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‘The events still haunt’: New York stage production examines aftermath of Finnish school shooting
Kaija Saariaho’s Innocence delves into guilt, grief and anger over a phenomenon largely thought of as distinctly American
TL;DR
- The opera "Innocence" examines the aftermath of a mass shooting at a Finnish international school ten years prior.
- It explores themes of guilt, grief, anger, and the long-term impact of violence, presenting a global perspective on gun violence.
- The opera uses nine languages and contrasts two timelines: the shooting's past and a present-day wedding.
- Composer Kaija Saariaho aimed to show how individuals experience tragedy differently over time.
- Librettist Sofi Oksanen focused on the victims' experiences to counter the societal fascination with perpetrators.
- Finland has experienced several school shootings and other mass violence incidents.
- The opera's director, Simon Stone, noted the public's "fascination with evil" and the importance of showing the terrible reality for victims.
- The production hopes to convey a sense of shared experience and the need for collective solutions to violence and trauma.