Innocence, the new opera by Kaija Saariaho and Sofi Oksanen, will not be seen at the Finnish National Opera in the 2020/2021 season. The world premiere of this collaboration of five opera companies at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in July has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, so Innocence cannot be performed in Helsinki in January 2021 as planned. However, Innocence will be part of the Finnish National Opera’s repertoire in the near future.
Innocence, composed by Kaija Saariaho and written by Sofi Oksanen is a ravishing opera that takes place in two parallel periods of time. It deals with the wounds of the past, the passing of time, and the act of letting go. A wedding party is underway in Helsinki, but the groom’s family has a dark secret. When the events from a decade ago begin to unravel, the guests face a moment of truth.
Innocence is a co-production of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, the Finnish National Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, the Dutch National Opera, and the San Francisco Opera. At the Finnish National Opera the opera will be conducted by Susanna Mälkki and Clément Mao-Takacs.