Spotlight on Dialogues des Carmélites
Dialogues of the Carmélites composed by Francis Poulenc is based on true events during the French Revolution, where 11 Carmélite sisters were executed by the guillotine. The sisters are said to have shown great courage, refusing to renounce their faith, assisting each other on the scaffold, and alleviating their fear by singing.
Dialogues des Carmélites features an exceptionally large variety of soprano, mezzo-soprano, and alto roles, all performed by renowned Finnish singers. The main roles in the opera are performed by domestic stars such as Marjukka Tepponen and Tuuli Takala, Tuija Knihtilä and Niina Keitel, Pauliina Linnosaari and Kirsi Tiihonen, Johanna Rusanen and Anna Danik, as well as Sanna Iljin and Iris Candelaria.
Mezzo-soprano Tuija Knihtilä and soprano Sanna Iljin discuss the themes of the work, the characters they portray, and their preparation for the opera.
