Literature as Inspiration for Music

The Soikoon! association's reading circle "Literature as Inspiration for Music" meets monthly at Richardinkatu Library in meeting room Ture (exception in December, see below). Registration: leena.ilona.ahvonen@gmail.com

Thu 24.9.26 17.00-18.30, meeting room Ture
Leo Tolstoy: Anna Karenina
The novel has been adapted into numerous films, television series, and stage plays. As a ballet, the work has been performed frequently - choreography by Boris Eifman and John Neumeier, among others. Estonia Theatre in Tallinn presents Marina Kesler's ballet to Dmitri Shostakovich's music in September-October.

Thu 22.10.26 17.00-18.30, meeting room Ture
William Shakespeare: Hamlet
The play has inspired several operas, the most famous being Ambroise Thomas's version, which premiered in Paris in 1868. The Finnish National Opera presents the Hamlet ballet from 2.10.26 to 5.2.27, choreographed by Leo Mujic with music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Camille Saint-Saëns.

Thu 19.11.26 17.00-18.30, meeting room Ture
Herman Melville: Billy Budd, Sailor
According to Thomas Mann, one of the world's most beautiful stories. Benjamin Britten's opera Billy Budd premiered in London in 1951. The composer wrote to librettists E. M. Forster and Eric Crozier that he had never read a more beautiful libretto.

Thu 17.12.26 17.00-18.30, meeting room Tyko
William Shakespeare: Measure for Measure
Politicians betray, the justice system grinds empty, secret love affairs everywhere and corruption permeates all levels - Richard Wagner's opera Das Liebesverbot is based on this play. Wagner was 22 years old when he composed this comic opera.