When Tampere University department of acting started the rehearsal of Gogol’s Government Inspector, opera for actors, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_inspector) Little did we know about the hassle that hit the fan ~ most of the happenings in the story, became real life in Tampere.

The Government Inspector is a play by Gogol, composed to an opera for actors by composer Kaj Chydenius and directed by Yrjö-Juhani Renval (the head of the acting department) and Ari Numminen ( the lecturer of movement and dance). The live music was played by pianist Arto Piispanen. The opera was sung from beginning to the end by the second year students of the acting department, who will be working professionals between years 2010-2055. 

The big part was the simultaneous video projection for 2 walls on stage, that commented the play almost throughout the whole performance. Since the stage was an open studio and the walls were covered with black curtains allover to reduce the echo, lighting was difficult to focus without interfering the video. 

Among other things I was asked to make the lights as challenging as possible for the young actors and main part of my work was also ton introduce them to work with light, how to sense the direction of the light and be aware of the changing moments, light cues or spots on the stage and be in light when needed. The actors needed to know how to use light as their companion on the stage, when to use it in order to hide or to be seen. 

The performance was a major success, all shows sold out, including the 2 shows we did in the International Theater Festival in Tampere.

More info can be found from here http://www12.uta.fi/naty/mediasali/showitems.php?value=11

• Credits:
• direction ~ Yrjö-Juhani Renvall
• choreography ~ Ari Numminen
• composition ~ Kaj Chydenius
• costumes ~ Tiina Helin
• set & projections ~ Teemu Määttänen
• lighting design ~ Katja Muttilainen
• sound ~ Nuutti Vapaavuori
• pianist ~ Arto Piispanen