Yllätä Ikuinen Virta

Yllätä Ikuinen Virta is a new Finnish chamber opera piece. It celebrates the Finnish composer Toivo Kuula (7.7.1883 – 18.5.1918) and his life. The music for the piece is composed by Sampsa Ertamo and the performance is directed by Arto Myllärinen, who also wrote the libretto. The performance will have its new premiere at the Helsinki Contemporary Opera Festival in August 2024.

Toivo Kuula was one of the most important composers of Finnish Romanticism and one of Jean Sibelius's few students. Kuula was considered a rising promise in Finnish music culture, and his early works attracted great attention. One of his most famous compositions, Häämarssi, is still familiar to many. Kuula's life ended at the age of only 34 when he was shot in Viipuri, just as the Civil War came to an end.

The narrative revolves around the passionate exchange of thoughts on life, art, and love between two fiery artists, Toivo and Alma. At its core are Kuula, his wife Silja, and the young singer Alma, whom Kuula fell in love with during his marriage to Silja. The story also features some significant figures in Kuula's life, such as Toivo's father Matti Kuula and Jean Sibelius. Despite Kuula's tragic death, the story is an emotional celebration of Finnish music history.

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Come and experience the joyful moments of Toivo Kuula's life because "Love cannot be explained, just like music. You just have to be swept away."

 

Cast and crew

Conducting the performance is James Kahane, with the Helsinki Chamber Orchestra providing the music under his direction. The lead roles are sung by tenor Kalle Virtanen, soprano Vilja Riutamaa, mezzo-soprano Eeva Semerdjiev, and baritone Matti Torhamo. On stage, supporting the soloists are actors Roosa Honkanen, Ani Hassinen, Reetta Hulmi, Juha Salo, and Matvei Ojansuu.

 

Production: Working group

The performance is supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.