The Aalto Theatre in Essen and the Finnish National Opera have announced “Day of Night” composed by Outi Tarkiainen.

The new opera based on Niillas Holmberg’s Sámi novel will feature a libretto by Aleksi Barrière. In a statement composer Outi Tarkiainenspoke about his dream of creating a Sámi-themed opera for nearly a decade before finding inspiration in Niillas Holmberg’s debut novel “Halla Helle.”

He said, “In his novel, Niillas opens up different perspectives on Sámi ways of life and worldview to a wider audience. He also explores their protected and often persecuted mythology through the lens of dreams. It was the dreams and the many layers of the story that convinced me of the novel’s powerful potential for the opera stage. The references to mythology echo oral traditions that go back centuries, perhaps even millennia. Their enigmatic nature is captivating, and they offer many of us a completely fresh outlook on contemporary issues like climate change and the growing prevalence of mental health challenges.”

The opera will be performed in Finnish, Northern Sámi, Southern Sámi, English, German, and Norwegian.

“Day of Night” will world premiere at the Aalto Theatre in Essen in January 2027, with the Finnish National Opera premiere to follow in October 2027.  Details of the Sámi-led creative team and of the conductor and soloists will be announced later.

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