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The opera Day of Night brings Niillas Holmberg’s Sámi novel to the stage

Day of Night is composed by Outi Tarkiainen, to a libretto by Aleksi Barrière based on Niillas Holmberg’s acclaimed debut novel Halla Helle. The new opera is co-commissioned work co-produced by Aalto Theatre in Essen and Finnish National Opera. It will premiere at the Finnish National Opera in autumn 2027.

Composer Outi Tarkiainen dreamed of creating a Sámi-themed opera for nearly a decade before finding inspiration in Niillas Holmberg’s debut novel Halla Helle. Tarkiainen is one of today’s most compelling composers, and Day of Night is her second opera. Her works have been commissioned and performed by renowned orchestras both in Finland and internationally.

”In his novel, Niillas opens up different perspectives on Sámi ways of life and worldview to a wider audience. He also explores their protected and often persecuted mythology through the lens of dreams. It was the dreams and the many layers of the story that convinced me of the novel’s powerful potential for the opera stage. The references to mythology echo oral traditions that go back centuries, perhaps even millennia. Their enigmatic nature is captivating, and they offer many of us a completely fresh outlook on contemporary issues like climate change and the growing prevalence of mental health challenges,” Tarkiainen explains.

The first stage adaptation of Niillas Holmberg’s novel

Best known for his poetry, the Sámi artist published his debut novel Halla Helle in 2021 to widespread acclaim from both audiences and critics. Halla Helle discusses themes of artistry and relationships, but first and foremost, it delves into Sámi history and culture as well as Finnish colonialism. Day of Night marks the first stage adaptation of Niillas Holmberg’s work.

“Working with Outi and Aleksi has made me feel very confident. One of the greatest possible fates for a novel must be to inspire professionals from other art forms to immerse themselves in it. I am also deeply happy and proud of the Sámi expertise that has been brought into this production. Day of Night continues to explore the timeless yet relevant themes that Halla Helle addressed. Let the conversation, and the dreaming, continue,” Holmberg says.

A multilingual libretto

Day of Night will be performed in Finnish, Northern Sámi, Southern Sámi, English, German, and Norwegian. Aleksi Barrière has written the multilingual libretto based on Holmberg’s novel. He has previously collaborated with several renowned composers, including Kaija Saariaho, Juha T. Koskinen, and Diana Syrse.

“Outi introduced me to Niillas Holmberg’s novel in summer 2022, and I was immediately captivated. It allowed me, for the first time, to approach Sámi culture as not just a socio-political reality but also as a mental landscape. The magic of Halla Helle lies in the way it unites these two elements into a cohesive whole. Our aim is to relay the same experience with the opera Day of Night. Niillas was incredibly open to the idea of developing something entirely new from his story, adapted specifically for the stage and, most importantly, the operatic form. The work took shape in dialogue with him, both remotely and in Helsinki and Utsjoki,” Barrière explains.

The world premiere of Day of Night will take place at the Aalto Theatre in Essen in January 2027, with the Finnish National Opera premiere to follow in October 2027. Details of the Sámi-led creative team and of conductor and soloists will be announced later.