Chairman: Mr. Heikki Virri
President: Mr. Peter Häggblom
Deputy Chairwoman: Ms. Riitta-Eliisa Laine
Members 737 (31.12.2004)

EVENTS

Turku:

14.1. a trip to the National Opera in Helsinki to Leos Janacek's Katja Kabanova with Karita Mattila.

28.1. lecture by Mr. Klaus Pylkkänen on Aspects of The Ring - thoughts about the problems with the leading motives

8.2. the annual meeting of the Society. Afterwards a discussion about Millington's new Wagner book.

30.3. Pekka Asikainen talked about the Parsifal opera

6.4. and 7.4. A laser disk performance on Harry Kupfer's Parsifal.

30.8.- 7.9. four trips to The Ring of Nibelung II cycle in National Opera in Helsinki

23.9. lecture by Prof. Hannu Salmi on The Knights of the Ring- Jackson and Wagner.

19.10. lecture by Mr. Jack Leo on great Wagner voices

18.11. lecture by Mr. Martti Parkkari on Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss

29.11. a trip to The National Opera in Helsinki to a performance of Der Rosenkavalier.

11.12. In co-operation with the Friends of The Turku Philharmonic Orchestra a trip to Pori Opera for Ilkka Kuusisto's opera Matilda and Nikolai. A similar visit to Tallinn 24.-25.4. for The Queen of Spades.

Helsinki:

13.1. lecture by Mr. Kai Lindberg on Anton Bruckner's relationship to Wagner.

19.2. "Die wild wütenden Weiber" lecture by Mr Jack Leo on great Brünnhilde singers.

11.3. "Richard Wagner and the contemporary scenic art" lecture by Professor Pentti Paavolainen

20.4. lecture by Mr. Jukka von Boehm on great Ring recordings.

11.5. lecture by director of Lahti Sibelius House, Dr. Antti Vihinen on the Wagner Aesthetics of the Nazis

6.8.-7.9. The Ring of Nibelung II cycle at National Opera Helsinki. Heikki J Eskelinen and Outi Jaakola served at the society's desk.

26.8. Some 60 members visited the National Opera in Helsinki to maintain the general rehearsal of Die Götterdämmerung; the host was Mr Antti Pesonen.

30.9. Opera singer Anita Välkki was appointed honorary member of the society. She told us about her carrier. The audience heard recordings from her great years.

25.11. lecture by Mr. Jack Leo on great Siegfried singers.

OPERA TOURS

14.1. trip to National Opera in Helsinki for Leos Janacek's Katja Kabanova with Karita Mattila.

30.8.-7.9. The Ring at National Opera Helsinki II cycle. Four trips from Turku

Bayreuth: 7. - 12.8. The Ring.

29.11. Richard Strauss opera Der Rosenkavalier at National Opera Helsinki, a trip from Turku

SCHOLARSHIP

Bayreuth Scholarship 2004 including tickets for Tannhäuser, Der Fliegende Holländer and Parsifal (4.- 6. August) was awarded to Ms. Liisa Viinanen (sopran).

PUBLICATIONS & BOOKS

Our members' magazine Wagneriaani (The Wagnerian) numbers 23 and 24 were distributed to all members and many international friends. Along with articles in Finnish there were also articles in English, German and Swedish. Subscriptions 22 euro / year.

HONORARY MEMBERS & HONORARY CHAIRMAN

Honorary Members

Ms. Anne Evans (Soprano) 1997,
Mr. Frank Shipway (Conductor) 1997,
Mr. Jorma Hynninen (Baritone) 1998,
Herr Wolfgang Wagner (Festival Director) 1998,
Mr. Peter Bassett (Author) 2000,
Mrs. Cecilia Rydinger-Alin (Conductor) 2001,
Mr. Pentti Perksalo (Tenor) 2001,
Ms. Saila Luoma (Author) 2003 and
Ms. Anita Välkki (sopran) 2004

Honorary Chairman

Mr. Uolevi Karrakoski (the founder of our Society) 2001.