Just noticed it has been a while since I updated my blog.
So it's about time to take a look at what has been cooking since..
Firstly Porvoo 1809 show with YLE is over and done with quite successfully.
The production was created to celebrate The Diet Of Porvoo in 1809 and took place in the Porvoo Cathedral exactly 200 years after.
Here's some more details from Wikipedia :
The Diet of Porvoo (
Finnish Porvoon maapäivät, or unhistorically Porvoon valtiopäivät
[1];
Swedish Borgå landtdag), was the summoned
legislative assembly to establish the
Grand Duchy of Finland in
1809 and the heir of the powers of the Swedish
Riksdag of the Estates.
During the
Finnish War between
Sweden and
Russia, the four
Estates of Russian occupied
Finland (Nobility, Clergy, Burghers and Peasants) were assembled at
Porvoo (Borgå) by
Tsar Alexander I, the new
Grand Duke of Finland, between
March 25 and
July 19,
1809. The central event at Porvoo was the
sovereign pledge and the oaths of the Estates in
Porvoo Cathedral on
March 29. Each of the Estates swore their
oaths of allegiance, committing themselves to accepting the
Emperor and
Grand Duke of Finland as the true authority, and to keeping the
constitution and the form of government unchanged. Alexander I subsequently promised to govern Finland in accordance with its laws. This was thought to essentially mean that the emperor confirmed the Swedish
Instrument of Government from
1772 as the constitution of Finland, although it was also interpreted to mean respecting the existing codes and statutes. The diet had required that it would be convened again after the Finnish War, which separated Finland from Sweden, had been concluded. On
September 17 of the same year, the conflict was settled by the
Treaty of Fredrikshamn, but it would be another five decades until the Finnish Estates would be called again.
During the rise of Finnish nationalism later in the 19th century, it was claimed that the Diet implied that a Treaty between States had been signed at the Diet between Finland and Russia. According to Emeritus Professor Jussila of Helsinki University, it is true that Alexander said that Finland had been raised to the status of a nation among nations, but the claim of a Treaty between equals was simply a device invented for the political realities of the struggle for independence.
Swedish era :
Around 1580, King
John III of
Sweden, who had previously (1556–63) been the
Duke of Finland (a
royal duke), assumed the subsidiary title
Grand Prince (Grand Duke) of
Finland (
Swedish:
Storfurste,
Finnish: Suomen suuriruhtinas) to the
the titles of the King of Sweden, first appearing is sources in 1581 (though first used by John III 1577).
[1] In those years, John was and had been in quarrel with his eastern neighbor, Tsar
Ivan IV of Russia, who had a litany of subsidiary titles as Grand Prince of several ancient Russian principalities and provinces. The use of Grand Prince on John's behalf was a countermeasure to signify his mighty position as sovereign of Sweden, also a multinational or multi-country realm, and equal to a Tsardom. Not only was Finland added, but
Karelia,
Ingria, and
Livonia that all were along the Swedish-Russian border. It is said that the first use of the new title was in an occasion to contact Tsar Ivan.
During the next 140 years, the title was used by John's successors on the throne, with the exception of
Charles IX who listed Finns as one of the many nations over which he was the king during 1607-1611.
[2] As the title had only subsidiary nature without any concrete meaning, it was mainly used at very formal occasions along with a long list of additional royal titles. The last Swedish monarch to use the title was
Ulrika Eleonora who abdicated in 1720. However, in 1802, King
Gustav IV Adolf gave the title to his new-born son, Prince Carl Gustaf, who died three years later.
Russian era :
During the
Finnish War between Sweden and Russia, the
four Estates of occupied Finland were assembled at the
Diet of Porvoo on
March 29,
1809 to pledge allegiance to
Alexander I of Russia, who had already earlier during the war adopted the Grand Duke of Finland to his long litany of titles. Following the Swedish defeat in the war and the signing of the
Treaty of Fredrikshamn on
September 17,
1809, Finland became a true
autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland as a part of the
Russian Empire.
The
Emperor ruled Finland through his governor and a native Senate appointed by him. The country nevertheless enjoyed a high degree of
autonomy, until its independence in 1917. Finland was declared an independent republic, but after the
Civil War, there was a
brief attempt for the monarchy.
So : Alexander I of Russia (23 December 1777 – 19 November 1825), also known as Alexander the Blessed served as the first Russian
Grand Duke of Finland (1809 - 1825).
Anyways, the production was very successful and we also managed to do something historical actually! For the first time in world history we used live effects of the Green Hippo Hippotizer mediaserver on the actual broadcast. This happened in two different ways. Firstly all the inserts that were shown on the thin white gauze screen in the Cathedral were also sent back to the OB van. This effected feed was then used on the broadcast. Another scene was 3 drummers live on stage - this scene was filmed normally with the tv cameras, then the PGM signal was again sent to Hippo, some effects were applied and then the end result was again feeded back to the OB van and used in the broadcast. The end result was very good. I do remember having this idea like 5 years ago, but I never thought it would be a historical drama production in a Cathedral where I'll get to do it first time!
Side by side with the Porvoo production I've also prepared for the last Hanoi Rocks shows at the Tavastia Club next week. I have to say this is a very special project for me. Back in the days of childhood Hanoi Rocks was my wake-up call to rock and roll. It's a great honour to get to work on these shows, I really appreciate it.
I'm also working on a musical production called
Play Me, which opens on the 9th of September at Svenska Teatern, Helsinki. The sets are already being built and it's going to be quite heavily screens and moving lights. The production is directed by Maria Sid and Choreographed by Reija Wäre. I've got Johan West on board for the screen and mediaserver side of things. I hope we can get all the bells and whistles that have on the wishlist!
Same time with
Play Me opening there is the annual
Elämä Lapselle benefit concert, which is the biggest fundraising happening in the country. The concert (and the Kummit -organisation) collects funding for childrens hospital in Helsinki (
http://www.kummit.fi/). This is a cause which is close to heart for a lot of artists who join the concert every year. This is my first year with the concert and the goal is of course to make a great looking show. My plan is to make the technical production as much donation basis as possible. I've already got a few companies donating their equipment for the concert for free. Surely others will follow and we'll be able to make maximum benefit for the kids.
Oh and yes, I just visited Pro Light & Sound exhibition in Frankfurt. A very well organized event with all major manufacturers present. Was good to see many familiar faces and really some interesting new products too. I was impressed by Vari-Lite's new LED fixture the VLX. The LED and plasma technology are moving fast and we are soon laying some serious competitors on the table for the conventioal sources. That's good news. Ma Lighting was again presenting the new Grand Ma2 console, which I've also ordered already. They are shipping already, so I expect to lay my hands on my console pretty soon. One neat feature is that the new "OOPS" button will take you back a hundred steps. I guess that would be the last five productions then?
Next week Lightpower from Germany is shipping me a few Barco DML 1200's which I will then design and program a demo sequence for. So the neighbourgs can expect to see some psychedelic lights flashing from the office windows for the next weeks... I also decided to use a Pink Floyd song as the soundtrack, which ensures the psychedelic fx!
Things other than work.. Well, at least training for the Stockholm Marathon is again well on track. Been able to do something like 40 - 70 km per week since a few months now. Already looking forward to Stockholm..
Ok now back to Hanoi Rocks ...
".. the nights are wearing me down..."
