Sieluttaret

What happens to a woman who loves too much - or refuses to love at all? This question lies at the heart of Sieluttaret.

The production draws from two early music-theatre works by Claudio Monteverdi: Il ballo delle ingrate and L'Arianna, which premiered at the wedding of Francesco Gonzaga and Margaret of Savoy in 1608. Monteverdi is considered one of opera's pioneers, and in both works a woman confronts the demands of patriarchy - Arianna loves too much, the women in Il ballo delle ingrate too little.

Directors Siljamari Heikinheimo and Niina Lindroos create a theatrical interpretation where contemporary puppet theatre, electronic sound design, and Baroque imagery converge. The music is performed by the Finnish Baroque Orchestra (FiBO) under the direction of Marianna Henriksson. Sieluttaret also launches a three-year collaboration between FiBO and the Finnish National Opera and Ballet.

Cast: Tuuli Lindeberg (Arianna/Spirit), Lotta Pylkäs (Amor), Erica Back (Venus), Jakob Bloch Jespersen (Pluto). Puppet operators Karoliina Illi, Eve Mäkitalo and Tella Vahala. Sound design Tuomas Norvio, lighting design Essi Santala, libretto Ottavio Rinuccini.

Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Almin Hall, 8-10 October 2026. Tickets 28-45 €, age recommendation 10+.