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Making its world premiere at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Morgonstjärnan - The Morning Star feels strikingly of the moment. Composed by Sebastian Fagerlund and adapted from a novel by internationally bestselling Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgård, the opera brings the texture of contemporary life to the stage: relationship tensions, low-level anxiety, the creeping presence of death – all unfolding beneath the shadow of a strange new star appearing in the sky.
Set in Bergen, Norway, the opera is sung in Swedish, but don’t let that put you off. As is often the case with opera, the libretto is relatively spare, and the story is easy to follow via subtitles projected above the stage. They’re available in English too – good news for international audiences.
Despite a wide cast of characters, the narrative remains clear. Perhaps that’s because these are recognisably modern people, grappling with recognisably modern problems. There’s something both fascinating and oddly refreshing about hearing everyday relationship struggles and existential dread delivered in soaring, dramatic vocal lines. The mundane becomes operatic – with flashes of humour, though never too much.
Fagerlund’s score is muscular and immersive. Under the baton of Hannu Lintu, the orchestra builds a tense, shimmering soundscape that at times jolts, at others seeps under the skin.
The first half is phenomenal: the music and intersecting human stories grip you completely. On that basis alone, Morgonstjärnan feels like a masterpiece in the making. After the interval, however, the narrative begins to tread water, even as the singing remains strong. It doesn’t derail the piece, but it does slightly blunt the impact.
Still, Morgonstjärnan is an event. Ambitious, contemporary and emotionally resonant, it leaves a lasting impression – and raises anticipation for what bold, modern work the Finnish National Opera might stage next. This is not one to miss.
Morgonstjärnan opened in late January and runs until 10 March.