It’s been 50 years since the Swedish pop group Abba sensationally won the Eurovision Song Contest with their song Waterloo. It’s also been nearly 28 years since the vocal group Rajaton released the album Rajaton Sings Abba with Lahti Symphony Orchestra. In April, Rajaton will perform Abba hits in symphonic arrangements with Oulu Sinfonia and chief conductor Rumon Gamba in three Rajaton Sings ABBA concerts: on Thursday, April 4th, and Friday, April 5th, at 7:00 PM, and in a shorter daytime concert on Thursday, April 4th, at 10:00 AM.
A special occasion will also be experienced on April 11th–12th when Leevi Madetoja’s main work, the ballet pantomime Okon Fuoko, takes over the Oulu Theater. Created by Madetoja in 1927, Okon Fuoko combines Finnish national romanticism with Japanese mystique. In the original story of the ballet, a Japanese puppet master falls in love with his creation with fatal consequences. The choreography for the abstract ballet, seen now, by Alpo Aaltokoski draws parallels to today’s selfie culture: “The Internet is like a cornucopia of wishes, where we can build our ideal partner or try to create one ourselves. Throughout history, humans have projected their dreams onto various images and artificial structures.” Directed by Taiwan-born I-Han Fu, the performances are realized in collaboration with Alpo Aaltokoski Company and Jojo – Oulu Dance Center.
A tradition for over 30 years that has inspired young people in Oulu, Tutti Juttu, continues this spring. This year, the sixth graders from Oulu’s music classes will fine-tune their program with the professionals of the Oulu Sinfonia and perform under the direction of conductor Matias Nässi in three concerts on Thursday, April 18th, and Friday, April 19th.
At the end of April, the 59th National Orchestra Days will be celebrated, gathering representatives from Finland’s professional orchestras in Oulu. As part of the Orchestra Days program, the Dance With Me concert on Thursday, April 25th, presents Kalevi Aho’s new double concerto, premiered by violinist Christel Lee and cellist Jonathan Roozeman. This work for two equal soloists looks towards the lively, virtuosic, and dance-filled world of the Baroque era. Starting unusually at 6:15 PM, the concert’s Head Start features Erkki Liikanen interviewing Aho about his life and the book The World is in Music – Kalevi Aho’s Life and Deeds. The concert begins with The Imagined Forest by young composer Grace-Evangeline Mason, followed by Ludwig van Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. Australian conductor Jessica Cottis leads the performance.
Also the chamber music season of Oulu Sinfonia’s Chamber Musicians continues in April as well. On Sunday, April 21st, at the Oulu Art Museum, there will be a chamber concert titled Immersive Music, which, as usual, has free admission.
April concludes with the highly anticipated Oldies But Goldies spring concert on April 30th, starting at 6:00 PM. The concert features a string of well-known classics led by saxophonist Jukka Perko. Joining him are the Finnish jazz dream team: bassist Ville Herrala, drummer Teppo Mäkynen, and guitarist Teemu Viinikainen.
Text: Oulu Sinfonia
Photo: c Ninna Lindström