Savonlinna Opera Festival
Savonlinna Opera Festival (Finnish: Savonlinnan oopperajuhlat) is held annually in the city of Savonlinna. The Festival takes place at the medieval Olavinlinna (St. Olaf's Castle), built in 1475. The castle is located amid spectacular lake scenery.
Il “Savonlinna Opera Festival” si svolge ogni anno nella cittá di Savonlinna. Il Festival si tiene nel castello medievale -Olavinlinna- (St. olaf Castel), costruito nel 1475. Il Castello, raggiungile attraversando un ponte, è incorniciato dalle dolci acque del lago Saimaa che rendono lo scenario magico ed incantato.
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The birth of the Savonlinna Opera Festival ties in closely with the emerging Finnish identity and striving for independence at the beginning of the 20th century. Attending a nationalist meeting in Olavinlinna Castle in 1907, the Finnish soprano Aino Ackté, already famous at opera houses the world over and an ardent patriot, immediately spotted the potential of the castle as the venue for an opera festival. The first opera festival was held in 1912.
Ackté directed the festival for five summers, staging four Finnish operas. The only opera by a non-Finnish composer was Charles Gounod’s Faust, with Ackté herself in the leading female role of Marguerite.
In 1917 the festival ran into difficulties because of First World War, Finnish Declaration of Independence and the ensuing Finnish Civil War.
For fifty years, the opera festival was dormant, but in 1967, Savonlinna Music Days decided to organise an opera course for young singers. The high point of the course was a performance of Beethoven's Fidelio in the castle.
Therefore 1967 is nowadays regarded as the start of the present Festival; since then it has had steady growth of both audience and reputation.
Ackté directed the festival for five summers, staging four Finnish operas. The only opera by a non-Finnish composer was Charles Gounod’s Faust, with Ackté herself in the leading female role of Marguerite.
In 1917 the festival ran into difficulties because of First World War, Finnish Declaration of Independence and the ensuing Finnish Civil War.
For fifty years, the opera festival was dormant, but in 1967, Savonlinna Music Days decided to organise an opera course for young singers. The high point of the course was a performance of Beethoven's Fidelio in the castle.
Therefore 1967 is nowadays regarded as the start of the present Festival; since then it has had steady growth of both audience and reputation.
La nascita del Festival d´opera di Savonlinna, viene fatta risalire agli inizi del 20esimo secolo, in concomitanza con l´emergere dell´identità e la propensione all´indipendenza nazionale. Il soprano finlandese, Aino Ackté, già famosa nelle sale d´opera di tutto il mondo, ardente e patriottica, comprese subito le potenzialità del castello come location per un Festival d´Opera. Il primo Festival d´Opera si tenne nel 1912. Aino Ackté fu la direttrice del festival per ben cinque estati, allestendo il castello per quattro manifestazioni. Charles Gounod fu l´unico compositore straniero ad allestire il Festival, proponendo “Faust”, dove la stessa Ackté interpretò il ruolo femminile di Marguerite. Nel 1917 il Festival venne interrotto a causa della Prima Guerra Mondiale, della Dichiarazione d´Indipendenza Finlandese e della sanguinosa Guerra Civile. Per cinquanta anni, il festival d´Opera rimase inattivo, ma nel 1967, Savonlinna Music Days decise di organizzare un corso per giovani cantanti. L´alto punteggio ottenuto dal corso svoltosi nel castello riguardava le performance di Beethoven´s in - Fidelio. Perciò il 1967 è tutt´ora considerato come l´anno d´inizio del Festival, dopo questa data si può solo constatare un progressivo sviluppo di audience e fama.
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