Maestro’s era ends with Salome-opera performances in May 2019
Concert season 2018–2019 will be Leif Segerstam’s last as a chief conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. The season will start with Heavenly Life -concerts on 6th and 7th of September. Richard Strauss’ Salome-opera will be performed as a conclusion of Segerstam’s artistic period.
Maestro will turn 75 on 2nd of March in 2019. His period as a chief conductor of Turku Philharmonic Orchestra started in 2012 and will end in May 2019. During his period as a chief conductor Segerstam has contributed remarkably to the artistic level and image of the orchestra. With TPO Segerstam has recorded Sibelius’ most rare works and all Brahms’ four symphonies amongst others. In addition, during this period exhaustive recording series Beethoven Complete will be completed.
Due to its daring subject and tone language, Richard Strauss’ Salome had a strong reception by the time it was released. The work is strong, dramatic and passionate. The most well-known scene of the opera is “Dance of the Seven Veils”, in which Salome is dancing for Herodes. As a service in return Salome wants Jochanaan’s head, for which she’s madly and fiercely in love. The opera culminates in the scene where Herodes has had Jochanaan executed and the head is brought to Salome.
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra will perform opera’s concert version on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th on May in 2019 at 7pm at The Concert Hall. The ticket sale will start on Monday 24th of September 2018. For the first time, the role of Salome is played by soprano Anu Komsi. In the other main roles we will see Finnish top singers, such as Tommi Hakala in the role of Jochanaan.
“I debuted my previous big Strauss-role, role as Zerbinetta, also in Turku, at Turku Music Festival with conductor Leif Segerstam in 1994. Now I’m so excited that I will finally get on stage as Salome, with one of the best Richard Strauss -conductors, Leif Segerstam” tells Anu Komsi.
”Welcome - this is a candy opera! Everyone likes this. Strauss was very good at describing women’s psychology and subconscious in his music”, tells Leif Segerstam and continues: ”Salome was my first opera in Savonlinna in 1970 – it was a pleasant task and the audience liked the interpretation of a young star. I have performed Salome in The Vienna State Opera, Zürich, Cologne, Salzburg Festival and The Royal Swedish Opera. In addition, 2019 is a Strauss year – it marks the 70th anniversary of the composer´s death.
Leif Segerstam is one of the most versatile composers in Scandinavia – a conductor, a composer, a violinist and a pianist. World-famous Leif Segerstam is officiated as a conductor and a chief conductor in numerous well-known opera houses and symphony orchestras, such as in The Royal Swedish Opera, The Deutsche Oper Berlin, The Vienna State Opera and Austria’s and Denmark’s Radio Symphony Orchestras. He has made the executive visits for The Metropolitan Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and La Scala amongst others. Segerstam’s outstanding list of compositions includes, for instance, 310 symphonies. His impressive and splendid career has received recognition with numerous awards. In 2014 the President of the Republic of Finland granted Segerstam a title of a professor.
Anu Komsi is one of Finland’s most international colorature sopranos, who has carved a name in world’s biggest opera houses and significant concert stages. During her opera career Komsi has sung on Europe’s and America’s well-known opera stages and festivals, such as La Scala in Milan, The Opéra Bastille in Paris and Salzburg Festival. In addition, Komsi is an artistic director of Kokkola Opera. For Komsi, this is the first role as Salome.
Salome in Turku Concert Hall, Thu 16th and Fri 17thof May 2019 at 7pm. Leif Segerstam, conductor, Anu Komsi, Salome, Tommi Hakala, Jochanaan, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. Ticket sale opens 24th of September 2018.
Das himmlische Leben opens the autumn season
Heavenly Life -concert opens TPO’s autumn season on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th of September at 7pm. at The Concert Hall. Double bassist Mikko Multamäki and soprano Essi Luttinen perform as soloists. Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten, which is one of the most popular works of Arvo Pärt, opens the evening. Mikko Multamäki interprets Concerto for Double Bass by Eduard Tubinin and after intermission the concerts ends with Symphony No. 4 by Gustav Mahler. In the last part of the symphony Essi Luttinen interprets the song Das himmlische Leben, heavenly life, which has inspired thematically the whole work.
On both concert evenings, a Head Start, free event for concert audience, will be arranged at 6pm. In the occasion the artists of the evening are being interviewed. Thursday’s (6.9.) concert is livestreamed at tfo.fi/live. It is possible to comment the concert in social media with #leiflive. During the evenings Vino-Gallery piece of the autumn season, Wall-X, will be launched. The artist Niina Villanueva’s, who studies at Turku Arts Academy, work is discussing about mobility and the freedom to experience cultures.
Mikko Multamäki has worked Turku Philharmonic Orchestra’s sound leader of double basses since 2000. Multamäki performs actively as a chamber musician and with his own solo recitals. In addition, he has performed with Lohja City Orchestra and Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, and played as a soloist in Salo and Kirkkonummi Orchestras amongst others.
Soprano Essi Luttinen completed her diploma with outstanding honors in 2005 at the Sibelius-Academy. Luttinen has performed as a soloist for the great number of Finnish orchestras and visited in Belgium, Great-Britain, Japan and Germany, in addition to numerous festivals in Finland.
Heavenly Life at The Turku Concert Hall Thu 6th and Fri 7th of September 2018 at 7 pm. “A head start” Thu 6th and Fri 7th at 6pm. Online concert Thu 6th at 7 pm at tfo.fi/live. Leif Segerstam, conductor, Mikko Multamäki, double bass, Essi Luttinen, soprano, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. Pärt – Tubin – Mahler. Tickets: 25,50/20,50/9,50 €.