The traditional Finnish story Kalevala was first published as a book in 1835. In it, Elias Lönnrot threaded together many individual "rune poems" or songs into a single text that has gone on to influence the nation's psyche and writers such as Longfellow and Tolkien.
It is this work that lies behind Fire in the North Sky: Epic Tales from Finland, a presentation of poems, songs and stories presented by three of Finland’s most renowned folk musicians with acclaimed UK storyteller, Nick Hennessey.
The Finnish ensemble is made up of singer Anna-Kaisa Liedes, Kristiina Ilmonen on flutes, percussion and vocals and Timo Väänänen who plays the kantele, Finland’s national instrument, and pyngyr or Siberian lyre.
Fire in the North Sky: Epic Tales from Finland is an Adverse Camber production co-commissioned with mac Birmingham and Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival with support from Sage Gateshead, Arts Promotion Centre Finland and the Finnish Music Foundation. It is part of Nordic Matters, a year-long programme of Nordic art and culture in 2017 at London's Southbank Centre.
Fire in the North Sky: Epic Tales from Finland takes place on 21 and 22 October with an accompanying free music performance in the foyer on 20 October.