Tree Opera. Windthrow. Anna Fišere (2019)

After the Tree Opera at the Sansusī Festival in 2016, the project had another version in Finland, in collaboration with Finnish musicians and the Mustarinda Association (https://mustarinda.fi/en).

Tree Opera. Windthrow. (2019) in Hyrynsalmi, Finland, is a high-quality interart piece that is based on recent scientific research, highlighting the ecological and cultural significance of forests.

The starting point for the contemporary opera piece is the entwined relationship of humans and forests and the conscious and unconscious communication that is based on it. Tree Opera is linked to the protection of valuable old-growth forests in the Kainuu area.

The opera’s libretto is inspired by forester and author Peter Wohlleben’s book The Hidden Life of Trees, in which he asks if the trees are, in fact, social beings. He draws on scientific findings to describe trees’ similarities with humans.

The artistic group behind the opera is formed by internationally acclaimed musicians, composers and visual artists from Latvia and Sweden. The orchestra comes from Latvia. The vocals are performed by eight singers from the Latvian Radio Choir.

Tree Opera wishes to give a voice to trees and forests. That voice will tell its own story, hoping to evoke thoughts in the audience about the complex role of humans and nature, questioning the mindset of people regarding nature and forests. Could the idea of humans being superior to all other species move towards a discourse where we all are only part of the all-encompassing processes of nature?

Composer is Anna Ķirse.

Libretto author by Andris Kalnozols.

Director: Matīss Budovskis.
Musicians: A chamber ensemble from Latvia; Swedish Paetzold contrabass recorder player Anna Petrini; singers from the Grammy Award-winning Latvian Radio Choir.
Conductor: Artūrs Gailis
Costume design: Mareunrols (Mārīte Mastiņa‑Pēterkopa and Rolands Pēterkops)
Artist/visual collaborator: Andris Eglītis.
Architects: Austris Mailītis and Roberta Fišere (in charge of the platform/stage design in the forest)

Supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, Rural Development Program 2014-2020