Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Rheingold: a Finnish tour de force

By Aksel Tollåli, 01 September 2019

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“Good Wagnerian singers do not grow on trees. Except, it would seem, in Finland.”

Reviewed at Berwaldhallen, Stockholm on 25 August 2019

Wagner, Das Rheingold

Finnish National Opera

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor

Tommi Hakala, Wotan

Tuomas Pursio, Donner

Markus Nykänen, Froh

Tuomas Katajala, Loge

Jukka Rasilainen, Alberich

Dan Karlström, Mime

Koit Soasepp, Fasolt

Jyrki Korhonen, Fafner

Lilli Paasikivi, Fricka

Reetta Haavisto, Freia

Sari Nordqvist, Erda

Marjukka Tepponen, Woglinde

Mari Palo, Wellgunde

Jeni Packalén, Flosshilde

Fagerlund’s interpretation of Morning Star dawns over Helsinki

No’a L. bat Miri, 30th January

Finnish National Opera premieres an emotionally diffuse interpretation of the Karl Ove Knausgård’s novel The Morning Star, with Swedish libretto by Gunilla Hemming and direction by Thomas de Mallet Burgess.

**111

Elisabet Strid renders Tosca an Everywoman in Helsinki

No’a L. bat Miri, 19th November

Christof Loy’s psychological staging returns to the stage of Finnish National Opera, with Swedish soprano Elisabet Strid compelling in the title role.

****1

Salonen's Helsinki Rheingold celebrates Finnish vocal talent

Nahoko Gotoh, 14th September

For any opera house, the production of a new Wagner Ring cycle is a huge undertaking and becomes a mission statement. For Finnish National Opera, its mission is to stage an all-Finnish Ring.

*****

Waterworld: firm musical foundations in Pelléas et Mélisande

Hugo Shirley, 31st May

Marco Arturo Marelli's 2012 production lacks mystery but puts a fine Golaud centre stage, while Esa-Pekka Salonen ensures superior musical values in the pit.

****1

An emotional new Tosca from Christof Loy in Helsinki

Laura Servidei, 21st September

Carè, Stundytė and Pursio all shine as singers and actors in an intense, exciting production at the Finnish National Opera.

****1

Outstanding revival of Kasper Holten's Die tote Stadt in Helsinki

Nahoko Gotoh, 29th November

Starring celebrated heldentenor Klaus Florian Vogt, Kasper Holten's highly-praised production of Korngold's Die tote Stadt for Finnish National Opera is brilliantly revived.

*****

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Aksel Tollåli

Aksel is currently studying towards a degree in musicology at the University of Oslo. At the moment he is an exchange student at Goldsmiths College in London. He is also a choral singer and a trombonist. His musical interests include 20th-cenury French music, Baroque opera and the music of Richard Strauss.