‘Innocence’ opera receives rave reviews
Last week, the opera entitled Innocence, composed by Kaija Saariaho and with the libretto written by Sofi Oksanen, had its world premiere during the 2021 Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. Both the opera in its entirety and the libretto itself have been praised by critics and audiences worldwide.
Already prior to the premiere, The New York Times newspaper called Innocence “the most anticipated new opera of the year,” and it has since been declared as “the landmark opera of our time” by Helsingin Sanomat, the largest daily newspaper in the Nordics. “In operas, the composer is often mentioned, the librettist less often. But Kaija Saariaho’s and Sofi Oksanen’s Innocence is the work of two equal masters,” the review continues.
“From the libretto to the staging, everything in this dark and powerful work promises a future in the biggest international theaters,” French financial newspaper Les Echos writes. The newspaper Le Monde calls it “an overwhelming masterpiece” and Spanish El Pais affirms that “it leaves no one unimpressed.”