SIBELIUS INSPIRATION MULTIMEDIA CONCERT
The Sibelius Inspiration multimedia concert is an all-encompassing experience: by the means of music, video, sound and light, the audience is transferred into the world that inspired the Finnish national composer Jean Sibelius. The concert grabs the listener to the world of Sibelius’ home and the floral splendour of the Ainola garden, to the magical moss forest at dusk, and on the top of the impressive Koli to the midst of a thunder storm. Sibelius’ compelling music, the narration and the videos filmed for the concert bring the Finnish nature, as seen by Sibelius, palpably close to the listener.
The imposing landscapes of Koli in Eastern Finland that can be seen at the concert made a big impression on Sibelius, and while visiting Koli in 1909, he wrote in his diary: “At Koli. One of my life’s greatest experiences.”
The videos of the multimedia concert have been filmed and directed by Aira Vehaskari. Sibelius’ best-known composition are heard at the concert as interpreted by cellist Jussi Makkonen and pianist Nazig Azezian. The songs have been arranged for the concert by Matti Makkonen. Mert Otsamo, a well-known Finnish fashion designer, designed the artists’ performance costumes for the concert. The only Finnish parfumeur Max Perttula designed the Ainola garden fragrance for the concert. The fragrance is tied in with the concert when the scent of Ainola’s flowers spreads in the concert hall as the audience is transferred into the Ainola garden of Sibelius’ home by the means of multimedia. The L’air d’Ainola fragrance will be released as a women’s perfume on Sibelius’ birthday, 8th of December 2015.
The Sibelius Inspiration multimedia concert’s world premiere was performed on Makkonen and Azezian’s concert tour in the United States at the legendary Orpheum Theatre in New Orleans on 27th of September 2015. The renowned Symphony Chorus of New Orleans performed at the concert with Makkonen and Azezian. You can watch a short clip of Sibelius’ Finlandia performed with the chorus here: