A story of love, disappointment and new possibilities

What are we willing to do in pursuit of our happiness, and how far do our choices extend beyond ourselves? Often, the decisions we make in the name of our happiness are formed gradually in everyday life, almost without us noticing. At times, however, the direction can
change abruptly, and the end of one era gives rise to a new beginning.

At the heart of the eastern Finnish legend of Imatran Impi (the Maiden of Imatra) is a woman betrayed in love and in life, who chooses to plunge into the roaring waters of the Imatrankoski rapids. This legend has inspired Finnish artists for centuries, but only now has it been transformed into an opera, which received its world premiere in Imatra in October 2025.

The opera is composed by Uljas Pulkkis, one of the most popular Finnish opera composers of our time, with a libretto by playwright Mikael Karkkonen. The production is directed by Juulia Tapola, with musical direction by Elisar Riddelin.

The project has been supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Madetoja Foundation, the City of Imatra, Foundation for Fostering Karelian Culture, the Arts Promotion Centre Finland, and the South Karelia Regional Fund.

“The Maiden of Imatra opera represents the modern verismo style, in other words, theater and music that tells the story of ordinary people today. I composed music that is full of lively melodies and fast-paced emotional outbursts. This contemporary love story sounds as dramatic as only opera can.”

– Uljas pulkkis, composer

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Synopsis

The events of the opera are set in present-day Imatra. Antti and Inkeri are a writer couple in their thirties, planning their wedding while taking turns caring for their baby. In the vicarage, Antti’s older brother Jaakko focuses on his work, while his wife Saana plans Inkeri’s bachelorette party. Jaakko and Saana’s marriage is overshadowed by long-term infertility.

As the wedding approaches, signs begin to emerge that the glossy, picture-perfect story of the couples’ lives is not the whole truth. One by one, each character is forced to confront the consequences of their choices. Looming over everything is the transgenerational burden of the fate of the Maiden of Imatra, whose decision to flee her shame into the surging rapids resonates, in different ways, with all the characters in the story.

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“Through the work, I wanted to play with what the myth of the Maiden of Imatra could be in the present day. I also wanted to see how mythical history might appear in a new light from a contemporary perspective.”

– Mikael karkkonen, libretto

Creative team

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