Ovllá
The production brings to the Main stage of Oulu Theatre the perspective of the Sámi, the only indigenous people of the Nordic countries, and the painful consequences of state-led oppression that continue to affect new generations of Sámi.
Ovllá is an opera about the disappearance of truth and about profound loneliness. It tells the story of having one’s roots and cultural heritage torn apart. When a child is separated from their parents and forced into a boarding school, they encounter an unfamiliar language and culture. This experience leads to the trauma of abandonment and isolation. What was once familiar becomes foreign, and the child grows up ashamed of their identity.
Ovllá is written by Sámi playwright Siri Broch Johansen, composed by rising Finnish composer Cecilia Damström with consultation from Sámi music expert Ánndaris Rimpi and directed by Oulu Theatre’s director Heta Haanperä.
Our impact to Culture-
climate change
The opera’s team is international, creating opportunities for encounters and interactions among people who are unfamiliar with each other. Additionally, the work shares information about the state-led injustices experienced by Finland’s only indigenous people, the Sámi, and highlights the Sámi’s own experiences.
When and where
Organisers
Oulu Theatre, Oulu Sinfonia and the Sámi National Theatre Beaivváš, in cooperation with Oulu2026