Thousand Times Yes

A story of finding connection  

Thousand Times Yes is a philosophical, haunting and poetic exploration of the limits and possibilities of language, communication, space and the body. The performance challenges the concept, aesthetics and hierarchical tradition of opera. 

An ancient organism in the Earth’s crust is rising towards the surface. Its movements mobilise minerals, bacteria, fungi, gases and the atmosphere, causing instability that creates a web of unexpected conflicts. The protagonist, a human called G, has been given the ability to connect and communicate with different bodies and beings. G is summoned to mediate between the conflicting parties – and eventually meet the ancient organism itself. 

A story of companionship and coexistence, Thousand Times Yes makes space for alternative futures. 

The artists

Marja Ahti

Marja Ahti is a Swedish-Finnish composer and artist based in Turku. She combines field recordings and other acoustic materials with sounds produced by synthesizers and electronic feedback in an attempt to find a space where the sounds begin to mimic or communicate with each other.  

Jenny Kalliokulju

Jenny Kalliokulju is a Swedish artist and poet based in Bjuv. Her multidisciplinary practice explores the tension between movement, stagnation and translation, combining memories, found materials and language into installations, paintings and poetry.  

Essi Kausalainen

Essi Kausalainen is a Helsinki based artist whose works use performance, textile art, text, audio and video to explore the sensuous capacity of our bodies. She approaches the body as an open-ended process made in and shaped by its complex relations with other beings, situations and environments. 

Photos

The team

Music: Marja Ahti 
Libretto, set design & paintings: Jenny Kalliokulju  
Concept, direction & outfits: Essi Kausalainen  
Director’s assistant: Laura Cemin 
Lighting design: Sofia Ivarsson  
Production coordinator: Johannes Juva 
Bee – Florian Feigl
G – Johanna Kalliokulju 
Washing Machine & Worm – Yuko Takeda 
Stream – Ahti Leppänen, Etna Ruscica, Villa Ruscica
Cello – Aino Juutilainen
Harp – Saara Olarte

In cooperation with

Inter Arts Center, Kiasma Theater, Kunsthal Rønnebæksholm and Moderna Museet Malmö.

Supported by

Nordic Culture Fund, Nordic Culture Point, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Frame, Saari Manor Residence, and the Finnish-Danish Cultural Foundation.