Luonnotar and Iolanta
Experience two captivating works: Jean Sibelius’s Luonnotar and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. Two female protagonists, two creation stories, two journeys of self-discovery.
Sibelius composed his symphonic poem Luonnotar in 1913, based on a poem from the Kalevala. The work, dedicated to Aino Ackté, marks the 150th anniversary of her birth.
Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, his final opera, tells the story of a princess whose blindness has been kept a secret—even from herself. When the truth is revealed, Iolanta is faced with a profound choice: to remain in the familiar world she knows or to embrace an entirely unknown future.
Before the performance, Sami Sykkö introduces the audience to the theme together with his guests: Author Raija Oranen, Head Coach and Conductor Kurt Kopecky, and Prompter Pasi Eskelinen.
The recording is from the Finnish National Opera’s performance on May 22, 2026.
Konstnärligt team
Luonnotar
MUSIC Jean Sibelius
LIBERTTO ACCORDING TO KALEVALA Jean Sibelius
DIRECTOR Antony McDonald
SET AND COSTUME DESIGN Antony McDonald
LIGHTING DESIGN Lucy Carter
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Lucy Burge
CONDUCTOR Kristian Sallinen
Jolanta
MUSIC Pyotr Tchaikovsky
LIBRETTO AFGER A PLAY BY HENRIK HERTZ Modest Tchaikovsky
DIRECTOR Antony McDonald
SET AND COSTUME DESIGN Antony McDonald
LIGHTING DESIGN Lucy Carter
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Lucy Burge
CONDUCTOR Kristian Sallinen
Discover the cast of the performance here (pdf, 702kB)
Read more about Luonnotar and Iolanta.
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