Kullervo

by Aulis Sallinen

 A rave-reviewed masterpiece

The opera Kullervo by Aulis Sallinen, based on the Finnish national epic The Kalevala and the play Kullervo by Aleksi Kivi, brilliantly transfers the fanatical character of Kullervo to the world of opera. It now takes the Olavinlinna Castle stage in a new production. The music of Sallinen is powerful and colourful, and does not resort to obvious solutions. Singing the title role will be the great Finnish baritone Tommi Hakala.

The portrait of Kullervo is painted in the darkest shades of Finnish mythology. The smouldering ruins of his home farm spark off in Kullervo a desire for revenge, and the fate of this luckless character is further enflamed by his relationship with a woman who turns out to be his sister.

Conductor: Hannu Lintu
Stage director: Kari Heiskanen
Stage design: Antti Mattila
Costumes: Riitta Anttonen-Palo
Lighting design: Ilkka Paloniemi
Chorus master: Matti Hyökki
Cast includes: Tommi Hakala (Kullervo), Tuija Knihtilä (Mother), Ville Rusanen (Kimmo).

Aulis Sallinen’s  Kullervo

Kaksinäytöksinen ooppera. An opera in two acts.

Libretto: Aulis Sallinen derived from the epic Kalevala and from the play Kullervo by Aleksis Kivi.

Esitykset / Performances: 4.7. (ensi-ilta / premiere) 9.7., 12.7., 18.7., 21.7.2014

Musiikinjohto / Conductor Hannu Lintu
Ohjaus / Stage director Kari Heiskanen
Lavastus / Stage design Antti Mattila
Puvut / Costumes Riitta Anttonen-Palo
Valaistussuunnittelu / Lighting design Ilkka Paloniemi
Kuoron valmennus / Chorus master Matti Hyökki
Henkilöt / Cast
Kullervo , baritoni / baritone Tommi Hakala
Kimmo, baritone Ville Rusanen
Äiti/ Mother, soprano Tuija Knihtilä
Kalervo, Kullervon isä, basso Petri Lindroos
Kullervo´s father, bass
Sister, soprano Reetta Haavisto
Sepän, mezzosoprano Jenny Carlstedt
Smith´s young wife, mezzo-soprano
Hunter, tenor Aki Alamikkotervo
Unto, baritone Juha Kotilainen
 Unto´s wife, alto Marit Sauramo
Blind Singer Maria Ylipää
Tiera, basso / bass Koit Soasepp
1st man, tenor Christian Juslin
2nd man, baritone Nicholas Söderlund

Savonlinna Opera Festival Orchestra 
Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir
Sung in Finnish.
Finnish and English surtitles.
The performance begins at 19.00 and ends at about 22.00. One interval.