''Aleksis Kivi'' (1995–96) is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

in two acts by

Einojuhani Rautavaara Einojuhani Rautavaara (; 9 October 1928 – 27 July 2016) was a Finnish composer of classical music. Among the most notable Finnish composers since Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), Rautavaara wrote a List of compositions by Einojuhani Rautavaara, gre ...

, to a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

by the composer. It was first performed by the

Savonlinna Opera Festival Savonlinna Opera Festival ( fi, Savonlinnan oopperajuhlat) is held annually in the city of Savonlinna in Finland. The Festival takes place at the medieval Olavinlinna (St. Olaf's Castle), built in 1475. The castle is located amid spectacular lake ...

on 8 July 1997, with

Jorma Hynninen Jorma Kalervo Hynninen (born 3 April 1941) is a Finnish baritone who performs regularly with the world's major opera companies. He has also worked in opera administration. Hynninen was born on 3 April 1941 in Leppävirta, Finland. He studied fro ...

in the title role. The opera deals with episodes in the life of

Aleksis Kivi Aleksis Kivi (; born Alexis Stenvall; 10 October 1834 – 31 December 1872) was a Finnish author who wrote the first significant novel in the Finnish language, ''Seitsemän veljestä'' ("Seven Brothers") in 1870. He is also known for his 1864 p ...

, the Finnish national writer. The opera was written at the request of Hynninen.

Recordings

*Rautavaara: Aleksis Kivi 2CD 2002 Jorma Hynninen, Lasse Pöysti, Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, Helena Juntunen, Gabriel Suovanen, Marcus Groth, Lassi Virtanen, Jaakko Hietikko

Jyväskylä Sinfonia Jyväskylä Sinfonia is an orchestra in Finland. Its current music director is Ville Matvejeff. Jyväskylä Sinfonia was the first to record Einojuhani Rautavaara's ''Aleksis Kivi''. Their first recording for Naxos Records was the first-five number ...

, Markus Lehtinen Ondine Records. *Rautavaara: Aleksis Kivi DVD 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, conducted

Mikko Franck Mikko Franck is a Finnish conductor and violinist. Biography Franck was born in Helsinki. He began learning the violin at the age of 5 and started violin studies at the Sibelius Academy in 1992. The Academy let Franck conduct an orchestra in 19 ...

Ondine

References

Finnish-language operas 1997 operas Aleksis Kivi Operas Operas by Einojuhani Rautavaara Operas set in Finland Operas set in the 19th century Operas about writers Operas based on real people {{opera-stub