THE SUGAR FACTORY Will Come to Finland in August

The Finnish National Opera will present The Sugar Factory, an evening of four newly commissioned short operas, in Almi Hall from Aug. 13–15, 2026.

Part of a three-year program funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Sugar Factory was created to support the development of new opera in Finland by bringing together composers, librettists and directors to create original works reflecting contemporary themes.

The approximately 1-hour, 50-minute production, including one intermission, features four distinct operas: The Mouthpiece, The Request, Emerge: Oops…life! and love is a rebellious bird. Together, the works examine topics including trauma, class, technology, identity and fantasy through a mix of dark comedy, social commentary and surreal storytelling.

The Mouthpiece, with a libretto by Susi Siriya Orenius and music by Stephen James Webb, follows a child whose routine trip to the dentist spirals into a fantastical and unsettling journey through childhood fears and social inequality. Pelzi Peltola directs.

The Request, written by librettist Jenna Viro and composer Eeva Kontu, centers on a young man who commissions a sex robot modeled after his childhood self. Directed by Bálint Barcsai, the opera explores memory, identity and the effects of digital intimacy and pornography on modern relationships.

In Emerge: Oops…life!, librettist Ilmari Nera and composer Miika Hyytiäinen present a dark comedy about three women forced to confront their own past traumas after witnessing a violent incident. Directed by Anna-Maria Lipponen, the work combines episodic storytelling with cinematic video elements to examine womanhood and the lasting impact of lived experience.

The evening concludes with love is a rebellious bird, featuring a libretto by Carmen Baltzar and music by Sid Hille. Directed by Sara Melleri and Baltzar, the opera reimagines Carmen's death and rebirth as a ritual led by a flock of black birds, blending themes of love, death and renewal.

Kaapo Ijas conducts all four productions, with lighting design by Jukka Niiranen. Costume designers include Hanna Vuorela and Pelzi Peltola for The Mouthpiece and Erika Turunen for the remaining three works.

The cast includes Sam Taskinen, Sarah Zieba, Isabella Shaw, Vilma Hyvärinen, Olga Heikkilä, Jasper Leppänen, Tuula Paavola, Emilia Vesalainen-Pellas, Riku Pelo, Júlia Arquillo, Joonatan Pylkkönen, Sirpa Nuuttila, Sakari Topi, Roseta La León, Madiana Lundberg, Miritza Lundberg and Miska Lundberg. Performance-specific casting will be announced for individual performances.

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