AVANTI ORCHESTRA 30 YEARS! 2014
HELSINKI STUDENT HOUSEInstallation performance based on Igor Stravinskys The Soldiers Tale/Suite
Avanti chamber orchestra
with Esa-Pekka Salonen
Photos: Heikki Tuuli
(Rondo 10/2014) Harri Kuusisaari
The story of Igor Stravinsky's Soldier has been part of Avant's repertoire for years, also led by Salonen. This time, the traditional stage version or instrument series will not be performed, but a space sound work directed by Kristiina Helin, which trusts man's chronic tendency to war. Performance artist Tero Nauha, dancer Helena Romppanen, violinist Pekka Kuusisto and Avanti cover a surreal world where Stravinsky’s soldier could be any of us ■
"Any contemporary interpretation of the classics is a double responsibility for a daring director. Just because it is classics: it has already overcome through thousands evaluations and got its place deeply rooted in the field of mankind creation."
http://www.liikekieli.com/archives/6821
"I appreciated Helin’s interpretation of Solder’s Tale as a very contemporary work in the context of today’s performing art: body language instead of words, sound world instead of melody, presence instead of acting. And exactly that created a link for me to the remote Stavinsky’s genius and the eternal truths that classics talk about."
http://hbl.fi/kultur/recension/2014-10-06/664946/musikrecension-en-violinist-i-faraklader
...Stravinsky's The Story of a Soldier (1918), which was read, played and danced, just as the score dictates. The reading came from bands and was spiced with all sorts of sound effects, not least clattering machine guns .... Kristiina Helin's direction was a little scary and the scenography by Helin and Bernhard Hammer effectfull. A in many ways successful concert with elements of composition, improvisation and performance.
performance artist Tero Nauha
dance artist Helena Romppanen
Direction Kristiina Helin
Set design Kristiina Helin/ Bernhard Hammer
Sound design: Joris van Grunsven/Studio Tackt/Kristiina Helin
Light design: Jukka Ahde
Special effects: Nicke Knatterton
Sound technigue: Timo Kurkikangas
Music manager: Alpo Nikula
Recording: Matti Heinonen