Queen Margrethe of Denmark plans to attend the premiere of The Snow Queen to be performed by the Finnish National Ballet in Copenhagen next week, on Friday 27 January, along with Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipilä who will visit Denmark on a working visit and host the evening as chairman of the ‘Finland 100’ delegation. Several government ministers and diplomats will also attend.
The Finnish National Ballet will give four performances of the ballet The Snow Queen by Artistic Director Kenneth Greve at the Royal Danish Theatre between 27 and 29 January. The Snow Queen has been a huge success in Helsinki, playing to sold-out houses, and it seems only natural to take it to Copenhagen, since not only is it based on the story by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, but Kenneth Greve is also Danish and a former principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet.
The Snow Queen is a work for the whole family based on the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. “My wish is not only that children will be enchanted by the thrilling adventures of this ballet, but also that parents will look in the mirror after the performance and perhaps see themselves in a new light,” says Kenneth Greve when asked about his production and Andersen’s classic tale.
Greve has set the story in early 20th-century Finland, carrying the main characters of the story on a journey from Helsinki through foreign lands to Lapland. “The Snow Queen is my tribute to Finnish culture and the Finnish way of life,” he explains. The Finnish emphasis is also reflected in the work of costume designer Erika Turunen and the visualisation of lighting designer Mikki Kunttu, who have jointly created the overall set design. Pekka Helynen is the artist behind the production’s make-up look.
The musical score for The Snow Queen is by well-known film music composer Tuomas Kantelinen. The movie-like score including several special effects was recorded by the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet and will be heard as playback in these performances. This has allowed the stage to be extended out over the orchestra pit, bringing the performers closer to the audience.
In the performances in Copenhagen, the role of Grandmother, the narrator, will be taken by Danish actress Vibeke Hastrup, who has created a 30-year career as an actress in numerous films, TV series and stage productions.
The visit by the FNB is one of the international top moments of the celebrations for the centenary of Finland’s independence.
