TIMO TOLKKI / Saana - Warrior Of Light

STRATOVARIUS GuitaristTIMO TOLKKI Signs With Frontiers For Rock Opera SAANA - WARRIOR OF LIGHT

Frontiers has issued the following press release:

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the signing of a brand new and exciting musical project.

Timo Tolkki, the Finnish Grammy award winning guitar player who has sold 1.5 million records with his power metal genre pioneering band STRATOVARIUS, has taken the next step in his 20 year music career.

SAANA - WARRIOR OF LIGHT is a Classic Rock Opera featuring seven characters and numerous musicians (including Tolkki himself) who will collaborate in this ambitious project. The result is a unique sound, unlike anything ever heard before… from soaring majestic heights to soft and gentle moments and everything in between. It also tells a very dramatic tale.

Saana - Warrior Of Light is the story of a woman who makes an unforgettable journey that changes her life and view of the universe forever. On her journey, she will discover the biggest secret of mankind… and her own destiny.

Warrior Of Light introduces 29 year old Jennifer Sowle from the USA as Saana, the main character. She is a classically trained opera singer with a Master’s degree in music.

Saana - Warrior Of Light will be released in autumn 2007 with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.

STRATOVARIUS Guitarist TIMO TOLKKI Working On Rock Opera

STRATOVARIUS guitarist TIMO TOLKKI has issued the following update:

"Saana-Warrior Of Light ... is a work in progress. For two years I have had this idea in my head and it won´t leave me be. It will be a Rock Opera, but not in a sense that many of the records using 'rock or metal opera' are. All the singers in this are carefully chosen and I have been auditioning singers already six months. So it´s not just that I invite some famous names to sing something. The character that sings the part really has to fit and feel the meaning of the music and lyrics. I have spent quite some time with the top candidates to get to know them personally. This is very important when I will write the music. And I prefer them to be new talents. During X-mas I have been writing the story and it just pours out of me. I am writing it in Finnish, but I will translate it in English after it´s ready. I have been negotiating with several record companies about this release and the interest has been very good. There will be a press release in a bout a month and a website dedicated for this project. Then the cast will be revealed as well. There have been some rumours about TARJA TURUNEN (ex-NIGHTWISH) playing the main role but those are untrue. Although I first wanted a Finnish person for the main role, the story has evolved so much that it is not necessary anymore. And last but not least, I want to wish all of you, who hopefully survived the X-mas madness, a happy and fulfilling 2007. May your dreams come true!!"

TIMO TOLKKI Issues Update On Classic Rock Opera Project; Former STRATOVARIUS Bass Player Confirmed For Recordings

As previously reported, STRATOVARIUS guitarist Timo Tolkkiis in the process of composing a classic rock opera going under the name SAANA - WARRIOR OF LIGHT. He has issued the following update:

"The last round of casting for the characters of Saana is on its way. It means I have to do some travelling in the next weeks to come. Still writing the story too. All I can say that what I am doing has never been done before in music and in lyrics. I could easily write 20 Stratovarius styled songs and invite some known guests and call that 'rock opera', but I don´t wanna do anything like that. Saana will be something totally different, both musically and lyrically. I call this a Classic Rock Opera and you will know why. To me this is like a film turned to music. And maybe one day, someone makes a film about this. The story would fit....perfectly.

I was in touch with ex Strato, current MESS bass player Jari Kainulainen and asked him to play the bass on this one and he said sure. I am happy because he is one of the best bass players in the world.

And somewhere in between all travelling, I´m gonna spend time in Venice Italy in producing a new VISION DIVINE album called 25th Hour."

All my best,
Timo

The following is Frontiers Records press release for Saana - Warrior Of Light:

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the signing of a brand new and exciting musical project.

Timo Tolkki the Finnish Grammy award winning guitar player who has sold 1.5 million records with his power metal genre pioneering band Stratovarius, has taken the next step in his 20 year music career.

SAANA - WARRIOR OF LIGHT is a Classic Rock Opera featuring seven characters and numerous musicians (including Tolkki himself) who will collaborate in this ambitious project. The result is a unique sound, unlike anything ever heard before… from soaring majestic heights to soft and gentle moments and everything in between. It also tells a very dramatic tale.

Saana - Warrior Of Light is the story of a woman who makes an unforgettable journey that changes her life and view of the universe forever. On her journey, she will discover the biggest secret of mankind… and her own destiny.

Warrior Of Light introduces 29 year old Jennifer Sowle from the USA as Saana, the main character. She is a classically trained opera singer with a Master’s degree in music.

Saana - Warrior Of Light will be released in autumn 2007 with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.

More info at www.saana-warrioroflight.com .

Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius) est sur un énorme projet d'opera rock : "Saana - Warrior Of Light".

Celui ci fera appel à sept personnages et de nombreux musiciens.
L'histoire est celle d'une femme interprétée par Jennifer Sowle (29 ans chanteuse américaine d'opéra).

Le premier nom connu a collaboré à ce projet est Jari Kainulainen, l'ex-bassiste de Stratovarius (celui qui justement s'était fait virer pour incompatibilité avec Tolkki !)

le point de cette affaire, avec le choix d'un deuxième chanteur : Heikki Pöyhiä du groupe Finlandais Twilightning

After choosing classically trained American coloratura soprano Jennifer Sowle to sing the leading character in his Classic Rock Opera, Timo Tolkki chose the second singer for his 3rd solo album. He is Heikki Pöyhiä from the Finnish band Twilightning.
“I got to know Heikki when I mixed his band's debut album and I really loved his versatile vocals immediately”, says Tolkki. “I also saw him live and he was just as good. He has a very powerful voice, but he can also sing very softly when needed. His character, like all the characters on this album, is very challenging for the singer, since they each portray a lot of different human feelings.”
Tolkki continues: “This project will challenge the form and content of “rock opera”! My aim has been to create something totally new and yet maintain the best parts from traditional rock opera and opera. I did not want to just compose 10 songs, come up with some quick story and invite 7 famous metal singers and call that a “rock opera”. I have spent a lot of time choosing the vocalists and that has been a very difficult job, because each and every one of them is unique, although they are not big names. The whole concept is quite unique. More about that later”.
The release date of Saana-Warrior Of Light will be in early 2008 on Frontiers Records and will contain exclusive bonus DVD with videos, interviews and lot of extras.
Timo Tolkki is still searching for vocalists for both SAANA and for other projects his production company Goldenworks is preparing. Anything from opera to pop to whatever is welcomed. If you are interested and you think you've got what it takes, then send two mp3s, two photos (including one full body) and a little bio about yourself to: goldenworks@elisanet.fi.

Après la soprano américaine Jennifer Sowle, c'est au tour deHeikki Pöyhiä ( la chanteuse de Twilightning ) d'être engagée par Timo Tolkki pour son opéra Rock " Saana - Waarior Of Light ". L'album est prévu pour début 2008 chez Frontiers et sera accompagné d'un DVD bonus contenant des videos, interviews et d'autres extras.