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Auguin conducted as if he really believes in this evergreen work, which was wonderful to hear in the composer’s rather overlooked anniversary year.

This was more stadium rock than stuffy opera house, lighting as ‘metaphor made real’ as the lovers were – literally – star-struck, blinded by love.

There is a reason that Butterfly has the highest blub factor in the repertory, for it is not only for Cio-Cio-San that we weep, but for ourselves. 

David McVicar's production may divide audiences with its no holds barred approach to the debauchery of the court of Mantua, but is well worth seeing for the Gilda of Tuuli Takala.

The Savonlinna Opera Festival took a break from the stage and brought in the YL Male Voice Choir and the Tapiola Choir for a concert of Finnish choral music.

The Castle in the Water, Sallinen's new “chronicle”, is a new work of innovative beauty. Tragic, comic and epic, in seventy-five minutes it tells the history of Olavinlinna and gives a snap-shot of those connected to it.

Kari Heiskanen's questionable production of Sallinen's bleak opera is revived with a superb cast under the nuanced baton of Hannu Lintu.

The opening production of the 2017 Savonlinna Opera Festival had an optimistic message, strongly delivered by a cast led by the exceptional Konstanze of Hulkar Sabirova.

Matti Salminen and conductor Leif Segerstam come together, probably for the last time, to give us an excellent evening's opera which touched the heart of Boris Godunov – a Finnish swan song as potent as anything penned by Sibelius.

The atmospheric surroundings of St Olaf's Castle in Savonlinna host a well acted and well sung Tosca, with opera and chorus on top form as well as three highly credible soloists.