Malleus Maleficarum was written in 1486 by the inquisitor Heinrich Kramer. He wanted to strengthen his own position and justify the witch hunts he had been carrying out. The book was not approved by the Catholic Church, nor by the University of Cologne where Kramer had his base, but for reasons that are unclear it still spread around Europe and became the second most sold book after the Bible.

Folk opera from 1660's

Henrik and the Hammer of Witches premiere on Saturday

The grand folk opera will gather over 100 performers and participants to the historical Turku Castle courtyard. The key roles will be carried out by the choirs who were behind the initiative for the commissioning of the piece. This huge Swedish-Finnish performance can be seen on four plays 27th August - 4th September.

Henrik and the Hammer of Witches is a folk opera on black magic, religious songs and fundamentalism. The libretto will highlight the themes of power, fear and love. Folk ballads and dramatic scenes will carry the story and the choir will sing about the dark times in our history. Contemporary guidelines were found in the Hammer of Witches, the guidebook describing witchcraft during the inquisition.

The theme is intolerance

Turku in the 1660s, the age of witch-hunts. How on earth is graduate student Henricus Eolenius able to learn Arabic so quickly? It must be magic – the Devil must be helping him.

The narrow-minded Bishop Terserus condemns the young graduate student and his Professor to death for witchcraft. What’s wrong with these people? Enter the Governor-General, Count Per Brahe.

Henrik and the Hammer of Witches is a folk opera because it was commissioned by and for a choir with amateur singers. The musicians in the orchestra are amateurs as well. The music is rhythmically and tonally fascinating and very much alive. It combines elements from various genres, including folk music, church music, jazz and classical music. Totally different moods are woven together into a collective web on the stage. Except for short quotes from an Arabic folk song and a students’ song, the music – contrary to the early European folk operas – is completely new.

Premiere is at Summer of Culture Top-Off - Saturday

Premiere 27 August 2011, other performances: 28 August, 3rd and 4th of september 2011, at Turku Castle courtyard.

Because of Summer of Culture Top-off there will be traffic exceptions.

The 90 minutes long opera was composed by Ulf Långbacka. Dan Henriksson will act as the librettist and director. The opera will be conducted by Sauli Huhtala.

The performers include the Åbolands Kammarkör choir, Student Choir Brahe Djäknar, Akademiska Orkestern and soloists Petter Andersson, Thérèse Karlsson, Dan Karlström and Mats Lillhannus. The opera will be performed in Swedish, Latin and Finnish.

The folk opera will be produced by Åbolands Kammarkör in cooperation with Åbo Svenska Teater.