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Innocence_kimppu
Kevätkausi 2021Spring 2021

Innocence

Kaija Saariaho - Sofi Oksanen
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9 performances
29.1.2021 – 23.2.2021
Operas
Main Stage
Total duration 1 h 45 min
Total duration 1 h 45 min
no intermission
9 performances
29.1.2021 – 23.2.2021
Operas
Main Stage
tickets
20-129 €

Premiere at the Finnish National Opera in January 2021

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, a brand-new opera 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.

The world premiere of Innocence will take place at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in July 2020. It will be performed at the Finnish National Opera from January 2021. The opera will be conducted by Susanna Mälkki and Clément Mao-Takacs.

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.

liput_piktogrammi_mustaTICKET SALES TIMETABLE

This production is included in the season ticket 2020-2021. The sale of individual tickets (for performances that are not included in the season tickets) starts on 1 June. All remaining individual tickets go on sale on 5 August. 

Performances and tickets

1 h 45 min
no intermission
9 performances
29.1.2021 – 23.2.2021
Operas
Main Stage
tickets
20-129 €
Fri 29.1.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Wed 3.2.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Fri 5.2.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Tue 9.2.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Thu 11.2.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Sat 13.2.2021
at 14:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Thu 18.2.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Sat 20.2.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available
Tue 23.2.2021
at 19:00
Main Stage
not yet available
Cast
not yet available

Performances on 3., 5. and 9.2. are part of the Musica nova Helsinki Festival.

A collaboration between Kaija Saariaho and Sofi Oksanen

Saariaho’s fifth opera

Kaija Saariaho counts among the most internationally acclaimed Finnish composers of all time. In a recent vote on today’s most influential contemporary composers by the BBC, Saariaho came in 17th place, higher than any other composer alive today.

Saariaho is considered one of the world’s most original contemporary composers, and her work is continually performed around the globe. Saariaho is known for her sophisticated orchestration and dreamlike, slowly building soundscapes. Her operas have been true success stories – to date, the Finnish National Opera has performed L’Amour de loin, Adriana Mater, Émilie, and most recently Only the Sound Remains in 2016. Innocence is Saariaho’s fifth opera.

#innocence #innocenceopera

Libretto by Sofi Oksanen

Sofi Oksanen is Finland’s most successful and internationally famed contemporary novelist. She has been awarded 20 literary prizes, including the Finlandia Prize and the Nordic Council Literature Prize. Her work has been translated into more than 50 languages and has sold millions of copies worldwide.

Oksanen made her breakthrough as a writer with the play The Purge (Finnish National Theatre 2007). A novel on the same subject quickly became one of Finland’s most popular novels ever, and the world premiere of Jüri Reinvere’s opera based on the novel took place at the Finnish National Opera in 2012. Innocence is Oksanen’s first opera libretto.

Creative team

Music
Kaija Saariaho
Libretto
Sofi Oksanen
Conductor
Susanna Mälkki
Conductor
Clément Mao-Takacs
Direction and dramaturgy
Simon Stone
Sets
Chloe Lamford
Costumes
Mel Page
Lighting design
James Farncombe
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Cast

Anu Komsi, photo: Ville Paul Paasimaa
Mother-in-law
Anu Komsi
Teacher
NN
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Synopsis

It is a typical wedding for a cosmopolitan city, in present-day Finland. The fiancé is Finnish, the bride Romanian, and the mother-in-law French. But suddenly, during the wedding banquet, the Czech waitress feels ill… Ten years earlier, these characters were struck by a tragic event. Ghosts revive their memories of the trauma, there is a guilty haze, a lost innocence.

The full synopsis can be found in the programme leaflet

Guaranteed seats with a season ticket

Experience the dual nature of the mind

A season ticket to remember

A season ticket guarantees you a seat for all our premieres, which amount to 8 in the 2020–21 season. Two of these include more than one work, so your season ticket gives you access to a total of 11 memorable productions. You will also enjoy a dedicated seat in the auditorium and a dozen more substantial benefits.

There is a limited amount of season ticket packages on sale. There are no season ticket packages available at the moment.

Season ticket benefits

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Afternoon Tea

Sweet and savoury treats

Choose your favourite refreshments from this season’s tasty menu. You can easily add refreshments to your shopping basket while selecting tickets in our online store.

The services of the Opera Restaurant are available before performances and during the interval. Order beforehand and avoid the queues.

Please note that we cannot guarantee a specific table for orders made via the online store. We may also seat several parties at the same table. You may be assigned a bar height table for enjoying refreshments standing up.

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As a guest of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet you will enjoy the hospitality of Helsinki Radisson Blu Hotels at a special price.

We offer you 20% off the daily rate. Luxury accommodation includes accommodation for two at your chosen hotel in Helsinki, glasses of sparkling on arrival, relaxing Blu Dreams and a superb Super Breakfast.

Reservation code: OPERA
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