Organ Night & Aria Festival
7 June – 30 August 2018
The magic of music and summer nights
Unique late evening concerts will light up the mediaeval grey stone cathedral of Espoo with a versatile, high standard programme throughout the festival season, as leading artists provide memorable experiences on intimate summer evenings. This year’s festival themes draw on a diverse cultural heritage, with community singing, works by leading composers such as Merikanto, Kuula and Debussy, and the music of our times. The Artistic Director of Organ Night & Aria Festival is the distinguished pianist Erkki Korhonen.
Greeting from the artistic director
June
THU 7 JUNE AT 19.30
FRI 8 JUNE AT 18.00
TAPIOLA CHURCH
39 €
OPENING CONCERTS: ROSSINI, STABAT MATER
Gioacchino Rossini’s masterpiece Stabat Mater was one of the last works of the composer, taking a decade to complete. Premiered in 1842, the work immediately gained great popularity throughout Europe and was also acclaimed by other composers. Stabat Mater has always been performed by leading artists of the day, and we are proud to continue this tradition by entrusting the work to
AURORA MARTHENS, soprano
TUIJA KNIHTILÄ, alto
HEIKKI HATTUNEN, tenor
PETRI LINDROOS, bass
EMO ENSEMBLE och VOCALESPOO FESTIVAL CHOIR
TAPIOLA SINFONIETTA
KLAUS MÄKELÄ, conductor
In co-operation with VocalEspoo Festival and Tapiola Sinfonietta
THU 14 JUNE AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–29 €
SONGS FROM OUR BALTIC COASTLINE
A choir of church musicians led by a legendary choirmaster will render a heartfelt performance of rarely heard gems of ecclesiastical and choral music.
CHAMBER CHOIR GLORIA
SEPPO MURTO, conductor
Grigoryeva – Pärt – Vasks – Esenvalds – Mendelssohn – Sandström – Karlsson – Kuula
THU 21 JUNE AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
Free entrance
MIDSUMMER SOIRÉE – MERIKANTO 150
An opportunity to hear some of the best-loved vocal works of Oskar Merikanto and to join in community singing of summery songs and hymns for the sunniest evenings of the year!
SATU VIHAVAINEN, soprano
ILKKA VIHAVAINEN, bass
ERKKI KORHONEN, piano
THU 28 JUNE AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–29 €
A LIED CELEBRATION
Songs by Yrjö Kilpinen and prize winning works from the national lied composing competition arranged in his honour last autumn will provide the materials for a wonderful celebration of Finnish lied singing with leading performers.
KAISA RANTA, soprano
ESSI LUTTINEN, mezzo-soprano
MERJA MÄKELÄ, mezzo-soprano
NICHOLAS SÖDERLUND, bass-baritone
KIRILL KOZLOVSKI, piano
ILKKA PAANANEN, piano
Kilpinen – Agopov – Pohjonen – Lehmus – Ollila – Heiniö – Damström – Jaakkola – Kettunen
In co-operation with The Yrjö Kilpinen Society
July
THU 5 JULY AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–29 €
RAUTAVAARA, VIGILIA
Inspired by memories of summer evening twilight over Valaam Island, Einojuhani Rautavaara composed an Orthodox mass that is brimming with mystical ambience. Helsinki Chamber Choir has also made an award-winning recording of Vigilia.
HELSINKI CHAMBER CHOIR
NIALL CHORELL, tenor
TUUKKA HAAPANIEMI, bass
NILS SCHWECKENDIEK, conductor
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Vigilia
THU 12 JULY AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–29 €
A NEW STAR SOPRANO AT THE MARIINSKI
The splendid performances of this young Russian soprano at the Mariinski Theatre and venues in Central Europe are making her a household name and internationally sought-after star.
PELAGEYA KURENNAYA, soprano
MARITA VIITASALO, piano
Pjotr Tchaikovsky – Sergey Rachmaninov – Giocomo Puccini – Gaetano Donizetti – Vincenzo Bellini
THU 19 JULY AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–29 €
THE ENCHANTMENT OF SONG AND ORGAN
Shaking the summer evening mood with impressive interpretations of Finnish vocal art and young organ virtuosity.
JORMA HYNNINEN, baritone
PÉTUR SAKARI, organ
Oskar Merikanto – Toivo Kuula – Louis Vierne
THU 26 JULY AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–29 €
AN INCOMPARABLE MOZART TENOR
An opportunity to hear the dulcet tones of one of the world’s finest Mozart specialist tenor singers interpreting stunning works by Mozart and Richard Strauss.
TUOMAS KATAJALA, tenor
ERKKI KORHONEN, piano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Richard Strauss
August
THU 2 AUGUST AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–39 €
LIGHT IN THE NIGHT
The orchestra and soloists of the Finnish National Opera and music of unadorned beauty will bring a warm glow to this early August evening.
MARKUS NYKÄNEN, tenor
PETTERI IIVONEN, violin
AMELIA COLEMAN, oboe
VEERA MYLLYNIEMI, clarinet
ASKO PADINKI, bassoon
JOSE LUIS CORTELL AÑO, horn
THE ORCHESTRA OF THE FINNISH NATIONAL OPERA
KURT KOPECKY, conductor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia concertante KV 297 B, Es major
Ludwig van Beethoven: Romance for violin in F major & G major
Benjamin Britten: Les Illuminations
In co-operation with Finnish National Opera and Ballet
THU 9 AUGUST AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–39 €
WITH A GENTLE SUMMERY SWING
The evergreen splendour of love song waltzes by Brahms and a host of star performers will transport the audience to a world of wistful beauty and summer gambols.
MARI PALO, soprano
LILLI PAASIKIVI, mezzo-soprano
MARKUS NYKÄNEN, tenor
KRISTIAN LINDROOS, baritone
TUULA HÄLLSTRÖM, piano
ERKKI KORHONEN, piano
Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes
Claude Debussy – Oskar Merikanto
THU 16 AUGUST AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–24 €
A TOP-FLIGHT CHOIR FROM TOKYO
An internationally acclaimed children’s choir from the Land of the Rising Sun will capture the emotions with performances that combine joy and artistry.
NHK TOKYO CHILDREN’S CHORUS
KENJI OHTANI ja NORIKO KANEDA, conductors
MARI KARIYA, piano
SOSHI HARA, violincello
Teruaki Suzuki – Minao Shibata – Toivo Kuula
THU 23 AUGUST AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–24 €
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Come and experience this classic oratorio in its rarely heard original form. Performed by a chamber ensembles of the Finnish Baroque Orchestra, the Dublin version will feature the FiBO Singers in both the solo and choral sections.
FIBO SINGERS:
TUULI LINDEBERG and KAJSA DAHLBÄCK, soprano
TEPPO LAMPELA and KATARIINA HEIKKILÄ, alto
JUSSI SALONEN and MARTTI ANTTILA, tenor
JUSSI LEHTIPUU and SAMPO HAAPANIEMI, bass
FIBO PLAYERS
ANTTI TIKKANEN, violin and leader
Händel: Messiah
WED 29 AUGUST AT 18.00
SELLOSALI
Free entrance
MUSIC BRINGS CREATIVITY TO EARLY DEVELOPMENT
An open seminar
A Finnish language seminar discussing musical talent and the importance of music in the intellectual and emotional development of young people.
Specialists
MARI TERVANIEMI, research leader at CICERO -Learning network, Helsinki University
JARI SINKKONEN, doctor of child and adolescent psychiatry
Performing artists
MAIJU VAAHTOLUOTO, mezzo-soprano
TAAVI ORAMO, baritone
KAMELEONTTIKUORO, choir from Espoo Music Institute
ERKKI KORHONEN, host of the seminar
Organized in co-operation with Suomen Aivosäätiö
THU 30 AUGUST AT 21.00
ESPOO CATHEDRAL
14–29 €
EN ROUTE TO THE STARS
Gifted young singers performing the most beautiful compositions by Toivo Kuula, Oskar Merikanto and Claude Debussy, and rarely heard duets by Johannes Brahms. The songs of Heta Aho based on the works of Edith Södergran will also introduce the audience to the latest Finnish lyric poetry.
MAIJU VAAHTOLUOTO, mezzo-soprano
TAAVI ORAMO, tenor
ERKKI KORHONEN, piano
Toivo Kuula – Oskar Merikanto – Claude Debussy – Johannes Brahms – Heta Aho
In co-operation with Kansan Sivistysrahasto / Päivi and Paavo Lipponen fund
Duration of the concerts is about 1 h 15 min.
Right to changes reserved.
Organ Night and Aria festival participates in Kaikukortti Service of the City of Espoo.
Concert venues
June 7 and 8 – Tapiola Church, Kirkkopolku 6, Espoo
June 14 – August 30 – Espoo Cathedral, Kirkkopuisto 5, Espoo
An open seminar 29 August
Sellosali, Soittoniekanaukio 1, Leppävaara, Espoo
BEFORE THE CONCERTS
In Tapiola
Introduction to Stabat Mater Thu 7 June at 18.30-19.00
The artistic director Erkki Korhonen tells us more about the origins of Rossini’s Stabat Mater and the life of the composer (in Finnish). Admission free. Grill it! restaurant, Original Sokos Hotel Tapiola Garden
Meet the artists Fri 8 June at 20.00 (Note: after the concert!)
Exploring some post-concert impressions of the Stabat Mater performers, hosted by Erkki Korhonen. Admission free. Grill it! restaurant, Original Sokos Hotel Tapiola Garden
Concert café
An opportunity to enjoy delicious homemade organic pastries an hour before concert at Tapiola Church.
In Espoo Cathedral
Meet the artists every Thursday (excl. 21 June) at 20–20.30 in Pitäjäntupa, near the Espoo Cathedral
Artists of the evening will tell us about their chosen repertoire of the concert. You’ll also be able to catch up on their latest doings. Hosted by Erkki Korhonen.
Presentation of the organ in Espoo Cathedral Thu 19 July at 20–20.30
Would you like to know more about the organ of Espoo Cathedral? Cantor Petri Koivusalo will share some interesting details about the instrument. (In Finnish)
Concert café
An opportunity to enjoy delicious homemade organic pastries at the nearby chapel before the concerts
at 19.30-21.00.
TICKETS
Opening concert 7 and 8 June in Tapiola Church
EUR 39/37/14 (normal price / pensioners / students and children under 18)
Concerts in Espoo Cathedral 14 June – 30 August
EUR 14-39 (depending on the concert and chosen seats)
The ticket prices include the service fee EUR 1,50–3,50. Delivery fee from EUR 1 at lippu.fi (not at the door sales).
Seats in 2nd price categories have limited visibility and seats in 3rd price categories have very limited visibility.
Discounts
- Pensioners, unemployed and conscripts
2 € off in the 1st and 2nd price categories
- Students and children under 18
Tickets 14 € in every price category
- Groups minimum of 10 persons -20 %
- S group Benefit
3 € off from the ticket price in the 1st price category in concerts June 28 and July 5, when purchased beforehand
- Free ticket with Kaikukortti. When purchased at ticket outlets, a service fee 1,50 € + delivery fee must be paid. At the door without fees.
Sets of tickets
Set of 3 tickets for three different concerts purchased at one time, a 10 % discount (no any other discounts).
Set of 5 tickets for five different concerts purchased at one time, a 20 % discount (no any other discounts).
BUY TICKETS FROM
Lippu.fi
Ticket sales at the door begin one hour before each concert.
No refunds on ticket purchases.
Notice: Tickets for wheel chairs, Kaikukortti tickets and sets of tickets are sold only in full-service ticket outlets and telephone service (excl. online shopping).
CONNECTIONS
Train / subway
It takes only 25 minutes by train from Helsinki city center to Espoo centre and 15 minutes by subway to Tapiola. See the journey planner for routes and timetables: www.reittiopas.fi/en
Festivalbus after concerts
A festival bus to Helsinki city center via southern Espoo leaves from the car park of Espoo Cathedral after concerts (excl. 7 and 8 June). Price: 4 € to Espoo, 6 € to Helsinki.
