JOHDATUS KULTTUURITUOTANNON SUUNNITTELUUN: 03/19/15

HALEWYN (working title)

The First Puppet Theatre Opera in the Nordic Countries

Puppet Theatre Opera Project is a Satakunta based international collaboration with educational approach. It will produce and premiere the first original puppet theatre opera in the Nordic Countries.

The opera is called HALEWYN referring to a Flemish legend about the power of a beautiful singing voice. The story includes human and supernatural characters singing in the happiest, the most desperate and the most intimate moments of their lives.

The artistic group consists of masters of music, puppet theatre and stage design from Finland, Russia and other countries.

The librettist is Mikhail Brashinsky. Music is composed by Jouni Kaipainen for Pori Sinfonietta with Jan Söderblom as its conductor. The director of the puppet theatre opera is Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya and the puppet, costume and set designer is Viktor Antonov.

To support the amateur field, audience development and cross-artistic recruiting the project produces a Puppet Theatre Opera Symposium Programme. The programme includes open seminars, school visits and Master Class Workshops for professionals. It widens artists’, art students’, amateurs’ and audiences’ understanding of combining puppetry and music.

The Puppet Theatre Opera Project development began in 2013. The project was launched in September 2014 and the first Symposium events took place in November 2014, both with successful media coverage.

Pre-production goes through 2015 towards production. The puppet theatre opera will premiere in 2016. After the premiere, the puppet theatre opera will tour, also with a smaller ensemble.

The project and its development have received support from the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Satakunta fund, the Swedish Culture Foundation in Pori, the Arts Promotion Centre Pori and the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The overall project is co-ordinated by Tuuli Penttinen-Lampisuo from Poike. HALEWYN is produced by Tuuli Penttinen-Lampisuo together with Heli Latvala from Pori Opera and in cooperation with Regional Artist Roosa Halme from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland. Nukkero - the regional puppet theatre association is also taking part in the project.

The co-producers of the Puppet Theatre Opera Project are Mixed-Art Association Poike (Pori, FIN), Pori Opera (Pori, FIN), Pori Sinfonietta (Pori, FIN) and The Turku International Puppetry Connection (Turku, FIN).

One-liner for the promotional material.

The Puppet Theatre Opera Process

The artistic and productional team in September 2014.
Photo by Meri Mäkinen / Kallo Works.

Satakunnan Kansa, Satakunnan Viikko and STT News Agency among others
published the launch news in September 2014.

Workshop for the puppeteers and the Pori Opera Choir singers in November 2014.
Photo by Meri Mäkinen / Kallo Works.

The puppet, costume and stage designer and puppet theatre artist Viktor Antonov shows his first sketches to director Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya and producer Tuuli Penttinen-Lampisuo in March 2015.
Photo by Meri Mäkinen / Kallo Works.