On May 12, Vista, the latest orchestral work by Kaija Saariaho will receive its world premiere by Helsinki Philharmonic, conducted by their chief conductor Susanna Mälkki. Vista is a joint commission by Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.
“Vista lives up to its name as a piece that reveals new horizons. The ever-unfolding world of Kaija Saariaho’s soundscape is rich and broad, and the orchestral palette is novel. It’s a tremendous honour and joy that Saariaho’s newest piece is written for us”, Susanna Mälkki says.
Vista world premiere will be streamed on May 12 at 7pm EEST, for more information please visit the Helsinki Philharmonic website.
Kaija Saariaho’s new orchestral work will also receive its German premiere by Berlin Philharmonic, conducted also by Susanna Mälkki on May 22. The performance will be streamed via the orchestra’s Digital Concert Hall.
From May 11, Helsinki will also see the opening of Blick at Amos Rex.
Blick is an exhibition by visual artist Raija Malka and composer Kaija Saariaho that will fill the museum’s large exhibition hall with a multisensory total work of art.
“Distances between important people, places and memories are mentally involved in the music for this exhibition, which began with my composition Stilleben. Nostalgia has been present in my life since I moved away from Finland. Raija and I share this feeling – also in regard to each other – as we lived in Paris at the same time for six years, and often worked together,” Saariaho says.
“My installation Blick was born out of the world of Stilleben and its nostalgic undercurrent. However, working in the Amos Rex space brought new parts to the work: Utopie, Warten and Menschen. Kaija composed new music for these. Our collaboration is like playing a game where the ball bounces back and forth,” Malka says.
Blick runs from May 12 to August 22, 2021.
