The comic opera Deux hommes et une femme (Rita) from 1841 composed by Gaetano Donizetti and written by Gustave Vaëz focuses on the dominance in relationships. The new Finnish version of the opera by the Northern Opera Company ponders on the theme of domestic abuse and the supremacy in it from a northern perspective.
Kasperi is a charming manipulator, who has just left a hotel on the verge of bankruptcy to his wife and run away to be a husky entrepreneur in Canada. Rita has found a new partner who she feels safe with: Pepe, who has fallen for the fells and Rita, but who is blind for the reality due to his workaholism and fears. Things escalate as Kasperi turns up at the hotel feeling victorious and demanding his share of the hotel. The race for the ownership of the hotel is on. Everything from relationships, jobs and vacations start to fall apart. Will imbalance get the best of it?
Premiere at Cultural Centre Valve, 29 August, 2018
The act is written for a soprano, a tenor, a baritone and an orchestra, but it is performed with a piano accompanist. Duration: ca. 70 minutes
The piece has been supported by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Kansan sivistysrahasto, The Finnish National Council for Literature, Oulu University of Applied Sciences and Oulujoki parish. We would like to thank the Tarinakengät Project by the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters, as some of the project’s texts have been utilized in the translation of this piece.
Crew
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- Rita — Virva Puumala / Heidi Laakso
- Pepe — Tuomo Rahko
- Kasperi – Jussi Juola
- Ella – Heidi Laakso / Virva Puumala
- Pianist – Laura Heikkilä
- Costumes — Johanna Pelkonen + R-Collection
- Set – Ari Lapinlampi, Marko Anttila ja työryhmä
- Photographs — Maiju Pohjanheimo
- Dramatist and translations – Jenni Kinnunen
- Director — Anna-Kaisa Järvi
- Composer — Gaetano Donizetti
- Trailer — Henri Turunen, Sami Mustonen
