The Metropolitan Opera presents the company premiere of Innocence, the final opera by acclaimed Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. This powerful contemporary work explores the lasting trauma left in the aftermath of a school shooting, unfolding through multiple perspectives and languages as hidden connections between characters slowly emerge.

Directed by Simon Stone, the production follows a wedding celebration that takes place ten years after a tragic event. As the story unfolds, long-buried memories resurface and reveal how the past continues to shape the lives of those connected to the tragedy.

The cast features mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato alongside Finnish singer Vilma Jää as a grieving mother and daughter, with soprano Jacquelyn Stucker and tenor Miles Mykkanen portraying the young couple whose wedding becomes the catalyst for confronting the past. The production is conducted by Susanna Mälkki, a longtime collaborator of Saariaho.

The opera blends traditional singing with spoken passages and elements of folk and contemporary music, creating a haunting and emotionally intense theatrical experience. First premiered at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence in 2021, Innocence has been widely praised as one of the most significant contemporary operas of recent years.