Saariaho's Innocence … is justifiably one of the great operas of the 21st century.
Arno Lücker
On March 15, Semperoper Dresden will present a new production of Innocence by Kaija Saariaho with stage direction by Lorenzo Fiorini. Maxime Pascal will conduct the Sächsische Staatskapelle and Staatsopernchor Dresden.
This is already the second production in Germany this season, testifying to the immense success of Innocence. The opera explores the aftermath of a shooting at an international school. A decade later, at the shooter's brother’s wedding, the past resurfaces, affecting not only the family and guests, but the staff as well. Originally written in Finnish by Sofi Oksanen, the libretto has been adapted into a multilingual version by Aleksi Barrière.
In July 2021, the opera premiered to critical acclaim at the Festival International d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence who co-commissioned Innocence with the Dutch National Opera, Finnish National Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and San Francisco Opera.
The premiere is followed by six performances until April 11. For more information, see the website of Semperoper Dresden.
