EATNAMA VÁBMU
— a dazzling adventure

The world-renowned composer Britta Byström has in collaboration with Sámi playwright Rawdna Carita Eira created a contemporary fairy-tale opera for the Royal Swedish Opera main stage. Eatnama vábmu (Heart of the Earth) is based on a Sámi creation myth about the struggle between good and evil. This dazzling adventure is directed by film director Elle Márjá Eira and includes a counter tenor, singing ghosts as well as a large children’s choir. All sing in Northern Sámi, with Swedish surtitles.

The god Ipmil creates the sun, the moon, human beings, reindeer and the magnificent natural landscape. Deep inside the Earth Ipmil places a heart, which beats and marks the passage of time. The Sun has two sons, Njáveš and Háhčes. One falls in love with Sun Daughter and the other with Moon Daughter. The two brothers fall out when Háches discovers that he can no longer hear the beating of the Earth’s heart. He becomes jealous and bitter, and soon the fight is on. These dramatic events turn out to have disastrous consequences when Ipmil returns …

Recommended from 10 yrs.
Plays from November 15 to December 29, 2025 - including two school performances on November 19 and 26 for middle school and up. Read more and register your interest here (in Swedish) »
Sung in Northern Sámi with surtitles in Swedish.
Running time approximately 1 hour 5 minutes without interval

MUSIC Britta Byström
LIBRETTO Rawdna Carita Eira
CONDUCTOR David Björkman/Anna-Maria Helsing
DIRECTOR Elle Márjá Eira
SET & LIGHTING DESIGN Markus Granqvist
COSTUMES & MAKEUP Lena Lindgren
DRAMATURGE Katarina Aronsson
CHOREOGRAPHY Joakim Stephenson

CAST
IPMIL Katarina Leoson
MÁNNU (THE MOON) Jan Jakub Monowid
NJÁVEŠ Klas Hedlund
SUN DAUGHTER Johanna Rudström
HÁHČES Jens Persson Hertzman
MOON DAUGHTER Minna Tägil

THE ROYAL SWEDISH ORCHESTRA
LADIES FROM THE ROYAL SWEDISH OPERA CHORUS
CHILDREN’S CHOIR FROM THE ADOLF FREDRIK SCHOOL