The King goes forth to France
Aulis Sallinen (1935-):
The King Goes Forth to France –
A chronicle for the music theatre of the coming Ice Age
Tommi Hakala, baritone
Jyrki Korhonen, bass
Riikka Rantanen, mezzo soprano
Lilli Paasikivi, mezzo soprano
Mari Palo, soprano
Laura Nykänen, contralto
Jyrki Anttila, tenor
Herman Wallén, baritone
Kirsi Thum, soprano
Tuomas Katajala, tenor
Jussi Myllys, tenor
Arttu Kataja, baritone
Tuomas Tuloisela, bass
Niklas Spångberg, bass
Janne Sundqvist, bass
Santeri Kinnunen, spoken role
Finnish Philharmonic Chorus
Tapiola Chamber Choir
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Okko Kamu, conductor
Ondine, ODE 1066-2D (2CD) / 2006
Yleisradion vuoden levy 2006
Gramophone-lehden yksi kuukauden levyistä 7/2006 (Editors Choice)
BBC Music Magazinen kuukauden oopperataltiointi 6/2006
Opera-lehden kuukauden oopperataltiointi 6/2006
Reviews
"The cast has no weaknesses and is very well balanced - and much the same could be said of the recording. If you heard the opera in English at Covent Garden in 1987, the idea of following it in Finnish may feel daunting, but the language has its own pungency and rhythmic interest, and time passes almost as swiftly as it seems to on stage. Highly recommended, especially to anyone who thinks that contemporary opera has lost the plot..."
"It's a story told with waspish wit, and the piquancy and subtlety of Sallinen's
score make more impression on this fine studio recording, conducted by Okko Kamu,
than they ever did in the opera house."
"To single out individual performances would be to defeat the opera, which works like a well-oiled, surreal machine; there are no weak links. Of course Tommi Hakala’s King and Jyrki Korhonen’s Prime Minister are standouts by the sheer amount of music they have to sing and the straight faces they must present, but the four women are equally fine. Okko Kamu leads the Helsinki Philharmonic with clarity and a serious smile. Sallinen’s tangy music and apparently sly wit make this a fascinating show, and following the work with the libretto reaps many rewards. A vibrant, unique work."