Mozart & Salieri / Zanetto

Helsinki Contemporary Opera Festival is presenting two opera performances on the same night at the Alexander Theatre. Mozart & Salieri: The core of the work lies in the encounter between genius and jealousy: what happens when extraordinary talent awakens conflicting emotions in another person? This chamber opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov is based on a text by Alexander Pushkin and explores the myth surrounding Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. On stage, the audience encounters a chamber opera where music and drama merge into an intimate whole. The form is concentrated, focusing on the tension between two characters. Zanetto: The final moments of a 1960s film star’s tragic life, in which men from her past emerge from her memories—an athlete, a director, and a politician. Mascagni is one of the central composers of the Italian opera tradition, and his works are known in particular for their straightforward melodies and intense emotional expression. The work is now brought to life through a new interpretation and direction, combining Mascagni’s melodic beauty and emotionally powerful expression with the final moments of a 1960s film star’s life and characters from the past. Alexander Theatre 29.8.2026 18.30-21.00, incl. intermission Tickets 45/49€ from Lippupiste