Pine Mountain Music Festival has announced the key artistic staff who will lead the premiere of the Upper Peninsula opera "Rockland" on July 15 and 17, 2011 at the Rozsa Center in Houghton.
The conductor of the 43-person orchestra for "Rockland" will be Craig
Randal Johnson. He is a Minneapolis-based conductor, pianist and
double-bassist, and a strong proponent of Finnish music. He has
conducted FinnFest USA concerts in Minneapolis, Marquette and Ashtabula
OH, and will be artistic director for the concerts at FinnFest USA in
San Diego in 2011. In 2005, Mr. Johnson conducted the orchestra of Finn
Grand Fest in Marquette in the premiere of the double bass concerto by
Jukka Linkola, with Evan Premo as soloist. 
Stage director for "Rockland" will be Jussi Tapola, who also was the librettist for the new opera. Mr. Tapola has worked as director and librettist in the operatic world for more than 30 years, having directed nearly 200 productions including those of Finnish National Opera, Tampere Opera and Pori Opera.
The opera "Rockland" was composed by Jukka Linkola, a prolific Finnish composer who has written music for opera, stage and television. He has written big band, jazz, chamber, choral, symphony and solo instrument works, and is also a pianist and conductor. His previous operas include Elin (1991), Angelika (1992) which won awards in Paris and Cannes, and Matka (1998).
Jukka Linkola and Jussi Tapola have visited the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on several occasions, both in connection with the development of the new opera "Rockland" and on previous occasions. Mr. Linkola was on hand in Marquette in 2005 for the premiere of his double bass concerto. It was on that occasion that discussions started about a new opera which eventually became "Rockland."
One of the principal singers will be Esa Ruuttunen, baritone from Finland, who will sing the role of Alfred Laakso, who opens and closes the opera. Mr. Ruuttunen is also the artistic director of Jokilaaksojen Musiikkisäätiö in Nivala, Finland, which will produce the Old World Premiere of "Rockland" in June, 2011. His grandfather worked as a miner in the Upper Peninsula at about the same time as the action in the opera, 1906.
Other principal singers will be announced at a later date.
Pine Mountain Music Festival presents a season of opera, classical and popular music each June-July in the Dickinson County area, the Marquette area, the Keweenaw Peninsula, and other towns in the Upper Peninsula. Headquartered in Hancock, Michigan, it is supported by donations, ticket sales and grants. Visit the web at http://www.pmmf.org or call 888-309-7861 for more information.