Zagros Ensemble - Harri Ahmas: Käärmesormus (2016)

Harri Ahmas is a composer, principal bassoonist with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and an active chamber musician both at home in Finland and abroad. Among the works composed by Ahmas are three symphonies, seven concertos and two chamber operas (Heart Streams and the Snake Ring). In the composers own words - “The story of my chamber opera started with the touching and intricate poetical work Käärmesormus (Snake Ring) by Tittamari Marttinen, which mezzo soprano Ulla Raiskio had found and was impressed with. The opera has certain leading motives that keep repeating, recalling and taking the story onward. The theme played by a cello and a bass in the beginning of Prologi (Prologue) is one of them, another is a theme depicting abdication and death in Kehtolaulu (Lullaby) in the first act, and a third one is a theme in Ripustan amuletit kaulalleni (Wearing Charms on My Neck) representing everyday chores and babysitting. The opera premiered at the Kajaanin runoviikko (Kajaani Poetry Week) in summer 2008”