Einojuhani Rautavaara
The House of the Sun - Tragedia Buffa. Chamber Opera in Two Acts
Mikko Franck, conductor
Petri Bäckström, tenor
Tommi Hakala, baritone
Mia Huhta, soprano
Helena Juntunen, soprano
Anna-Kristiina Kaappola, soprano
Tuomas Katajala, tenor
Markus Nieminen, baritone
Ulla Raiskio, contralto
Raija Regnell, mezzo-soprano
Jukka Romu, bass
Finnish contemporary
2 CDs; booklet with liner notes, written by the composer, and synopsis in English, German, French and Finnish, and the libretto in the original Finnish and in English and German
CD
Released:
October 2003
Catalogue No.:
ODE 1032-2D
EAN/UPC Code:
0761195100028
The performances, vocal and instrumental, are beyond criticism, and with only a few longueurs, the opera is very effective (...) in its own way quite beautiful and touching. It certainly won't remind you of anything else - Rautavaara has his own voice, and his own persuasive sensibility.
Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com
Rautavaara could hardly have wished for a finer cast. (...) The orchestral playing and engineering are also exemplary standard, and Mikko Franck's perceptive performance makes the best possible case for this fascinating score. Enthusiastically recommended.
Julian Haylock, International Record Review, February 2004
Libretto and music by Einojuhani Rautavaara (1989-90)
The cast includes:
Anna-Kristiina Kaappola: Noora
Raija Regnell: Riina
Mia Huhta: Eleanor
Helena Juntunen: Irene
Ulla Raiskio: Victoria von Sonnig
Jukka Romu: John von Sonnig
Tuomas Katajala: Victor von Sonnig
Tommi Hakala: Gregor
Markus Nieminen: Prof. Alessandro Riccioni
Petri Bäckström: Maximilian Holstein
