The highlight of Lumo Company’s Capital of Culture year will take place on August 22, when two tightrope walkers cross the Oulujoki River at the Alakanava channel toward Tuira. Right the following week, Lumo Company’s artists will be part of the Delta Life show, which culminates the entire summer. The Capital of Culture year has also taken the artists to villages across the region.

The Oulu-based contemporary circus association Lumo Company is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. A lot has happened in these ten years, and above all, the association’s founder and artistic director, Hanna Moisala, notes that the association has been extremely productive.

“We have created over 15 works, which is more than one per year, plus all the collaborations with different partners,” Moisala says. “Now, fortunately, we have also become cultural partners with the City of Oulu. It feels like a stronger commitment to the local area and grounds us to want to operate more locally.”

For the second year now, Lumo Company has been conducting a unique village tour as part of a project named Taidematka. In this project, they bring outdoor contemporary circus performances to 44 different villages in the Oulu region.

“Villages have had the opportunity to book our performances as part of their own events. Doing this tour is very different compared to, say, making a theater piece. The encounters with the locals have been absolute highlights.”

People’s experiences are carried across the rapids

On August 22, Lumo Company will present a free tightrope walking performance, YLITYS (The Crossing). The piece is the finale and highlight of the association’s three-year project, coming to a climax during the European Capital of Culture year. In the performance, two tightrope walkers will cross the flowing Merikoski rapids simultaneously below them. Nothing like this has ever been seen in Finland before.

YLITYS does not focus solely on physical action; it delves into deeper metaphorical thinking. For the piece, personal experiences have been collected from people all around the world about what they have overcome in their lives.

“People’s experiences can be heard in the performance's soundscape, and we have also planned to print them as part of the costumes. We are literally carrying people’s thoughts and emotions across the rapids,” Moisala explains.

At the end of August, four circus artists from Lumo Company will perform in the Delta Life show.

“The entire evening is so spectacular that all I can say is there will be surprises at every twist and turn. I encourage everyone to come and see it,” Moisala urges.

Now at its midpoint, Oulu’s year as the European Capital of Culture has already proven to be extremely positive according to Moisala.

“This is pure glory—in a way, there couldn’t be a better year in Oulu. Everything related to being a capital of culture and what it has already brought has been sheer brilliance right from the start.”

YLITYS Crew:

Performers: Hanna Moisala and Sanja Kosonen
Composition and Sound Design: Terhi Pippuri and Touko Kemppainen
Fashion Designer: Mert Otsamo
Rigging: Oliver Zimmerman
Location Manager: Juha Toppi
Producers: Hanna Moisala, Naida Valencia, and Heli Kallio
Production: Lumo Company