauss and Mozart.


Over 1000 years of French history in the repertoire

The season’s first premiere is the passionate and dramatic Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini on September 23, 2005. This production is staged jointly with the Deutsche Oper in Berlin and was premiered there in December. The production, directed by Gilbert Deflo, is set in 18th-century France as per the original libretto. The sets and period costumes are by William Orlandi, and the lighting is by Kimmo Ruskela. Puccini’s heartfelt score will be conducted by Mikko Franck. The leading roles will be taken by Ritva-Liisa Korhonen / Raili Viljakainen, Sauli Tiilikainen / Gabriel Suovanen and Mika Pohjonen / Jyrki Anttila. Manon Lescaut completes the series of major Puccini operas at the Finnish National Opera.

Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano takes us into the middle of the French Revolution. Giordano’s powerful revolution opera has not been seen at the Finnish National Opera for 79 years. The new production of this classic is being jointly staged with the Teatro Comunale of Bologna; the Finnish premiere is on November 25, 2005. The director, set designer and costume designer is Giancarlo del Monaco, and the lighting is by Kimmo Ruskela. The conductors will be Nello Santi and Kari Tikka, and the leading roles will be taken by Jyrki Anttila / Raimo Sirkiä, Päivi Nisula / Satu Vihavainen and Jorma Hynninen / Raimo Laukka.

Also related to the French theme are Norma by Vincenzo Bellini, set in Roman Gaul, and L’amour de loin by Kaija Saariaho, based on a Medieval French tale. The latter was premiered in Finland in a production directed by Peter Sellars in autumn 2004. Il barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini is also French in origin, being based on a French play.

First time in Finland for Richard Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten

Die Frau ohne Schatten, the mythical masterpiece by Richard Strauss, will be performed for the first time in Finland with the premiere of the production directed by Michael Hampe on January 20, 2006. This is a joint production with the Megaron Concert Hall in Athens. The set designer is Hans Schavernoch and the costume designer Carlo Thomasi. The conductor will be Chief Conductor Muhai Tang. The leading roles will be taken by Cynthia Makris / Marion Ammann, Raimo Sirkiä / John Treleaven, Ildiko Szönyi / Livia Budai, Raimo Laukka / Jukka Rasilainen and Kirsi Tiihonen / Taina Piira.

Richard Strauss is also represented in the repertoire with Salome, Arabella and the production of Der Rosenkavalier that was premiered last season.


A new production of Die Zauberflöte to celebrate Mozart anniversary

The Finnish National Opera will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of W.A. Mozart with a new production of Die Zauberflöte, to be premiered on March 3, 2006. This will be the second opera to be staged for the second time at the new Opera House, opened in 1993. The opera will be performed in Finnish, directed by Jussi Tapola with sets and costumes by Anna Kontek and lighting by Timo Alhanen. The conductor will be Muhai Tang, and the soloists will include Ilkka Vihavainen / Jyrki Korhonen, Jyrki Anttila / Ari Grönthal / Jorma Silvasti, Pia Freund / Mari Palo, Ville Rusanen / Markus Schwartz, Merja Wirkkala / Tiina Vahevaara and Anna-Kristiina Kaappola / Sirkka Lampimäki.

Other Mozart productions in the repertoire to celebrate the anniversary will be Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Le nozze di Figaro. Also returning to the stage are Otello by Giuseppe Verdi and Parsifal by Richard Wagner, the production of which directed by Harry Kupfer was premiered at Easter 2005.


Mozart-inspired dance and Bournonville’s Napoli by the Finnish National Ballet

The Finnish National Ballet contributes to celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the birth of the ‘father’ of Danish ballet, August Bournonville, with a new production of the colourful and vibrant Napoli in a staging by Frank Andersen and Dinna Bjørn premiered on October 28, 2005. The enchanting Act II has been re-choreographed by Dinna Bjørn, director of the Finnish National Ballet. The sets and costumes in traditional southern Italian fashion are by Ramón B. Ivars, and the lighting is by Mikki Kunttu. The performance will open with a brief tribute to Bournonville, a new work by Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo entitled OFFCORE.

The second new full-length ballet production of the season will be The Seagull, premiered on March 31, 2006. Acclaimed as incredibly beautiful, the work was created by John Neumeier, director of the Hamburg Ballet, in 2002. He has transposed Anton Chekhov’s story to the world of dance, with the main character Nina being depicted as a young and ambitious dancer. The sets, costumes and lighting are also by John Neumeier. Dmitri Shostakovich is a featured composer.

The final premiere of the season on June 6, 2006 brings together three great names: Mozart, Kylián and Balanchine. George Balanchine and Jiri Kylián have both in their way been captivated by the music of Mozart, and the resulting masterpieces of music and movement featured on this triple bill are Balanchine’s Divertimento 15 and Kylián’s Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze. The conductor will be Jan Söderblom.

In early autumn, three familiar works will return to the stage in a triple bill titled Happy Birthday?: HAPPY is HAPPY by Jorma Elo, Transfigured Night by Tero Saarinen and Black Cake by Hans van Manen. The repertoire also includes a number of appealing ballet classics: Cinderella by Ben Stevenson, Don Quixote by Patrice Bart and the beloved The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by Wayne Eagling and Toer van Schayk at Christmas time.

In early autumn, the Finnish National Ballet will appear at the Summerdance Festival in Copenhagen with seven performances of the contemporary dance work HAPPY is HAPPY by Jorma Elo between August 8 and 14, 2005. This work was premiered by the Finnish National Ballet in March 2004.


Finnish and Nordic contemporary dance in Almi Hall

Almi Hall will be hosting two interesting programmes of contemporary dance during the season. In November, VS2 will offer three aspects of new Finnish dance with premieres of Welcome to Heaven’s Playground by Aapo Siikala and Ratsuväkeä odotellessa (Waiting for the Cavalry) by Jouka Valkama. Both choreographers are members of the Finnish National Ballet. Also, Unison by Anu Sistonen, premiered in Luxemburg, will be performed for the first time in Finland.

NOKO is a dance relay between the leading ballet companies of the Nordic countries. Its purpose is to present new Nordic choreographies. The first instalment was performed in spring in Oslo, and the relay will progress via Copenhagen and Stockholm to Helsinki in May 2006. In each city, the performance will feature one choreography from each country for a total of 16 world premieres. The choreographers featured in the Helsinki performance will be Odd Johan Fritzøe (Norway), Pär Isberg (Sweden), Kitt Johnson (Denmark) and Tommi Kitti (Finland). The other three Finnish choreographers involved in NOKO are Jorma Uotinen, Susanna Leinonen and Jorma Elo.


Opera and ballet for kids and teens

The ‘kids and teens department’ of the Finnish National Opera, Oop!, is known for its active, inventive and highly effective work with young audiences. The major premiere in the coming season will involve translating Mozart’s Così fan tutte into hip-hop on the main stage on June 5, 2006. Hip H’opera is being co-produced with the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, the Komische Oper in Berlin and the Latvian National Opera. The choreographer is Jonzi D, and the music is adapted by Jonathan Gill. Performers will include 30 Finnish teens in addition to international soloists.

Also in the repertoire are Pienten joutsenten lampi (The lake of the little swans) by Sami Saikkonen, combining contemporary dance with classical ballet, the children’s opera fairy tale Kahlekuningas ja karkuri (The King of Chains and the Runaway Princess), the hilarious Maisteri Raiskion oopperatunti (Professor Raiskio’s Opera Lesson) and the children’s opera ball. Also, the school operas by Markus Fagerudd and Herman Rechberger will be produced at dozens of schools around the country in collaboration between professionals and schoolchildren.


Concerts from Lied to jazz

The Finnish National Opera has a varied and rich concert programme to offer in the coming season, too. Highlights include recitals by baritone Tommi Hakala and soprano Nina Stemme in the main auditorium. The sixth JAZZ@OPERA event in the autumn showcases some of the most interesting figures in Finnish jazz along with guest artists from France and Estonia. With the symphony concert in June, Chief Conductor Muhai Tang bids farewell to the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera — the post of General Music Director will be taken up for a five-year period by Mikko Franck in August 2006.

source: The Finnish National Opera