For 400 years, opera has focused on the aestheticization of pain, portraying various forms of human suffering. Kaija Saariaho's final opera, Innocence, addresses a fictional school shooting, depicting the aftermath of trauma on survivors and the killer's family. The production features beautiful orchestration and high-intensity choreography, showcasing Saariaho's talent for blending delicacy and power. Despite the heavy subject matter, the opera is delivered with clarity and intensity, reflecting a lifetime of the composer's passion and social sincerity.
"Opera has long been a medium for exploring the depths of human suffering, and Kaija Saariaho's final work, Innocence, exemplifies this tradition by transforming a school shooting into a modernist experience. The opera captures the aftermath of trauma, showing how the bullets fired by a bullied teenager continue to affect the lives of survivors and the killer's family."
"Saariaho's elaborately beautiful orchestration scintillates, jabs, caresses, and swerves, giving the vivid misery of Innocence a sheen of lyric glamour. The production, which originated at the Aix-en Provence Festival, combines high-intensity choreography with effectively restrained scenery, delivering the score in a tight package that enhances the emotional impact of the narrative."
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