Innocence (Deutsche Erstaufführung)

In the organizer's words:

An operatic thriller about the inescapable present of the past: an international school in Helsinki is the scene of a killing spree. Ten years later, the perpetrator's brother marries and hopes to put the events of that time behind him for good. However, a waitress whose daughter was among the victims recognizes the connections, and the meeting of the perpetrators' and victims' families at this wedding leads to an unavoidable confrontation with the past. Traumas that have been repressed resurface and the boundaries between perpetrators and victims become increasingly blurred. The question of guilt and innocence also arises again and again as the revelations progress.

Kaija Saariaho, who died in June 2023, is one of the most frequently performed contemporary composers. Her works open up fascinating sound spaces and stories - including her last opera "Innocence", which premiered in 2021. It is not only a highly emotional contribution to contemporary music theater, but also to the current social discourse on hate and violence - and responsibility.