A new ice-based production of The Snow Queen will premiere at the under-construction UROS Live arena in Tampere, Finland on January 1, 2022.
The show will be produced by an international group of performative arts creators and promoters and is designed to create a new family-based production for event-goers in the Nordic region.
UROS Live, which is scheduled to open later this year, will be the first venue for the production and will host three shows at the start of 2022. Tickets will go on sale on February 22.
The remake of the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen is aimed at arenas and promoters which have been “starved” of family content during the COVID-19 crisis. The show will look to combine sport and art, with scriptwriter Melissa A. Thompson to work with artistic groups on the project.
Leading Finnish figure skaters such as Kiira Korpi, Laura Lepistö and Mila Kajas, as well as ice dancers Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko, will be among the names to feature in the show. Finnish synchronised skating team Marigold IceUnity will also feature, along with ice hockey stars Marko Anttila, Jenni Hiirikoski, Niklas Hagman and Pekka Saravo.
Tampere Hall and Kantelinen Company will serve as the producers of the show, with Tuomas Kantelinen to be the composer. Visual and lighting design will be conducted by Mikki Kunttu, while Reija Wäre will be the director and Erika Turunen will be the costume designer.
Paulina Ahokas, managing director of Tampere Hall, said: “The Snow Queen offers the audience something that has never been seen in Finland or the Nordic countries before. There is clearly a great demand for ice ballet productions on the market. In Finland, we have a high level of expertise in the field of ice arts, and it gives us a great foundation to produce a show like his. With these performers, artists and partners it has become reality.”
Marko Hurme, managing director of UROS Live, added: “The UROS Live arena is a venue for experiences of international interest. It is fantastic to have The Snow Queen as a show during our arena’s opening season. It complements the targets set for the wide audience groups that the Tampere-based arena will attract. The show is interesting for the whole family, and it offers an opportunity to come and see the arena is all its glory.”
Performers for the tour will be chosen through international auditions. The project will provide certain roles that will be played by figure skating and ice hockey stars from each target market.
UROS Live will have a capacity of 15,000 and will open in December. The arena will serve as the home of ice hockey teams Tappara and Ilves and will also be a host venue for the 2022 Ice Hockey World Championships.
Finnish technology company UROS secured naming rights to the arena in March last year as part of a 10-year deal. UROS will develop solutions and services for the arena to allow stakeholders and guests to create and enjoy new experiences.
