A musical about beloved stars Katri Helena, Tapani Kansa, Danny, and Hilkka Kinnunen.
Katri Helena is one of Finland’s most successful singers, with over 1.5 million records sold. Her breakthrough hit Puhelinlangat laulaa came in the early 1960s. She has been especially loved by audiences, and part of her popularity is rooted in her strong Finnish identity, earning her the nickname “the blue-and-white voice.”
Tapani Kansa was a versatile singer whose repertoire included schlager, rock and roll, more artistic songs, and operetta. He was a talented, edgy, and ambitious performer who received critical acclaim. His breakthrough was the powerful interpretation of Delilah.
Ilkka Lipsanen, known as Danny, is a singer, entrepreneur, and music advisor. His most famous recordings include Kesäkatu, Tuuliviiri, and Kuusamo. Since 1966, he has run his own production company, D-tuotanto. Danny is also known for his show tours, which he has organized since the 1960s. He introduced a new kind of show culture in Finland, featuring not only the artist and band but also dazzling costumes, dancers, and impressive light shows.
Hilkka Kinnunen is an actress, soprano, and theater advisor. She founded the Operettiteatteri in 1959, which performed at the Helsinki Rowing Stadium and toured throughout Finland. The theater also visited Sweden and the United States.
The musical tells the story of the early careers of Katri Helena and Tapani Kansa, and their rise to becoming beloved national stars. It also shows how their stories intertwined in the Finnish schlager scene. Both were rising talents in Danny’s D-tuotanto and also performed in Hilkka Kinnunen’s Operettiteatteri. In fact, Operettiteatteri cast Katri Helena and Tapani Kansa as the stars of My Fair Lady. Inspired by this, a record company organized a joint tour for Katri and Tapani in 1971. Their Love Story tour was surrounded by speculation about a possible romance.
The musical is a colorful and eventful journey through the lives of these artists in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s. The show captures the glamour, mishaps, joy, and harsh realities of life on tour. It portrays how Katri Helena, Tapani Kansa, Danny, and other top artists rose to shine as the brightest stars of Finnish schlager.
The production features their greatest hits, including Katson sineen taivaan, R-A-K-A-S, Syysunelma, Tuuliviiri, Katson autiota hiekkarantaa, Paista päivä, Seitsemän kertaa seitsemän, Lintu ja lapsi, Anna mulle tähtitaivas, and many more.
Katri Helena: Elisa Lairikko
Tapani Kansa: Tommi Soidinmäki
Hilkka Kinnunen, Vicky Rosti, Eini: Saija-Reetta Kotirinta
Danny: Petri Lairikko
Duration: 2h 40min including intermission
Organizer: Suomen Musiikkiteatteri
