The archaic, simple and reliable ingredients of Arvo Pärt's symphony bring to mind early church hymns. The mood changes completely with Béla Bartók's The Miraculous Mandarin, which leaves no one indifferent: the premiere was a scandal and the audience rioted. Celebrating Bernhard Crusell's 250th anniversary, the evening's soloist will be Osmo Linkola from the orchestra’s own ranks.
The ballet pantomime The Miraculous Mandarin is based on a story of that name by Menyhért Lengyel of 1917. The libretto was presumably intended for the Ballets Russes of the great impresario Serge Diaghilev or a new opera by Ernö Dohnányi, but Béla Bartók (1881–1945) got in first. His piano version dates from 1919 and an orchestral one followed five years later.
Audiences at the premiere in 1926 were shocked to the core by this sexually-provocative tale of prostitution, violence and murder in which life is worth nothing. A seductive woman (a solo clarinet) in a pimp’s window catches the eye of an old man (trombone glissandos) out for an evening stroll. It is a trap to rob him of his life and money, but he turns out to be penniless and the thugs throw him out. The same happens to a young man. The next ‘catch’ is a wealthy Chinese mandarin, who leads the woman in a seductive waltz. But despite then being assaulted, stabbed, throttled and hanged, he refuses to die. Instead, his body begins to glow with a greenish-blue light (a vocalise). Not until his lust has been satisfied is he dealt the final deathblow.
Though the ballet is seldom performed, the music is a regular concert-hall number.
Osmo Linkola (born 1958) is Principal Clarinet of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. He is experienced in chamber and symphonic music, as well as solo performances, and also plays the basset horn. Linkola joined the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in 1982, becoming principal of the clarinet section in 1985. He was a part-time clarinet teacher at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki from 1984 to 2021.
Linkola studied at the Sibelius Academy under Reino Simola and at the Vienna Academy of Music under Alfred Prinz, earning his diplomas with distinction. He has been mentored by Rudolf Jettel, Karl Leister, and John McCaw, among others.
Performing Crusell's clarinet concerto at the composer's 250th anniversary concert is a cherished moment for Linkola. He regards Crusell as an entirely exceptional Finnish composer and musician in his time, and as a pioneering figure for many Finnish clarinetists. At the time of Crusell's 200-year celebrations, Linkola was a young listener, so he has waited 50 years for this opportunity.
Eva Ollikainen (born 1982, Finland) has been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra since 2020.
Alongside her return to the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the 2024–2025 season sees Ollikainen make major debuts including the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. She also makes her Musikverein debut with the Wiener Symphoniker, conducts The Magic Flute at the Staatsoper Berlin, and returns to the Baltimore Symphony, the DSO-Berlin, and the Gothenburg Symphony orchestras.
A graduate of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Eva Ollikainen studied conducting with Leif Segerstam and Jorma Panula. She teaches at the Sibelius Academy and leads master classes at the Fiskars Summer Festival, Nordisk Dirigentforum, the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Ollikainen also works as director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra’s Conductors' Academy, which she founded in 2021.
Yes, but only before or after the concert. During the concert we just want you to enjoy the music. This way you won’t disturb the musicians or other audience members.
Only the orchestra has a dress code. You can dress as you like.
You can give the ticket to a friend or donate it to a music student by calling 09-3102 2700 or sending an e-mail to helsinki.philharmonic@hel.fi by 3pm on the day of the concert.
