(På svenska nedan)
HumppAvanti! and Svenska Teatern will paint a portrait of Georg Malmstén, the great entertainer of our musical history, with soloists, well-known singers and actors. Writer and director Juha Siltanen and musical director Timo Hietala want to update Malmstén’s production for the 2020s in a spectacular musical firework display on the big stage of the Svenska Teatern. The premiere is on 16 October. The ensemble includes names such as John Storgårds, Sam Huber and Anna Hultin. More top names will be announced later.
Georg Malmstén (1902-1981) is one of the cornerstones of Finnish music history. His compositions have left an indelible mark on Finnish folk music. Svenska Teatern and the chamber orchestra Avanti! will honour the beloved singer, musician and composer with a joyous concert in October.
Malmstén’s songs bring together East and West, city and countryside, sorrow and joy, uniforms and Mickey Mouse. Avant and Svenska Teatern’s performance brings these to the stage of the 2020s, in both national languages, both familiar classics and, above all, lesser-known masterpieces.
– Malmstén was our great “national figure”, but we also want to show him as a professional artist of international stature. He was an opera singer, orchestra conductor, cornetist, composer, arranger, lyricist, actor, even a film director. His work traces the development of half a century and, above all, a warmth of personality which, in our countries, is often overshadowed by sentimentality or beachside mannerisms. , says Juha Siltanen, the director and scriptwriter of the performance, who has worked with Avant on several composer portraits over the years.
HumppAvanti! has gained a cult following in its almost 20 years of operation with its artistically free-spirited approach and irrepressible humour. It has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, from classical musicians to entertainment legends and rap artists.
According to pianist and composer Timo Hietala, the whole idea of HumppAvant started in a playful way:
– We sat with Avant’s artistic director, Kari Kriiku, on the plane, trying to make the time pass. We started toying with the idea of organising a tribute concert in honour of old Finnish band culture, say Humppa-Veike. At the time, the idea seemed crazy, but after sleeping through the night, Kriikku was convinced that it had to happen. , says Hietala.
It was also from the Avant-garde side that the idea to build a performance around Malmstén’s music and personality came. The show features thirteen of the country’s leading musicians, all of whom have gone on to international careers, as well as guest soloists and actors.
Svenska Teatern introduced Georg Malmstén to the stage as early as 1979 in Sven Sid’s successful musical “The Town Dude”. In 201 performances, it held the theatre’s performance record until the HYPE musical. For Joachim Thibblin, director of the Svenska Teatern, the new production is an opportunity both to broaden the theatre’s repertoire profile and to highlight its current resources, talents and skills:
– We increasingly want to collaborate with other institutions and frontline players, both national and international. Svenska Teatern is one of Helsinki’s key cultural players. We want to open up our fine house to a wider audience so that our location , our skilled staff and modern technology will bring joy to more and more people,” says Thibblin.
Avanti! and Svenska Teatern are state-funded institutions. Joachim Thibblin believes that it is natural for two major cultural players to find common synergies.
– I am very happy that Avanti! wanted to partner with us. It’s great to be able to offer our audiences such a unique programme performed by some of the best musicians in the country.
So in October, it’s time again to go on a border-crossing trip with HumppAvant. This is the opportunity so Avanti is looking forward to! and the Svenska Teatern.
Performances on the main stage of the Svenska Teaterna on Friday 16.10.2020 at 19.00 and Saturday 17.10.2020 at 14.00 and 19.00.
Svenska Teatern and Avanti! present:
Georg Malmstén & HumppAvanti! – EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT / TA DE´ LUGNT ALLA TIDER
Written and directed by Juha Siltanen
Arrangements and musical direction by Timo Hietala
On stage:
Soloists include Sam Huber, Anna Hultin (More top names to be announced later.)
Violin: John Storgårds,
Clarinet: Kari Kriikku och Heikki Nikula
Piano: Seppo Kantonen
Vibraphone: Panu Savolainen
Trumpet: Pasi Pirinen
Trombone: Valtteri Malmivirta
Tuba: Petri Keskitalo
Drums: Sami Kuoppamäki
Percussion: Mongo Aaltonen
Double bass: Timo Ahtinen
Keyboards: Timo Hietala
Electronic period instruments: Juhani Liimatainen
In Malmsténs sånger öst väst, “stadin” landsbygden och vemodet glädjen möter. In Avantis and Svenska Teaterns productions, both more and less well-known classics in both languages will be performed on the stages of 2020.
– Malmstén was a folk symbol, but we also want to present him as an internationally renowned professional artist. He was an opera singer, conductor, cornetist, composer, arranger, songwriter, skådespelare, and even a film director. In his work we see a half-second of development and, above all, a kind of personal warmth that often lies in the skuggan av sentimentalitet eller vilt leverne , says the director of the festival and manuscript writer Juha Siltanen, who has produced several composer portraits together with Avanti! during the end of the year.
During the almost ten years of its existence, HumppAvanti! has acquired a cult-like status where it has created an open-minded attitude and scrupulous humour with artistic freedom. Gruppen har samarbetat med allt från musiker inom klassisk musik till kända nöjeslegender och rapartister.
Enligt pianist och kompositör Timo Hietala började hela idén med HumppAvanti! som ett skämt.
– Me and Avantis artistic leader Kari Kriikku sat on a flygplan and wanted to let time pass. We started to play with the idea of organising a tribute concert to the old Finnish band culture, e.g. Humppa-Veikots. At the time we thought that the idea was a good one, but after having looked into the matter, Kriikku was convinced that it should be carried out, sailor Hietala.
Det var också Avanti! who came up with the idea to build up a programme about Malmstén’s music and person. The production features three of the country’s most prominent musicians, all of whom have made careers abroad, as well as well-known soloists and skådespelare.
Malmstén, who was Finnish-Swedish, was presented as early as 1979 at Svenska Teatern in Sven Sid’ssuccessful production “Stadin kundi”. It was performed 201 times and set a record for the number of performances until the musical HYPE. Svenska Teaterns teaterchef Joachim Thibblin sees the production as a way of both expanding the theatre’s repertoire and enhancing the company’s existing resources, talents and skills.
– We want to cooperate to an ever greater extent with other institutions and the leading actors, both nationally and internationally. Svenska Teatern is a central cultural actor in Helsinki. We want to open up our great theatre to a wider audience, where our location, our competent staff and modern technology can be appreciated more and more, Sawyer Thibblin.
Avanti!, like Svenska Teatern, also receives public funding. Joachim Thibblin thinks it is only natural that two major cultural actors should work in synergy.
– Jag är väldigt glad att Avanti! wanted to work with us. It’s great to be able to give our audience a unique programme presented by the country’s best musicians.
In October, it is again time to take part in HumppAvanti! and their cross-border cooperation. Something that both Avanti! and Svenska Teaterns are looking forward to.
Performances at Svenska Teaterns Stora scen on Friday 16 October at 19.00 and on Sunday 17 October at 14.00 and 19.00.
Svenska Teatern and Avanti! presenterar:
Georg Malmstén & HumppAvanti! – TA DE´ LUGNT ALLA TIDER / EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT
Manus and director: Juha Siltanen
Arrangement and musical direction: Timo Hietala
På scen:
Soloists: Sam Huber, Anna Hultin and many other top names who have been released on the map.
Violin: John Storgårds,
Clarinet: Kari Kriikku och Heikki Nikula
Piano: Seppo Kantonen
Vibraphone: Panu Savolainen
Trumpet: Pasi Pirinen
Trombon: Valtteri Malmivirta
Tuba: Petri Keskitalo
Trummor: Sami Kuoppamäki
Slaginstrument: Mongo Aaltonen
Bas: Timo Ahtinen
Tangentinstrument: Timo Hietala
Elektroniska periodinstrument: Juhani Liimatainen
