I suppose I'll say a couple of words about The Makropoulos Case in Helsinki (which I saw Tuesday last week), composed and written by Leoš Janáček based on Karel Čapek's play in 1923-25. It was a co-production with San Francisco Opera, with Karita Mattila in the role of Emilia Marty.

This time I have to agree with the Helsingin Sanomat review: the performers were brilliant, but the opera itself is problematic. At first I was intrigued by the idea of a 300 year old coming to clarify a matter of inheritance, but as it got more conventionally emotional, I lost interest in the plot. On the other hand it may have something to say about the consequences of the increasing life expectancy today.

This was the first time I saw Karita Mattila live. I have been a bit underwhelmed by her, and did not have great expectations, just mild curiosity. But I suppose I have been converted. There's nothing she could have done better than she did - neither as a singer nor as an actress. In a more dramatic opera I might have liked her even better - on the other hand, her Tosca has been criticized...