Joonas Kokkonen in the 1950s.

FINNISH OPERA

By Henning Høholt

OSLO: For the first time in some decades the Norwegian National Opera (as far as I remember) shall present an opera by a Finnish composer, it is by  Kaija Saariaho, by whom we shall enjoy  L´Amour de Loin (–Love at a distance) – in Oslo – .7. and 9 February.

Still as Finland are having some outstanding and world famouse composers, of course, it is naturally to mention specially Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957), In addition to his famouse seven symphonies and violinconcerto he also composed  incidential music for 13 plays including the opera Jungfrun i tornet (The Maiden in the Tower); and other works, including pieces inspired by the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over 100 songs for voice and piano.

Anne-Margrethe Skari at Den Norske Opera and Ballett A/S, has helped us with a list of Finnish Opera composers, who in addition to the allready mentioned Kaija Saariaho are:

Leevi Madetoja : Op. 45 – The Ostrobothnians: (Pohjalaisia ) opera in three acts (1918–23)

Tauno Pylkkänen (1918-1980)

Tauno Pylkkänen:  Mare ja hänen poikansa, 1942, opera (Mare and Her Son) – Mare och hennes son (1943), furthermore Vargbruden, who von Prix Italia in 1950, and Ikaros (1960)

Aarre Merikanto: Juha (opera) completed 1922, premiered 1963

Aulis Sallinen: The Horseman, Op. 32 (1974), Ratsumies (Finnish), Ryttaren (Swedish), The Red Line, Op. 46 (1978) og King Lear, Op
. 76 (1999)

Joonas Kokkonen: The Last Temptations (1972–1975)

Einojuhani Rautavaara: Vincent (1986–1987), 1995  Aleksis Kivi, opera in 3 acts 

The well knovn composer Eeri Merikanto (1868 –1924), has no operas on his list. 

There is a great production of operas by Finnish contemporay composers, however the first one I remember was by Joonas Kokkonen (1921 – 1996). He was one of the most internationally famous Finnish composers after Sibelius; his opera The Last Temptations  (1972–1975) has received over 500 performances worldwide, and is considered by many to be Finland’s most distinguished national opera. This performance guested The Norwegian Opera before 1980, and is still being remembered by the elderly audience.

Aulis Sallinen (in 2009)

Aulis Sallinen is active with several operas, (born April 9, 1935 in Salmi) is a Finnish contemporary classical music composer. He writes in a modern, though tonal and not experimental music style. He studied at the Sibelius Academy, where his teachers included Joonas Kokkonan
.

He has written 6 operas, 8 symphonies, concertos for violin, cello, flute, horn and English horn as well as several chamber works
.

He won the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1978 for his opera Ratsumies (The Horseman).

• The Horseman, Op. 32 (1974, Ratsumies (Finnish), Ryttaren (Swedish))
• The Red Line, Op. 46 (1978)
• The King Goes Forth to France, Op.53 (1983, Kuningas lähtee Ranskaan (Finnish))
• Kullervo, Op. 61 (1988)
• The Palace, Op.68 (1991–1993, Palatsi (Finnish))
• King Lear, Op. 76 (1999)

Tauno Pylkkänen (1918 – 1980). Finnish composer. Three operas. He was a pupil of Madetoja, Palmgren and Ranta at the Helsinki Academy (1937-40), where he began teaching in 1967, having also worked in radio, as a critic, and as artistic director of the Finnish National Opera (1960-70)
. He has written operas described as a kind of Finnish verismo (e.g. The Shadow, 1952), song cycles and orchestral music.