BIRTH OF THE ORGAN
One of Europe's largest concert hall organs has been built in the Helsinki Music Hall. The project, which started with a donation of one million euros by composer Kaija Saariaho, lasted six years. Dozens of experts from different fields designed a state-of-the-art instrument with completely new solutions. The unique, ringing facade whistles were realized with 3D printing. How was an organ with more than 9,000 pipes designed, built and made to play in a concert hall.
Direction: Riitta Rask. Production: Production House (2023).
Program details
Image: HD, 16:9
Soundtracks: English stereo
Subtitles: Finnish, program subtitles (Finnish)
Viewable only in Finland: What's here for limited time
Soundtrack for the Document by Henri Salonen
ECHOES OF THE UNIVERSE - THE MUSIC OF KAIJA
Echoes of the Universe – The Music of Kaija Saariaho ”At first, the music felt so big and important that it seemed difficult to think that I could add anything to it.” – Kaija Saariaho
The documentary film ECHOES OF THE UNIVERSE examines the maturation of composer Kaija Saariaho from a shy girl from Helsinki to the world’s most respected contemporary composer. In the 1970s and 1980s, Saariaho was an exception as the only woman among composition students both in Finland and in France. In the 80s Saariaho went to Freiburg, Germany for postgraduate studies and from there to IRCAM in Paris, where she met her future husband Jean-Baptiste Barrière.
Saariaho’s first opera, L’Amour de loin, immediately became an international success in 2000. When the opera was performed at the Metropolitan in 2016, it was the third opera created by a female composer in the history of the house in 100 years. When Saariaho’s latest opera, Innocence, premiered in France in Aix-en-Provence in the summer of 2021, the New York Times chose Saariaho as the most important contemporary composer of the year. The libretto for the opera was written by Sofi Oksanen and dramatized by the director, dramaturg Aleksi Barrière. Along with Saariaho’s compositions, the documentary follows the mutual cooperation of Saariaho’s talented family members in its various forms. Saariaho’s accident in a hotel in Japan in the spring of 2021 brings drama to the documentary as the composer is forced into a wheelchair and submits to the help of his family members.
Saariaho’s music has been played all over the world for 45 years and she has been awarded with 25 significant awards and recognitions, e.g. Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement award in Venice in September 2021. Director Peter Sellars, conductors Susanna Mälkki, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Clément Mao-Takacs, soprano Anu Komsi, writer Sofi Oksanen, choir director Simon Halsey, folk musician Vilma Jää, Kaija Saariaho’s Steinerkoulu classmates and teacher Marja Dahlström share their thoughts on Saariaho in the documentary.
Trailer
The documentary was shot in 2019-2022. The length of the film is 1 hr 20 min.
CREW Director and screen wrighter: Riitta Rask Head cinematographer: Pekka Uotila Sound recorder: Christian Pulkkinen Leikkaaja: Maria Haipus Sound Designer: Salla Hämäläinen Mixing: Sami Sarhamaa Graphics: Studio Pekka Piippo Head producer: Teatro Productions Oy / Kaisa Näreranta
TAIVAS JA HELVETTI
Filming of the documentary began in 2020 and the work will be completed in spring 2021, when it celebrates Kari Tika's 75th birthday. Taking into account the corona restrictions, the premiere of the documentary will be held in the summer of 2021. In addition to the live performances, the documentary will be presented online on the LiveStage.fi platform.
A JOINT BIRTHDAY GIFT Kari Tika's friends and certain communities have participated in making the documentary possible by supporting the post-work phase of the project through a crowdfunding campaign organized in the spring of 2021.
Kari Tikka, who turned 75 in spring 2021, is being congratulated by:
Kirsti Ahonen, Liss Eriksson-Tapio, Eevi Fiskaali, Oiva Hujanen, Päivi Huuhtanen-Somero, Tuija Järvi, Päivi Kajander, Hanna Kaunisto, Maisa Krokfors, Kaija Kuusela-Erkkilä, Britt Langrev, Eino Murtorinne, Matti and Sinikka Mäkelä, Milja Inkeri Mäkelä , Lassi Mäkinen, Hannu Niemelä, Erkki Niemi, Raimo Nisonen, Anders Nordlund, Kaisa Näreranta, Janne Näreranta, Sisko Näreranta, Anni and Simo Peura, Uwe Preusker, Marja Rikaniemi, Esa Ruuttunen, Telle and Timo Saarinen, Riitta and Pekka Särkiö, Sirkku Tolvanen, Eeva-Liisa Valkonen, Heli and Kari Vapaakallio, Tero Vihavainen, Satu Vihavainen, Raimo Virekunnas & Terttu Vähämäki.
TAIVAS JA HELVETTI is a documentary film about the conductor and composer Kari Tika, which follows the completion of Kari Tika's latest opera "Love is stronger than death" and goes through the stages of his 55-year career as an artist. The documentary brings out a strong personality of an artist dedicated to music, as well as an unyielding and warm-hearted character. Kari Tikka is a fighter who has survived difficult illnesses and, despite them and the obstacles brought by the corona, managed to premiere his latest opera in October 2020.