Concert on 28 November 2025 at 7 pm
The chamber music series KAIKU / écho combines the youthful energy of Nordic and French contemporary music with classical masterpieces, using innovative concert concepts, and intertwining different art forms to create a singular experience. The performers include leading Finnish and French artists of various generations, whose artistry and passion for music resonate across our countries.
KAIKU / écho n°2 : Halonen X Sibelius at Institut Finlandais honors Finnish heritage and the evocative power of Nordic wild nature through works by national composer Jean Sibelius, Aulis Sallinen — celebrated by their anniversaries — as well as the late Kaija Saariaho.
At the heart of the programme is a contemplation of love, loss, longing, a dream world, and even the profound feeling of rootlessness. Rising young stars soprano Aurora Marthens and actress Linnea Leino, unite voice and narration in a powerful musical and poetic dialogue. They are joined by cellist Anssi Karttunen, Franco-Finnish violinist Fredrika Mikkola, and Artistic Director Ossi Tanner.
In parallel with the exhibition Pekka Halonen – Un hymne à la Finlande at the Petit Palais Museum, audiences are invited to a rare opportunity to experience the spirit of Finnish art and nature across both music and painting—echoing shared themes of landscape, national identity, and emotional depth through modest and elegant ideals.
Program:
Kaija Saariaho (1952–2023):
Aure for violin and cello (2015)
Fredrika Mikkola, violin
Anssi Karttunen, cello
Aulis Sallinen (1935–):
4 Dream Songs, Op. 30 (text by Paavo Haavikko)
I. Man made from Sleep
II. Cradle Song for a Dead Horseman
III. Three Dreams each within each
IV. There is no Stream
Aurora Marthens, soprano
Ossi Tanner, piano
Jean Sibelius (1865–1957):
5 pieces for piano, Op. 75 ”The Trees”
I. When the Rowan Blossoms
II. The Solitary Fir
III. The Aspen
IV. The Birch
V. The Spruce
Ossi Tanner, piano
5 songs, Op. 37
I. The First Kiss
II. Little Lasse
III. Sunrise
IV. Was It a Dream?
V. The Girl Returned Home from Meeting Her Lover
Aurora Marthens, soprano
Ossi Tanner, piano
INTERMISSION
Jean Sibelius (1865–1957):
Melodrama Nights of Jealousy (text by J.L. Runeberg)
Linnea Leino, narrator
Fredrika Mikkola, violin
Anssi Karttunen, cello
Ossi Tanner, piano
Aurora Marthens, soprano
The performers:
Fredrika Mikkola, violin
Anssi Karttunen, cello
Aurora Marthens, soprano
Ossi Tanner, piano
Linnea Leino, narration