KSO’s Song of the Ice spectacle combines sounds of ice, story telling and dramatic lights

Published 05.02.2024

Concert includes premieres of Tuomas Hannikainen’s work Sibelius’ Karelia Relicta

At the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra’s Song of the Ice season concert on Thursday 8th of February at 6 pm we will experience a multisensory performance, which combines sounds of ice, story telling, mimic art and dramatic lights. The concert organized at the Kuopio Music Centre Concert Hall includes a world premiere of Cantus Glacies, a piece composed by the evening’s conductor, Tuomas Hannikainen, and inspired by the ice nature. The story of The Masque of the Red Death based on Edgar Allan Poe’s horror short story and composed by Andre Caplet will be performed by the harp soloist Laura Hynninen and the actor Timo Torikka. After the intermission we will hear two Sibelius rarities: the Concert Overture and the premiere of Karelia Relicta.

Composed by Tuomas Hannikainen, the concert’s conductor and a natural ice skater enthusiast, the premiere Cantus Glacies praises the ice nature and the multisensory experience it offers. ”The work is inspired by the rich songs, nurturing silence, frictionless spaciousness, and red-cheeked joy provided by ice”, Hannikainen describes. Cantus Glacies follows the cycle of nature: the screeching freezing of ice, its midwinter explosiveness, and the liberating jingle of the spring. The audio tape of the work is based on the recordings made by Kuopio-based Lauri Hallikainen.

Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling horror short story, The Masque of the Red Death, inspired Andre Caplet to compose Conte Fantastique for harp and string quartet. Caplet’s music is now performed arranged for a string orchestra by Tuomas Hannikainen and intertwined with Poe’s text. The work tells the story of a prince’s attempt to escape the Red Death, or plague. The rumours caused by the disease can be seen to have their counterpart in the society of the COVID-19 era. The harp soloist is Laura Hynninen, and the story is recited by actor Timo Torikka. The concert culminates with two Sibelius rarities: the Concert Overture, discovered by conductor Hannikainen in 2018, and the premiere of the 6-movement Karelia Relicta (Abandoned Karelia), the destroyed parts of which have been reconstructed based on the preserved autograph scores.

During the concert evening the audience also has a unique opportunity to see glas slides of Sibelius from the 1940’s photographed by Fred Runeberg which are available at the Kuopio Music Centre Concert Foyer (2nd floor). Tuomas Hannikainen acquired these 23 glas slides from an auction some time ago and last autumn he had these prints made.

Pre-Talk at 5.30 pm at the Kuopio Music Centre Atrium. Free for all.

Tickets: 33 € / 27 € senior citizens and groups min. 20 persons / 11 € children under the age of 16 and students / 4 € concert day discount ticket for students and young people under the age of 20. Prices include the Kuopio Music Centre service fee 2 € / ticket. The service fees vary depending on the place of purchase.

KUOPIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Producer & Publicity Manager Elina Prepula, tel. 044 718 2364, elina.prepula(at)kuopio.fi
www.kuopionkaupunginorkesteri.fi | Facebook: Kuopionkaupunginorkesteri | Instagram: kuopionkaupunginorkesteri