An emotional new Tosca from Christof Loy in Helsinki

By Laura Servidei, 23 September 2018

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“Stundytė was wonderful in her deranged demeanour, eyes wandering, hands fidgeting”

Reviewed at Finnish National Opera: Main Hall (Suomen Kansallisoopera: päänäyttämö), Helsinki on 21 September 2018

Puccini, Tosca

Finnish National Opera

Patrick Fournillier, Conductor

Christof Loy, Director

Christian Schmidt, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Aušrinė Stundytė, Floria Tosca

Andrea Carè, Mario Cavaradossi

Tuomas Pursio, Baron Scarpia

Tapani Plathan, Cesare Angelotti

Matias Haakana, Spoletta

Nicholas Söderlund, Sciarrone

Heikki Aalto, Sacristan

Henri Uusitalo, A Jailer

Iitu Pelo, Shepherd Boy

Finnish National Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera

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.

*****

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

Aksel Tollåli, 25th August

In an unusually convincing concert performance, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Finnish National Opera emphasised the lyrical aspects of Wagner's Das Rheingold.

*****

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

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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Laura Servidei

Mathematician, science nerd, translator of popular science books, obsessed opera fan since the teen years. Day job: business analyst in a software house developing systems for the financial industry. Amateur choral singer. Main musical interests: baroque music and Italian opera. Originally from Italy, currently based in Sweden. I make a mean eggplant parmesan.