Theatre
Veijo Baltzar established theatre Drom in 1981 and has since written and directed plays, musicals and opera in Finland and abroad. He worked as a professor at the Theatre Academy of Finland in 1981-1984 and 1997-1998.
Baltzar's theatre has offered education of theatre and musical expression for over four decades. The theatre's mission being: to develop, support and to bring forth the hidden potential of multicultural talent. To offer a channel for talent and expression that is often being suppressed under the pressure of fragmented mainstream culture.
Scroll down to read about pupil reactions and to get to know his plays!
SIN
Alexander Theatre Helsinki, 2016
Veijo Baltzar’s cabaret musical “Sin”, a modern version of Carmen is a naive depiction of passionate love and hunger for life – values that are considered sinful in today’s society. The play challenges to ponder upon the values of romanticism and emotional intelligence.
"Cursing, aggression and hate speech in our society are accepted everyday life, even marketed as freedom of speech and independence. Showing emotional intelligence – if you say "darling" to a beautiful woman – may instead lead to punishment." Veijo Baltzar, Press release of Sin musical, 25.1.2016
Script, direction: Veijo Baltzar
Music: Alexandr Dmitriev (piano), Ilkka Ferm (saxofon),
Carl-Johan Häggman (percussion instruments)
Choreography: Aino Sederholm
Light and sound: Eetu Kinnunen
Performances: 20.4, 22.4, 28.4 ja 29.4
Alexander Theatre
Plays, musicals & folk opera
WITH THE SEVEN STRING GUITAR
Alexander Theatre Helsinki, 2014
The Gypsy cabaret With the Seven String Guitar is a modern-day episode of multiculturalism in which the characters engaged in a dialogue between European citizens. The cabaret broke down the boundaries of cultures and challenged audiences to consider their attitudes to art, man and the present way of life. It was also an indication of the power of a multicultural group to create something new, beautiful and significant. The participants were mostly young students in creative fields.
Script, direction: Veijo Baltzar
Music: Alexandr Dmitriev (piano), Ilkka Ferm (saxofon),
Carl-Johan Häggman (percussion instruments)
Choreography: Aino Sederholm
Light and sound: Eetu Kinnunen
Performances: 20.4, 22.4, 28.4 ja 29.4
Alexander Theatre
GOD IS GREAT (MODERNIZED)
Temppeliaukio Church, 2012
The play tells of crucifixion of Jesus Christ in modern world, in which money has replaced Bible as a signpost. The play asks, who is being crucified today?
Käsikirjoitus, ohjaus: Veijo Baltzar
Composition of music: Jere Laukkanen
Music arrangement: Olavi Ahlgren ja Vladimir Klimenko
Music: Lukas Stasefskij (cello), Markus Hallikainen (cello), Jussi-Matti Haavisto (violin), Anni Tolvanen (nyckelharpa), Olavi Ahlgren (guitar)
Lights: Kari Gratseff
Set design: Vera Syrén
BOTOX
Cultural Centre Caisa & Stoa, Vuotalo, 2009
"Every word is pretend. Shape. Shake. Botox."
In this Veijo Baltzar takes up the challenges, contradictions and taboos of the multicultural society. Baltzar’s life experience is reflected in the play as a sharp critical viewpoint from which majority and minority populations as well as Finnish society are being examined.
Script, direction: Veijo Baltzar
Music: Lyhty ry
Stage design: Esa Toppila
THE PARADISE OF GODS
Kuopio Student Theatre & Theatre Urso, 1993 & 2004
The play, full of music and dance, took its audience into a love story of the underground world. In the centre of the play is a love triangle between the youngsters of three families, those of Kessaro, Marfalo and Dunkhalo. Zaijore is “the Backyard Carmen”, who no man is able to own. At the same, play tells a story of the urbanized minority groups struggling to maintain their identities in the midst of clushing cultures.
Script, direction: Veijo Baltzar
Music composition: Toni Edelmann
Leading roles: Kasimir Baltzar, Aulikki Mattila, Lukas Priklopil
Stage design: Esa Toppila
PERFORMANCES:
Tammisaari, Snåre Hall 2.7.2004
Billnäs, Karjaa, Faces festival 16.7.2004
Nurmijärvi, Taaborinvuori 23.-25.7.2004
Cultural Centre Caisa 4.12.2004
ORLI
Finlandia Hall & Karelia Hall, 1994-1997
Veijo Baltzar wrote a script of a mythological folk opera Orli in 1992. Orli started as a street theatre in the city of Imatra in 1994 and turned out into a 2,5 hour-long folk opera that was eventually performed in Finlandia Hall (1000 seats), Helsinki, opened by the premier minister Paavo Lipponen.
Orli tells a story of a folk, tempted and forced by diabolic powers to flee from their homeland, cross the sea and to search for new home in foreign lands. The play depicts a fight between Gods, good and evil, beautiful and ugly. The play discusses rites and myths, the consequences of losing them, as well as values and morals and their significance in nations’ identities.
Script, direction: Veijo Baltzar
Music composition: Hannu Sopanen
Music arrangement: Jussi Virsunen (1994-5), Timo Lehtovaara / Sibelius Academy, 1996-7
Choreography: Anna Lahtinen (1994-5), Anniina Aunola (1996-7)
Stage design: Antti Hämäläinen, Tiina Jaakkola,
Hannu Kanto /Imatra art school
Costume design: Mirka Seitsonen /Imatra vocational school (1994-5), Minna Piispanen (1996-7)
Sound and light design: Jorma Väänänen
Assistant director: Hanna Hakalisto
Make-up: Aria Rossi (1996-7)
MARIA, MY LOVE
Lappeenranta & Kiiminki Church 1997
Maria My Love is a church oratorio performed in Lappeenranta and Kiiminki in 1997. The oratorio's music was composed by Jere Laukkanen to Veijo Baltzar’s lyrics.
GOD IS GREAT
1991-1994
The musical Passion play, directed and written by Veijo Baltzar, depicting the suffering of Jesus Chirst, was performed in different parts of Eastern Finland. The play got cultural price of Rautalampi municipality.
PERFORMANCES:
1991, Rautalampi Church
1992, Männistö Church, Kuopio
1993, Pieksämäki Old Church
26.–29.3.1994, Church of the Three Crosses, Imatra
THE IRON NIGHTS
1984
The Iron Nights is a story of a collision between Gipsy and majority cultures in an urbanizing world. The time is in eternity, the place – somewhere else. There is darkness, flashing warmth and metals of emotions. A group of Gipsies walks in the Iron Nights, encounters and disappears. The human melts in the air of the night. What is left is ashes. Will it produce a new human being?
I'LL FORGE A HORSE OUT OF STONE
Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg 1983
I’ll Forge Stone to be a Horse” is an abstract play based on powerful emotional tensions. It is a depiction of a collision between human and inner world.
Where did all start, what happened, and where are we going to? The play talks about humans’ relation to nature and economic growth, about worshipping mammon.
The Gypsies represent nature, the group that lives in harmony with the environment. For them trees are poetry. But trees are cut down and we make paper out of them.
The play was performed at the International Theatre Festival at Hamburg 22.–26.11.1985 with excellent reviews.
Script: Veijo Baltzar
Direction: Veijo Baltzar, Ilkka Vanne
Actors: Mia Vasara, Kosti Aaltonen, Arvidi Baltzar ja Valto Hagert
Music: Kauko Salmi, percussions
Composers of the songs: Toni Edelmann, Marko Putkonen ja Arvid Baltzar
”The play brang sweat to the surface. The actors of the Gipsy theatre did not act, they lived the performance. Actually they performed on behalf of all world’s minorities, knocked our conscience and said what they had to say”
Leena Sirviö, Kuhmolainen 1983 (excerpt, press review)
THE HUNGRY CRANES
1982
A strange bone appears suddenly at the floor of the Gipsy family’s cottage. The object raises disgust and suspicion. It is an element, around which the themes of the story, dreams and desires, evolve. No one knows where the bone has come from, who brang it here. Is it is a sign? The family does not know, but it changes everyone’s lives. The play has a connection to the modern world as well as to the timeless reality of the Gipsy beliefs.
Script: Veijo Baltzar
Direction: Ilkka Vanne
THE BLACK SCOURGE
1981-1982
The first play of Drom Theatre The Black Scourge was a powerful story of the Gipsies in 1920–1940’s Finland. The play examines the relations among members of small community and with respect to the outer world in conditions in which old, traditional culture is falling apart.
Script: Veijo Baltzar
Direction: Theatre Academy - Ilkka Vanne,
Mustikkamaa Summer Theatre- Liisa Isotalo
Music composition: Toni Edelmann, Jenö Duka
Premiere 5 Oct 1981 Theatre Academy
Premiere 16 Jun 1982 Mustikkamaa Summer Theatre
Participant reactions
”Baltzar’s way of working is intuitive, he gives the actor the freedom and space to find him/herself. He has the ability to describe the actor’s set of mind in one or two words; he shows the way and gives them faith and confidence, so they will come through.”
Lena Nemeckova on production Sny – Dreams (National Theatre of Prague, 2012)
”I saw very quickly my self-esteem improve. I quit belittling myself and slowly grew to the idea, that I am gifted, talented, capable and when I want, also a handsome young man. From morning till night, from day to day and also those days when there were no rehearsals I felt I was good, I was happy and had courage to smile, enjoy myself and the things important to me.”
Antti Uusi-Videnoja, on production God is Great (2011)
”Our theatre workshop having begun I felt very thankful. I learned, that I can achieve more than what I had believed. Baltzar never leaves an actor alone, he makes an actor continuously take new steps in seeking his/her role – he changes the circumstances and and frames to stir up creativity in the actor. His way of making theatre is very 'Gypsy' – improvising, flexible and more of a process than concentrating on a product, which is very inspiring.”
Jan Tsosovsky on production Sny
– Dreams (National Theatre of Prague, 2012)
”In Baltzar's theatre we do it in a different way than in other places. After initial confusion, I later realized that in Theater Baltzar technique does not come first, but the individual is in the center of everything, the expression that stems from his/her inner self. Baltzar concentrates on that person and only after that gives him/her technical requirements. So under his direction, you can grow first and then start to do those technical things, that is maybe the best thing. You don’t need to be ready immediately.”
18-year-old participant of production Sin, 2016
”Usually only after we have collected emotional experiences, made mistakes, corrections, and found new ways, experiences start to slowly find their places, their order in our minds. Realizations learned at the end of this process then rise to the conscient level. (...) Our director uses lots of metaphors and expressions that function primarily at the level of the subconscious. He does not demand us to understand things in theory, he teaches by example."
Participant of production God is Great, 2011