The Last Temptations (Finnish: Viimeiset kiusaukset) is an opera in two acts by Joonas Kokkonen to a libretto by Lauri Kokkonen.^[1] Along with Leevi Madetoja‘s Pohjalaisia and Aarre Merikanto‘s Juha, it is considered one of the most important Finnish operas. The opera deals with the life of the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century folk preacher Paavo Ruotsalainen. Kokkonen worked on the opera for 16 years before finishing the work. It was premiered in Helsinki by the Finnish National Opera in 1975.

The opera consists of two acts divided in 14 scenes. The combining element of the work is the hymn number 382 in the current Finnish hymnal of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, My Lord, my God in all distress (Finnish: Sinuhun turvaan Jumala) (382) which is a reoccurring theme throughout the opera. A chorus containing the whole hymn concludes the opera.

Performances

After the premiere, the opera has already had almost three hundred performances. Finnish National Opera toured with the work in seven cities abroad – including at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. At the Finnish National Opera there have been three productions: 1975–1983 (directed by Sakari Puurunen) and 1994 (directed by Paavo Liski) and 2001 (directed by Jussi Tapola).

The Savonlinna Opera Festival performed the opera for several years, 1977–1980. In Helsinki and Savonlinna the most famous singers in the role of Paavo were Martti Talvela and Jaakko Ryhänen.

Later performances

• In 2007 the opera was performed as a half-staged production in the Temppeliaukio church in Helsinki four times.^[2]
• Finnish film director Åke Lindman directed The Last Temptations on the original homestead of Paavo Ruotsalainen in Aholansaari, Nilsiä, Finland during four summers in 2000–2003 from where the production was transferred to new outdoor arena in Nilsiä to be performed in summer 2007.^[3]
• A renewed full-scale production of the opera saw light in summer 2009 in Nivala, Finland. In the roles were baritone Esa Ruuttunen as Paavo, soprano Johanna Rusanen-Kartano as Riitta, Petri Pussila as the smith and Lassi Virtanen, first man.^[4]
• In 2015 production by Pohjois-Kymi music school. Esa Ruuttunen sang the role of Paavo Ruotsalainen.^[5]
• Opera Jyväskylä (Jyväskylän ooppera) prepared performances of the opera for 2022, conducted by Ville Matvejeff.^[6]
• In 2022 the opera was revived in Aholansaari – the original homestead of Paavo Ruotsalainen – with Esa Ruuttunen and Varvara Merras-Häyrynen. The work was performed with piano and organ accompaniment.^[7]
• The opera is performed at Tampere Concert Hall (Tamperetalo) in March 2025.^[8]
• The Savonlinna festival presented a new production in July 2025 directed by Mika Kouki, conducted by Ville Matvejeff with Mika Kares leading the cast and Silja Aalto as Riita.^[9]