© Valtteri Raekallio, Thomas Freundlich

PERFORMERS:
Helsinki Chamber Choir and soloists
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
Valtteri Raekallio and Thomas Freundlich, stage direction and video design

DURATION:
80 minutes, TBA

TICKETS:
€15–35 + service charges (from €1.5 at www.lippu.fi)

INTRODUCTION:
The Helsinki Chamber Choir, together with Valtteri Raekallio and Thomas Freundlich, presents for the first time Armas Launis’s final opera Frozen Flames (1957). Performed in concert form, the opera brings together choral and solo singing, piano accompaniment, dance, visual elements, Launis’s original ideas and the dramatic possibilities of the libretto, creating a powerful and immersive experience.

The story tells of Septentrio, the 12-year-old son of a Nordic Viking chieftain, who is taken captive by the Romans in Britain. He dreams of returning home, but, unable to adapt to the southern climate, falls ill and dies. Reflecting Launis’s own longing for his northern homeland, the opera combines a deeply personal narrative with his mature and richly varied musical language.

PROGRAMME:
Armas Launis: Frozen Flames (world premiere)