Tomi Räisänen: Theia (2015)

Full Score Video • NTO Mannheim, Pietari Inkinen, cond. more info: Approximately 4.5 billion years ago, an astronomical body - about the size of Mars - and the young proto-Earth were on a collision course. The following giant impact caused massive amounts of debris in space that would eventually form our Moon. The object that struck the early Earth was named Theia, after a Greek Mythological Titaness who gave birth to the Moon goddess Selene. In this work, I am observing the Moon’s long history in a non-linear way. There are plenty of violent collisions and turmoil of the distant past, but on the other hand, here and there, a modern-day couple is peacefully sitting on a park bench and admiring the beautiful sight of the full Moon. Perhaps, in addition to a few moonstruck lovers, there is also a Werewolf lurking in the park. The Musikalische Akademie of the National Theater Orchestra Mannheim gave me the commission to write this work. That was a perfect o