Heikki Turunen’s novel adapted into opera about Karelian life before wartime displacement

The opera Malanja, based on Finnish author Heikki Turunen’s novel Kuokka ja kannel, will premiere on May 22 in Juuka, Finland, reports Yle. The production tells the story of Karelian villagers in the Hyrsylä border region as war looms, blending the endangered Karelian language with Orthodox church music.

The opera, composed by Esko Alanen and directed by Sami Nousiainen, features seven soloists, a 15-member choir, a four-musician orchestra, and a dance ensemble. Lead soprano Roosa Tarvonen, who portrays Malanja, describes the work as emotionally powerful, with rehearsals often bringing performers to tears due to the text and music.

Turunen’s novel, part of a trilogy on Karelian evacuees, provides rich visual and rhythmic material for the stage. The Karelian language—spoken today by only about 5,000 people in Finland—plays a central role, with recent efforts by young activists and state-funded revival projects helping preserve it.

After its Juuka debut, Malanja will tour to Joensuu, Kuopio, and Varkaus. Turunen himself will attend the premiere, though director Nousiainen notes the adaptation stays true to the original while condensing the story to focus on life in Hyrsylä before displacement.