THREE LETTERS TO
LAESTADIUS
A brand new church
opera “Three letters to Laestadius”, composed by Jyrki Linjama was performed in
the Church music festival of Lohtaja. The opera was played in the Lohtaja
church. The librettists were the composer together with the director Michael
Baran.
When I compare this
opera with the church opera “Meal of love” that I saw in May, I must say that
this opera was far better. The music of the opera was well suited with the
themes and the performers were well chosen.
As in Sillanpää-opera
of the previous night, also in this opera the old Laestadius (Lars Levi
Laestadius was a revivalist preacher in the 19th century in
Lappland), reminisces his past. The second important theme of the opera is
three letters that three different women have supposedly written to him. In
those letters the more negative sides of the revivalist movement name after
Laestadius are revealed, e.g. how pedophiles are not punished by law, but their
crimes are handled inside the movement.
The opera has two
soloists: baritone Esa Ruuttunen as Laestadius and mezzosoprano Laura Mäkitalo
as Angel Sofia and as other women. Esa Ruuttunen made good work as Laestadius,
but personally I liked Laura Mäkitalo’s superb performance even better. Her
task to sing several female roles was very demanding, but she succeeded
beautifully in it and really showed her versatile voice material. In addition
to soloist there were three young girls in silent roles: Ilona Huhtala, Tinja
Pajunpää and Iiris Salmén, who did very well in their roles.
The orchestra was the
chamber orchestra Soli Deo Gloria and their conductor was Juhani Lamminmäki. Both
performed with honours.
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| Lohtaja church |
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| The soloists and the girls |
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| Juhani Lamminmäki and Soli Deo Gloria |
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