Salle: Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna

Pet Halmen’s 2003 production of Puccini's unfinished final opera places asks more riddles than Turandot's quiz questions to her would-be suitors. 

Olavinlinna, also known as St Olaf's Castle, provides an atmospheric setting for Verdi's take on Shakespeare's “Scottish play”. 

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.

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

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.