# Kaija Saariaho: La Passion de Simone

> Kaija Saariaho: La Passion de Simone – Dawn Upshaw, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tapiola Chamber Choir. Ondine ODE 1217-5, SACD, released March 2013.

Source: https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1217-5

- **Composer:** Kaija Saariaho
- **Work(s):** La Passion de Simone
- **Performers:** Dawn Upshaw, soprano; Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra; Tapiola Chamber Choir; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
- **Label:** Ondine
- **Catalogue no.:** ODE 1217-5
- **Format:** SACD
- **Release date:** 1 March 2013
- **EAN / UPC:** 0761195121757
- **Tracks:** 15, total 66:24
- **Genres:** Opera, Vocal, Finnish contemporary, Choral
- **Awards:** ICMA Nomination 2014

## Track listing

**Kaija Saariaho**

- *La Passion de Simone*
1. Première Station | First Station (3:18)
2. Deuxième Station | Second Station (3:10)
3. Troisième Station | Third Station (4:44)
4. Quatrième Station | Fourth Station (4:45)
5. Cinquième Station | Fifth Station (1:46)
6. Sixième Station | Sixth Station (4:53)
7. Septième Station | Seventh Station (5:17)
8. Huitième Station | Eighth Station (5:38)
9. Neuvième Station | Ninth Station (4:32)
10. Dixième Station | Tenth Station (4:15)
11. Onzième Station | Eleventh Station (3:10)
12. Douzième Station | Twelfth Station (4:53)
13. Treizième Station | Thirteenth Station (5:06)
14. Quatorzième Station | Fourteenth Station (3:41)
15. Ultime Station | Final Station (7:16)

## About this recording

After its world première in 2006 Kaija Saariaho's La Passion de Simone, an oratorio about the life and thoughts of Simone Weil for soprano solo, choir, orchestra and electronics, is now released for the first time on CD (SACD).

Kaija Saariaho considers La Passion de Simone to be her most important work. For this SACD it is recorded by top performers, the soprano Dawn Upshaw and Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Tapiola Chamber Choir.

Dawn Upshaw has achieved worldwide celebrity as a singer of a broad opera and concert repertoire. She is a four-time Grammy Award winner featured on more than 50 recordings. Kaija Saariaho wrote her oratorio La Passion de Simone and the opera L'Amour de loin for her.

One of the most important artists in contemporary classical music, Esa-Pekka Salonen has become established both as a celebrated conductor and composer. He is a regular guest with many of the world's finest orchestras and a recipient of many major awards.

This release is also a tribute to Kaija Saariaho who turned 60 on 14th of October 2012. The live recorded concert performance was part of the birthday celebration in Helsinki.

"La Passion de Simone is a magical union of words, music and theatre: a creation of great beauty and drama..." - Anna Picard, The Independent on Sunday, July 2007

## Features

Booklet with liner notes in English, French and Finnish and the lyrics in the original French and in English

## Press

The first-class performance does justice to this masterpiece.

Juha Torvinen, Finnish Music Quarterly, 2/2013

## Buy or stream

- [Buy](https://Ondine.lnk.to/ODE12175OW)

## Related pages

- [Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/composers/saariaho-kaija.md)
- [Dawn Upshaw, soprano](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/upshaw-dawn.md)
- [Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/finnish-radio-symphony-orchestra.md)
- [Tapiola Chamber Choir, Ensemble](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/tapiola-chamber-choir.md)
- [Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/salonen-esa-pekka.md)