© Mikko Mäntyniemi

Iiro Rantala, composition and piano
Aarne Pelkonen, baritone
Mila Laine, cello
Jukka Nylund, director
Janne Teivainen, lighting

In 2026, it will be one hundred years since Finland’s national poet Eino Leino passed away. One of his most important works is The Smiling Apollo, a poetic cycle published in 1898. To honour the anniversary, Iiro Rantala and Aarne Pelkonen will release Finland’s first complete recording of the work in spring 2026, alongside a dramatic concert production directed by Jukka Nylund.

Written by Leino at the age of only twenty, The Smiling Apollo reflects an optimistic belief in humanity. Its themes – faith, hope, love, and dreams – remain timeless and moving, 126 years after its publication. The new performance by Pelkonen, Rantala and Nylund brings together the iconic poem, a major Finnish contemporary composer, and a dramatic realisation that mirrors the spirit and symbolism of our own time.