Savonlinna Opera Festival wraps up centenary
The Savonlinna Opera Festival concludes its 100th anniversary session on Saturday with a performance of Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes. More than 73,000 opera enthusiasts attended this year's festival, a new all-time record.
The centenary season's festival also included Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, and Verdi’s Aida.
Audiences were also treated to two world premieres, Kimmo Hakola’s La Fenice and the first ever opera born on the Internet and created by an online community, Free Will. The latter work involved an online community which created the libretto, wrote the music in collaboration with Finnish composer Markus Fagerudd and designed the sets and costumes.
In addition the the main festival itself, the city of Savonlinna hosted a programme of associated cultural offerings, such as theatre and other performing arts events.
According to festival organizers, this year's four-week Savonlinna Opera Festival drew audiences of over 73,000. Including associated events, the estimated total of festival visitors was more than 85,000.
