LA FENICE

World première
An opera in three acts (opera buffa).
Libretto by Juha-Pekka Hotinen. Italian translation by Nicola Rainò
First performance in Savonlinna, Savonlinna Opera Festival, Olavinlinna, 6 July 2012.

Conductor: Jari Hämäläinen
Stage director:  Vilppu Kiljunen
Stage designer:  Kimmo Viskari
Costume designer:  Piia Rinne
Lighting designer:  Ilkka Paloniemi
Chorus master: Matti Hyökki
Choreography: Marc Gassot
Make-up and hair: Pekka Helynen

La Fenice is a tragicomedy commissioned by the Savonlinna Opera Festival about a fire at the Venice Opera and two funny electrician cousins. Bankruptcy threatens – could a little fire be their salvation? These people are driven by loyalty, love, deceit, and the inexhaustible energy that springs from the cousins’ firm friendship. Is a short-circuit a victory or a defeat? The issue is big, the people little. A powerful, emotional story about people caught up in the wings of culture. As love bursts into flames, so does the opera house. Scandals, schemes, mishaps!
Kimmo Hakola clothes this story tinged with black humour in bubbling, effervescent music, borrowing from historic earlier masterpieces premiered at La Fenice. At the same time the opera begins a new page in the history of Finnish opera: it is sung in Italian.

Performances:
6.7.. (world premiere), 10.7., 14.7

La Fenice will be sung in Italian. Finnish and English surtitles.

The performance begins at 19.00 and ends at about 21.30. One interval.

Cast:

Print the cast list

La Padrona, Amanda, mezzo-soprano:
Tuija Knihtilä

Ettore, tenor:
Dinyar Vania

Michelangelo, known as Angelo, bass:
Burak Bilgili

Katharina von Wittgenstein, soprano:
Valentina Farcas

Filippo Fiasconaro, baritone:
Tommi Hakala

Sergio Peternella, baritone:
Juha Kotilainen

Mayor, Marco, bass:
Johann Tilli

Opera Director, Luigi, baritone:
Heikki Kilpeläinen

Victoria Stone, soprano:
Karan Armstrong

Fire Chief, Alvaro Velli, tenor:
Aki Alamikkotervo

Chief Inspector, Giovanna, coloratura soprano:
Sirkka Lampimäki

Clowns:
Jenni Kallio, Sampo Kurppa, Thomas Monckton, Eero Järvinen,
Marc Gassot

Guard, Roman soldier, mezzo-soprano:
Cynthia Hanna

Waitress, Nun:
Emili Losier

Waiters, workmen, dancers, policemen, firemen, diners, hotel guests, townsfolk, prisoners, house, sea, wind, wall, etc.

Savonlinna Opera Festival Orchestra

Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir

2.5.2012 Alterations possible.