The Never Withering Rose

The Never Withering Rose is a multilingual work for choir, cello and dance based on visions, letters and poems from holy women across the centuries. Voices are given to Hildegard von Bingen, Saint Birgitta, Caterina da Siena, Teresa of Ávila, Jeanne d'Arc, Julian of Norwich and Thérèse de Lisieux, as well as the controversial Vassula Rydén, who calls herself a prophet, and the frequently awarded Finnish-Swedish poet Eva-Stina Byggmästar (born 1967).

The texts are compiled and the music composed by Johanna Almark, whose monologue opera Orlando captivated both audiences and critics at the Helsinki Opera Festival 2023. The work's title is borrowed from the closing words of Byggmästar's poem "... you who are the rose, which never withers" - the rose as a symbol of love and holiness runs as a red thread through the work. The performance includes elements that engage the audience.

"It is about observing boundless love, sensing the presence of the sacred" (Eva-Stina Byggmästar)

Composition and libretto: Johanna Almark
Choreography: Kaisa Torkkel
Choir: Rosensemble
Cello: Helen Lindén-Pons
Dance: Janne Marja-Aho, Tove Wingren-Leppilampi
Masks: NyaTa Shapovalova
Visualization: Kimmo Karjunen
Costumes: Sven Dahlberg