Many things in Merja Larivaara’s career are related to her instrument, the accordion

Immediately to the beginning of the interview Merja Larivaara says that he doesn’t like to dwell on the past.

“But as the age of 60 approaches, it’s nice to remember what all has been done and with whom.”

The main thing is gratitude.

“I think that I have been lovingly taken care of along the way and I have been able to work with people I value.”

Larivaara’s accordion, an instrument, is integrally associated with valuable encounters. It ended up in the actor’s arms only in the last course of the Theater Academy in 1988, when Jukka Virtanen directed a performance for the theater school students, in which there was Unto Mononen tangoja.

Larivaara, who previously only played classical music on piano and violin, was not clear about chord matters. A musician and a music pedagogue came to the rescue Nono Söderberg.

“Nono taught by holding my hand and drew me step by step, what belongs to, for example, G minor and D minor.”

Theater school after Larivaara marched the then director of the National Theatre Kai Savolan to the talks with an accordion under his arm to ask for work. Savola asked him to read a piece of text.

The CEO listened to the uncertain Larivaara’s chapter and repeated: “You know that your voice is quite monotonous.”

However, Larivaara got a job at the National Theater. First as a visitor, then as a tenant. At the same time, he studied at the Sibelius Academy in the folk music department.

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“I’ve always listened carefully to the advice of my older brothers.”

at the Sibelius Academy One important person for Larivaara was a kantele artist Martti Pokela (1924–2007).

“I had started playing the accordion so late that he urged me to apply for a market playing permit.”

By the time he went to the market, he knew a dozen accordion songs.

“People asked for songs at the market and I learned a couple of new ones every day. After a month, I already had a lot of material,” Larivaara says and thanks the advice.

“I’ve always listened carefully to the advice of my older brothers.”

He also met old friends at the National Theatre. Larivaara’s first big role was there in 1989 Edvin Laine in the last remaining control Break it down.

The memory gives rise to a delighted sigh in Larivaara.

“Unfathomable, I got on stage at the National Theatre Pia Hattaran, Marita Nordberg’s, Kauko Helovirtan, Maija Karhin, Martti Katajiston and with others.”

At the National Theatre At the turn of the 1990s, Larivaara also got to know the legendary Tarmo House. Already retired, Manni arrived every day for lunch at the Kansallisteatteri’s restaurant in Morkku, where he held his own show. The original Manni loudly told the story at his desk.

“Once he pointed at me from his table and shouted: I like you, I’m going to the gig with you! Do you have anything on the 29th of July?” Larivaara tells.

Taking notice, Larivaara, as a conscientious person, put the day on the calendar and began to wait for more detailed instructions from the legend. Time passed, Mann’s show in Morku continued, but he never returned to the gig business.

In the end, a tense Larivaara approached Mann and inquired with a trembling voice: “Is the gig still in July and what can we perform there?”

Manni looked at him kindly and snapped.

“You play hanuri and I talk shit!”

And so it happened. Later, Larivaara and Manni performed at several events.

In the year 1992 Larivaara, who moved to the Helsinki City Theatre, has always kept up with music alongside acting.

At the beginning of the 1990s, he became more aware of the public as a singer and player, thanks to, for example, the music program filmed live on TV2 Sing, Sing, Sing (1993), where Larivaara sang along with the program’s guests.

In 1992, Larivaara won the best actress award for Jussi, based on true events Pekka Lehton Wellfrom the movie.

At risk has four children, and with the birth of each child he spent a couple of years at home. When the children reached school age, a new phase in the career began as an actor, musician and director.

The directions include, for example, a miniature opera that visited the Finnish National Opera in 2018 Written in stars. The piece is narrated by the composer Toivo Kulan and this second wife German a love story.

In autumn, a musical performance directed by Larivaara will premiere at the Helsinki City Theatre A woman always in her prime. The Kaiho caravan orchestra and HKT actors are on stage. New songs will be heard in the performance, which in one way or another are related to the life of a woman or those who perceive themselves as a woman. The lyrics for the songs were written by Larivaara’s husband Kari-Pekka Toivonen.

Regarding the future, Larivaara made a principled decision a few years ago.

“I no longer go to TV or movie jobs with horses. I won’t say never, but theater is my thing. Maybe age makes it important to think about what you really still want and have time to do.”

What would you tell your 20-year-old self?

“Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”