Einojuhani Rautavaara
Jorma Hynninen, Aleksis Kivi
Janne Reinikainen, August Ahlqvist
Riikka Rantanen, charlotta
Pauliina Linnosaari, hilda
Ville Rusanen, Young Alexis
Tobias Zilliacus, J.L. Runeberg
Finnish National Opera Orchestra
Mikko Franck, conductor
Coinciding with live performances at the Finnish National Opera, this DVD release pays tribute to Jorma Hynninen, at whose request this opera was written. Jorma Hynninen recently celebrated his 70th anniversary - Happy birthday, Maestro!
This DVD Video features the three-act opera Aleksis Kivi (1996) by Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara. This release pays tribute to lead role performer Jorma Hynninen on the occasion of his 70th anniversary in 2011.
Written by the composer, the libretto tells the story of Finland's national author Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872) and draws on many of Kivi's own poems and texts. Aleksis Kivi wrote the first significant novel in the Finnish language (Seitsemän veljestä / "Seven Brothers"), but during his short lifetime he suffered from moral and artistic condemnation by literary rivals. He died, insane and impoverished, at age 38.
Rautavaara composed this opera from 1995-1996 for the Savonlinna Opera Festival. The commission was instigated by Jorma Hynninen, who had been instrumental in the genesis of Thomas and Vincent too. He also created the title roles in all three operas. Aleksis Kivi was premiered in the rock cavern concert hall at Retretti Art Centre near Savonlinna on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the death of Aleksis Kivi in 1997. The premiere recording followed five years later, in April 2002 (ODE 1000-2D). Several individual numbers from this opera have since then been performed and recorded separately to much acclaim (ODE 1085-2).
This Finnish National Opera production is staged at Almi Hall by Pekka Milonoff, with Eeva Ijäs signing for the set design, Niina Pasanen for the costume design, Juha Westman for the lighting design, and Ari Numminen for the choreography. Artistic director Mikko Franck conducts the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera, as well as the following cast of Finnish soloists:
Aleksis Kivi JORMA HYNNINEN
August Ahlqvist JANNE REINIKAINEN
Charlotta RIIKKA RANTANEN
Hilda PAULIINA LINNOSAARI
Young Alexis VILLE RUSANEN
J.L. Runeberg TOBIAS ZILLIACUS
Mikko Vilkastus AKI ALAMIKKOTERVO
Uncle Sakeri NICHOLAS SÖDERLUND
'Young Finns’ movement (also: Mythagos, Drinking fellows, Student chorus, Theatre audience):
Junki AKI ALAMIKKOTERVO
Siivo OLLI TUOVINEN
Kristo JUSSI MERIKANTO
Olvi RISTO PULKAMO
Krasse SIMO MÄKINEN
Kuku JEREMIAS ERKKILÄ
An old pagan NICHOLAS SÖDERLUND
The eighth brother (dancing role) TIMO SAARI
This recording was made in October 2010 by the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE and directed for video by Hannu Kamppila, with Timo Anttila as Director of Photography. A co-production of the Finnish National Opera and Ondine, this is the first commercial audio-video release of this opera on DVD.
This DVD includes, as a bonus addition, a making-of film featuring composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, lead role performer Jorma Hynninen, and conductor Mikko Franck in interviews.
This all-regions NTSC disc is designed for worldwide playback. In PAL regions (e.g. Europe, Australasia & Africa) ensure your DVD player and TV are PAL/NTSC compatible ("dual-standard").
1 DVD Video (all regions; NTSC Colour 16:9; Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround / PCM Stereo); menu in English/Finnish; subtitles in Finnish/English; extras; booklet with liner notes, written by the composer, and synopsis in English and Finnish
Kuten monet kriitikot ovat todenneet, ooppera on erittäin tunteisiinvetoava kuvaus kansalliskirjailijan kiirastulesta. Dramaturgia on kristallinkirkas ja luontevasti etenevä, mikä todistaa sekä Einojuhani Rautavaaran että ohjaaja Pekka Milonoffin osaamisesta, ja solistitkin on moneen kertaan kehuttu loistaviksi.
Kare Eskola, YLE Radio 1, 7.4.2011
Mikko Franck dirige avec conviction et la scène, simple et dépouillée, met en valeur des chanteurs impeccables autour du baryton Jorma Hynninen - une force de la nature, un roc.
Franck Mallet, Classica, septembre 2011
Jorma Hynninen (...) ist (...) prägnant im Spiel und trotz seiner fast siebzig Jahre von ungebrochener vokaler Präsenz. Der junge Ville Rusanen setzt ihm als sein jugendliches Alter Ego einen klangschönen, schlanken lyrischen Bariton entgegen. (...) Mikko Franck arbeitet mit einem pulsierenden Dirigat der Szene wirkungsvoll zu.
Ekkehard Pluta, Klassik Heute, 25. März 2011
Baritone Jorma Hynninen is one of the most highly appreciated Finnish vocal artists of all time. His unprejudiced and profound approach to art has contributed not only to a renewal in the art of interpreting solo songs but also to the creation of a number of new contemporary operas. In Lied, he has concentrated on the song cycles of Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Wolf and the solo songs of Sibelius, Oskar Merikanto, Toivo Kuula and Yrjö Kilpinen. He has appeared at innumerable distinguished venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, the Musikverein, the Concertgebouw, Boston Symphony Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall and the festivals at Tanglewood, Ravinia and Salzburg.
First prize winner of the 2004 Lappeenranta Solo Voice Competition, Finnish baritone Ville Rusanen began his musical studies as an instrumentalist, playing the double bass at Kuopio Conservatory where he also studied singing under Pertti Rusanen. He moved to the Sibelius Academy to study singing in 1999 where he was taught by Jorma Hynninen, and then later by Päivi Nisula.
Mikko Franck began to play the violin at the age of five and entered Helsinki's Sibelius Academy in 1992, subsequently studying in New York, Israel and Sweden.
Einojuhani Rautavaara
Jorma Hynninen, thomas · Peter Lindroos, Johann von Gobyn · Matti Piipponen, Mäster Styver · Sini Rautavaara, maiden · Opera Festival Chorus · Joensuu City Orchestra · Pekka Haapasalo, conductor
Info & buyEinojuhani Rautavaara
Matti Salminen, rasputin · Lilli Paasikivi, Tsarina Alix · Jorma Hynninen, Tsar Nicholas · Jyrki Anttila, Felix Yusupov · Finnish National Opera Orchestra · Finnish National Opera Chorus · Mikko Franck, conductor
Info & buyEinojuhani Rautavaara
Jorma Hynninen, Aleksis Kivi · Jyvaskylä Sinfonia · Markus Lehtinen, conductor
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Jorma Hynninen, topi · Päivi Nisula, riika · Finnish National Opera Chorus · Finnish National Opera Orchestra · Mikko Franck, conductor
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