#Summer Opera Project 2024

[aporeticelenchus]

Slightly More Opera Literate Summer 2024:

La Nozze di Figaro (aka The Marriage of Figaro; Mozart)

As part of Slightly More Opera Literate Summer 2024, I'm going to do write-ups with summaries + highlights of some of the operas I've seen. Join me in learning about stuff, or come see what I inevitably get wrong! (Apologies in advance for the fact that I Just Can't Handle adding correct diacritical marks; sorry, Italian.)

Let's start with famed comic opera La Nozze di Figaro, aka The Marriage of Figaro, aka Figaro. Music by Mozart, libretto by Da Ponte, and based off a play by Beaumarchais.

You can watch the whole opera subtitled in English on youtube here:

I haven't watched through this version and can't speak for it, but it looks good at a quick glance through!

Short Summary:

Opera Australia has a great 1 min summary I'm going to just post:

But if you prefer text, here we go.

Working class couple Figaro and Susanna are getting married, yay! Or maybe not yay, because Figaro's employer, Count Almaviva, wants to pressure Susanna into sleeping with him and is going to sabotage the wedding until she gives in.

Fortunately Susanna's lady, the Countess Rosina, is heartbroken by her husband's behavior and wants to help the happy couple. Figaro, Susanna and the Countess scheme to have the Countess catch the Count trying to cheat, so she can pressure him into letting the couple marry (and to be more faithful in future, maybe.).

At first they plan to have teen page Cherubino (who has a crush on every woman and is constantly getting caught in compromising locations) dress in drag and pretend to be Susanna. But when the jealous Count almost catches Cherubino half-dressed in the Countess rooms, they move to plan B. Susanna tells the Count she'll meet him in the garden that night, and she and the Countess secretly swap clothes so that the Count will have an assignation with his own wife.

IN B PLOT LAND, Figaro owes money to the lawyer Bartolo's somewhat elderly maidservant Marcellina, and he has to marry her if he can't pay up. But when Marcellina and Bartolo take Figaro to court it's revealed......that he's their long lost son! Marcellina and Bartolo recall their past love, and decide to have a double wedding with Figaro and Susanna.

Susanna and Figaro get married, but since she hasn't told him about the clothes-swap plan, he finds out just enough to think his wife is cheating on their wedding night. Fortunately he recognizes her when he approaches "the countess" - but the philandering Count, chasing "Susanna" through the garden, sees what looks like his wife embracing his servant. He flies into a rage...until his wife appears to join the chorus, and he realizes she was the "Susanna" he was wooing. He begs forgiveness and everyone decides to be happy. The end!

(Ok, that wasn't so short, but it's a four hour opera based on a play with a lot of moving parts!)

Fun fact! The original play was widely banned for having an aristocratic antagonist defeated by clever lower class heroes. Scandalous, class warfare, etc!

SOME HIGHLIGHTS: This is hard, because I honestly love almost all of this opera. But here are some of my favorite and/or the most famous bits. I've tried to pick out versions with English subtitles to make them easier to follow.

Cinque, Dieci, Venti (Act I)

In the opening number of the opera, we're introduced to Figaro and Susanna on the morning of their wedding day. Figaro is measuring out the space for their new bed while Susanna admires the cap she made for her wedding.

Get you a man who pick up your melody and sings with you about the sweet headdress you made.

Non So Piu Cosa Son (Act 1):

Pageboy Cherubino (traditionally a trouser role, i.e. a male character played by a woman) is having lots of confusing feelings! It's so hard to be a hormonal teen. He's flirting with Susanna, sighing about his adoration of the Countess, and asking for help after he got caught with the gardener's daughter by the Count. He pauses to condense all his Teen Feelings (tm) into an aria.

(The video quality on this one isn't great, but it's one of the few I found with subtitles and I love the singing).

Fun Fact! In episode 2 of the Jeeves and Wooster tv show, Tuppy Glossop drags Bertie to the opera to see the woman he's wooing. She's singing Cherubino, and we hear some of her Non So Piu.

Non Piu Andrai (Act I):

In a series of misunderstandings, the Count catches Cherubino hiding in Susanna's room...and realizes that he must have overheard the Count pressuring Susanna to sleep with him. The Count decides to get rid of Cherubino by giving him an army commission. Figaro secretly tells Cherubino to stay, then pretends to be very enthusiastic about Cherubino's future in the army.

Fun fact! This is the official march of multiple guard companies. Because it slaps.

Also fun fact: "Narcisetto" (diminutive of Narcisuss) makes me laugh.

Voi Che Sapete (Act II):

It's....Cherubino again! What can I say; he has the best arias. Cherubino reports to the Countess' rooms so that she and Susanna can give him a cross-dressing makeover. While he's there, the Countess asks him to sing the song she hears he's written. Similar themes to Non So Piu: Cherubino has Lots Of Feelings and wants to sing about them.

Fun Fact! In the 1996 Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie sings a bit of Voi Che Sapete, with English lyrics.

Sull'aria (Act III)

The Countess dictates a letter for Susanna to write to the Count, so that they can trap him with their clothes-swap scheme.

Fun Fact! This is the song that Andy Dufresne plays over the prison speakers in The Shawshank Redemption.

Crudel Perche Finora (Act III)

I feel like I should get something with the Count in here (plus Mozart composes great duets imo). Susanna approaches the Count to pretend she's given in to him. The Count wants to make sure Susanna really means it, while she struggles a bit playing along.

(General tw for any Count and Susanna scene; they all involve him being a creep while she has to kinda put up with it.)

Aaaaaaand no Act 4, sorry not sorry.

Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts!

[backstageinfatuationvn]

I remember seeing a lil animatic(?) on Twitter on how you worked on Kier’s design for 6 years. I can’t find it anymore tho 😭 but what was your thought process when designing him? I luv luv luvvvv his design smmmm 🥹❤️ you n your co-creator are doing an amazing job 🫶

The animatic is still on my personal twitter account! And thank you!! SUPER LENGTHY POST BUT HERE WE GO!

Originally Kier had black hair and a similar haircut to Kethan (old art from 2024)

The first one was actually him dressed as the phantom of the Opera since he is one of the main inspos (old inspo meme I did)

Kier was originally created 6 years ago actually, back then I also made many versions of him. But the most important one was Gacha (yes I was a gacha kid 💔)

I sadly don't have his gacha photos anymore since it was from a very ancient phone but if memory serves me right, he would've looked like this. Yes I installed the app again HAHAHA

He didn't originally have midnight blue eyes. That was added when I started bringing him back to my works before Backstage Infatuation.

Personality wise, he is originally a yandere! Nothing changed from there in terms of that but interestingly enough... Back then in my gacha days, I originally shipped him with another male OC. A BL gacha series was planned where it centered around Kier's obsession with the male OC but was later discontinued for reasons I cannot remember. It was a long, long, looong time ago.

I focused on other stuff so he started catching dust until I picked him up around early 2024. That's when I started planning for his comeback after remembering past memories on a random tuesday night before sleeping LMAO

I drew two pieces before his redesign (the first two images), this was when I was into the yandere vn games.

Just wanna shout out these two games because these inspired me to make my own!! YOU and HIM and TKATB really inspired me to make Backstage Infatuation (there was also Dramatical Murder). I also have a love for Idol culture and Kpop, so I based Backstage Infatuation on my interests.

It is no secret that Backstage Infatuation is a passion project of mine, most of the characters in the game are old ocs being brought back to life and new ocs being finally used. Kier was one of those OCs that were brought back to life and needed a new makeover.

Fast forward to November 2024, I started redoing Kier and originally came up with his overall face and hair.

Interestingly enough, I actually came up with his idol fit first after seeing an outfit on Pinterest!

This is the original concept of his first idol outfit draft, felt it was too plain but really liked the black and white theme.

Second try and I came up with this! Even added silver feathers to symbolize LUXE's angel theme.

I added midnight blue (with stars) accents and it really made them look ethereal and elegant, at least for me. Which fits the group's original concept!

For his casual outfit, I wanted to go with something stylish and cool at the same time. I went with techwear influence and came up with the outfit now used in the game! Originally he didn't have black leather pants, but denim... It didn't look good in my opinion. 😭

Old and New design comparison

I kinda stole Nightwing's color palette for his clothes and changed a few stuff (mostly the blue)— Sorry I just really like Nightwing 😭 HAHAHA.

Few tweaks there and there, I became satisfied with his design!

I also made different outfits for him, a easter egg outfit I plan to add, his summer outfit and spring time outfit. I do love dressing up my son and exploring different fashions for him. ❤️

I do enjoy designing clothes and outfits. (Already reached the 10 image limit so here's a poorly made collage)

Sorry if this took a long time 😭 I had to find my old gallery saves for some of the pictures but this was such a fun ask to answer! It's nice to have a memory refresh ❤️

I hope this answered everything and so SORRY IF IT'S LENGTHY 😭😭 - Ive (Creator)

[ateez-himari]

VERSACE; MILAN RECAP

Himari finally spreading her creative wings at the Milan Fashion Week.

September 22, 2024 (11:14PM)

House Versace's Ephemeral collection marked the entrance of global ambassador, Min Himari, into the high fashion world with designs seeking to replicate the refined yet unfortunately temporary beauty of butterflies through flowing colorful fabrics and loose hanging jewelry. This rather impressive debut resulted in several designers speaking out about the artistry behind every showcased piece, one of them being Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing, and some brands have even set their sights on the young idol as a possible representative.

Fashion Week hosts the most watched showcases of the year which is why audiences were shocked that Ephemeral was premiered alongside the spring - summer collection, as it would undoubtedly occupy the spotlight due to its rather unique nature. During the last model fittings for this runway, Donatella Versace expressed wanting the project's success to reflect the unbelievable amount of work that had gone into its creation, hence letting her protégée close off the night in order to truly leave lasting impressions on attendees.

'The Hand of Midas is an accurate title for her, these designs went from mere sketches on a page to museum worthy pieces.' She said. 'The world should witness these ephemeral wonders before they sadly disappear.'

The artistic director kept the afterparty outfit secret even from the idol herself and those staying on track with updates were far from disappointed when she stepped out of the car wearing a custom made short butterfly dress. Royalty had long been associated with this young ace and some photographers even expressed feeling a sense of admiration when catching their first glance of her walking onto the carpet, bejeweled hand supported by Versace Prince, Hwang Hyunjin, to regain balance;

Photography Credits; @/versace on Instagram

The ambassador's bandmates, Song Mingi and Choi San - who was in the city for the Dolce & Gabbana show-, received invitations to the event despite having no affiliation with the brand in order to not only witness this momentous occasion for their industry but to offer comfort to the nervous upcoming designer as well. With the rapper being in a romantic relationship with their youngest, it led to some sweet moments caught on camera;

When the show came to an end the rapper could be seen wrapping large arms on her body and spinning the two of them around before placing the most tender yet lasting kiss on her lips, some reporters on the scene managing to capture his endless whispered praises. A somewhat brief conversation ensued before the vocalist found refuge in his chain adorned neck with adorable squeals of excitement, attendees along with the house's designer herself stopped to admire their display of heartwarming affection.

'Himari had told me about their relationship, but I've never seen them together in person before.' Shared Donatella. 'To see two people so in love with each other is almost unbelievable...but I'm happy our Princess found her soulmate.'

The members who unfortunately could not attend conveyed respect and pride for their maknae through livestreams in which they made sure that fans were aware of just how much work went on behind the scenes, most ending their lengthy speeches with tears - showcasing the genuine love tying these idols together. While in the music industry the young woman is somewhat guided by the other artists' voices when creating tracks, this night proved to all that behind her delicate beauty was personal artistry extending far beyond unique harmonies.

Himari's Ephemeral Collection will be available for public viewing at the Nilufar Depot, Milan from October 1st to November 3rd and the Opera Gallery of Seoul from November 12th to December 21st. See the official Versace website or ATEEZ instagram account (@/ateez_official_) for more details on ticket availability.

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[relax-and-read-on]

Hi! I'm not dead!

Just had a busy, BUSY year on my head, with little to no time for this blog except for my fanfic update and the queue. So, time for a lil update, and a fanfic recap of 2024!

Hi, I'm Math! I still love warhammer, but I am branching out to other fandom slowly but certainly! I am also publishing original work, both online and IRL. No, yall with not get my IRL stuff. I adore writing more than anything, and in spite of a capricious mental health for the last year (yeah, that's not fun), I still manage! Here are my last year fanfic work:

Counting Stars: the sequel to my soulmate au!!!!! Oh my GOD I was happy to publish to one!!!! My soulmate au is still probably my favorite fanfic I ever wrote, and I cannot be more proud. This one is also super interesting, because it's Mort interacting with various chaos people! So far we have only seen Lorgar, but Fulgrim, Perty and Magnus are incomming.... and a Certain favorite doctor of mine ;)

Supraglottoplasty (softening the larynx): My lord. That fucking fic is probably the most explicot thing I have ever done lmaooo. Fabius fuck eidolon in a neck wound. They are both happy. First fic with that pairing on ao3 lmao!! It was a delight to write

Tender is The Flesh: .... Ngl, this is my *best* writing. Ever. I'm almost mad that it's a fanfic. It's a horror story about Sang comming back to life. It's.... Well. It sure is gory!!! A lot of people loved it, and it was a gift for a dear friend, Allyria. Only took two years to write lmao

Agency: Updated with the Ferrus chapter!!! Oh my god the people were HAPPY about that one, and so was I!!!! I truly loved that fic, and while it is still ongoing, it's slowly reaching conclusion! Aaaaaaah!!!

Northern Lights: My summer fic exchange fic!! T4T Lorgar/Leman and oh my god is it a tender and sweet fiiiiiic. I loved writing it so much :D! Very funny tho that me and LepetitMonstre got each others and basically wrote the same theme. Two cakes!!!

A different Perspective: The Uriel/Honsou arranged marriaged fic!!!! Gaaaaasp! Yes, I did update it, with 50% more terrible SM cooking, and IW home improvement! Fics are never abandoned with, just on long hiatus. Honsou is so insanely fun to write yall. Feral little fuck. https://archiveofourown.org/works/38956062/chapters/97428954

We are going in a different fandom.... The Mothwashing fandom!!! A Jim/Curly medical-ish non-con fic, with a lot of self hatred and weird ugly feels. I love it. If you want some good angst, try it!

40k's Dracula: The spiritual sequel to my Phantom of the Opera au. Primarch, but it's epistolary Dracula! Oh my! How scandalous!!! It's also super fucking gay, not a straight to be seen. Special mention to Amit, who I have written for the first time and is an adorable grumpy vampire!

In Absence: and finally.... My original work. Technically posted in 2025, but started in 2024. It's on Royal Road, because it's not fanwork and I wouldn't do that to Ao3. It's basically a grimdark Isekai, about a poor woman falling into a fantasy world, and realising that death means nothing in it. It just started and will be quite long, but it has all my usual themes, like violence, sadness, and Mysterious Hot Queer People who will Ruin Your Life. It would mean the world to me if you give it a try!

So, that's it! That's what I did, for the year 2024, and I am more than happy to share it with you, and so much more for 2025!!!!

[black-arcana]

Ex-NIGHTWISH Members TARJA TURUNEN And MARKO HIETALA Announce September 2024 European Tour

Following a triumphant series of performances in South America with several sold-out gigs where Marko Hietala joined Tarja Turunen as a special guest, the two former NIGHTWISH members are set to captivate European audiences with their enthralling collaboration.

The European trek, which will kick off in September in Germany, promises to be an unforgettable experience as these two familiar voices reunite on stage once again.

Tarja recently released her first greatest-hits album "Best Of Tarja - Living The Dream". Her live show will feature a selection of songs from her career, also found on "Best Of", including fan favorites and her own personal picks.

Adding to the excitement, Marko and Tarja recently collaborated on the duet single "Left On Mars", which received widespread acclaim.

Marko will perform his own songs with his band before joining Tarja on stage for a night that promises to be nothing short of memorable.

Expectations are high as the duo continues to delight fans with both old and new songs, building on the success of their South American tour.

Tarja and Marko's "Living The Dream Together Tour 2024" European dates:

Sep. 08 - DE Berlin - Huxleys Neue Welt Sep. 09 - DE Bremen - Aladin Music Hall Sep. 10 - DE Saarbrücken - Garage Sep. 12 - DE Leipzig - Hellraiser Sep. 13 - DE Hamburg - Grünspan Sep. 14 - DE Herford - Kulturwerk Sep. 16 - NL Groningen - De Oosterpoor Sep. 17 - NL Utrecht - Tivoli Vredenburg (Ronda) Sep. 18 - DE Bochum - Matrix Sep. 20 - DE Ulm - Roxy Sep. 21 - DE Obertraubling - Eventhall Airport Sep. 23 - DE Frankfurt - Batschkapp Sep. 24 - DE München - Backstage Sep. 25 - CH Pratteln - Z7

Earlier this month, Hietala was asked by El Planeta Del Rock if there is any chance of him and Turunen launching a new project together. He responded: "I won't close that option off. We haven't talked about it, putting up a group together or anything like that. But at the moment, it seems that we've got a different kind of connection than it was [in the] past. Because then the camps were really divided already when I stepped into [NIGHTWISH]. And it was hard to find the truth of things, because a lot of it was like a managerial turf war where we got told certain things by one side and told certain things by the other side and lots of confusion — blah, blah, blah — and in the end, yeah, what we already realized a few years back when we were all together there doing the Christmas shows in Finland that after all the hassle has died and the noise has died and everything, you still find out that you lost a friend. And that was the main [reason] why we are basically doing this together again."

In a recent interview with Thiago Rahal Mauro of Brazil's Metal Musikast, Tarja spoke about what it was like to team up with Marko to perform a cover of "The Phantom Of The Opera" during their special open-air concert in July 2023 at Z7 Summer Nights in Pratteln, Switzerland. Tarja and Marko both played individual sets at the event, with their rendition of the main theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical coming during Turunen's portion of the show.

"I got a call from a promoter to take part in one festival in Switzerland last year in a European summertime in July," Tarja said. "And then I got to know, when I had accepted to be the artist of the evening, then I saw that they had also invited Marko and Marko's band to perform in the same festival. So I thought, 'Hmm.' And I was actually sending a message that I wished to reach Marko, because I didn't have his contact any longer, to ask him to perform with me 'The Phantom Of The Opera' in my show. And he responded 'yes.' So, after 18 years [laughs], we were about to sing the song together. And it was super exciting. It was really beautiful. The people got very emotional about this.

"We had met already before — we had been singing on a few occasions in Finland a few years before — so we kind of cleaned the table on that occasion already," she explained. "So we were in good terms, so to say, but now singing 'The Phantom Of The Opera' together after all these years was amazing."

Tarja also elaborated on her friendship with Marko, saying: "It's a new relationship with him, because he's not the same person anymore than he was in the band. He has changed a lot, and many years have passed by. I've changed myself. Life has changed us. So it is a new relationship, let's say. And it had made me very happy to get to know him better after all these years."

Last November, Tarja admitted to Chaoszine that she was "nervous" before performing "The Phantom Of The Opera" with Marko at Z7 Summer Nights. "I believe that he was nervous as well to meet up with me, but we were both very excited to go back to the stage and to sing the song," she said. "We sang 'Phantom Of The Opera' in Switzerland for the first time. Then we went over to Finland to perform it again, did a show together there — he with his band and me with my own. Wow. It was pure emotion. I think it was really beautiful, but it made me kind of… I was, like, 'I'm in peace,' sort of. The feeling was great. I think it was even more for Marko, because I saw him standing there after my concert, when I finished my set, and he came like almost in tears, saying that this was important. We reconnected, and it's great."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marko came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

Nearly two years ago, Tarja was asked in an interview with Top Link Music manager and concert promoter Paulo Baron and music critic Regis Tadeu if she would consider doing a tour with NIGHTWISH if all of her former bandmates apologized to her about how their split happened and invited her to share the stage with them again. She responded: "It is very, very hypothetical that all what you said will happen, first of all — it's very, very hypothetical.

"I'm living in a world, like we are all living in a world, that things happen without us noticing," she continued. "I mean, I can't really close any doors in that sense; I'm not that kind of person any longer. I learned so many things in this life already. I take them as they are.

"So I don't know. It would be very hypothetically possible," she added. "It would be unlikely to happen."

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by session bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

In an August 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Hietala revealed that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia, anxiety and an eventual attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Speaking about how he eventually came to the realization that exiting NIGHTWISH was the right thing to do, Marko said: "It was a long process. Of course, the COVID year that was there, where I had a lot of time for soul searching, it obviously gave me the last incentive that I need something else, that if I just continue with this I'm just gonna get sicker and sicker. But, of course, it's a process.

"I've been chronic depressive since 2010 [or] 2011, so I've been on a permanent medication ever since," he revealed. "Sometimes you get used to the meds [and] you will need more. We did raise [the dosage] during the years also, but it just didn't work. And now that I started to do… I had psychotherapy for over four years now, and then I also talked to psychiatrists and some doctors and did that also in Spain. Then my psychiatrist here in Finland said that I should do these ADHD neuropsychological tests, which I then did in Spain. And, okay, I got it."

Hietala reiterated that he "had been thinking about" leaving NIGHTWISH "for a while" before making the final decision. "Because I had a lot of weight. And I tend to… With the attention disorder, it tells me that when there are lots of trouble, then the disorder makes it into a real chaos," he explained. "There's a shitload of stuff coming and going and no peace anywhere. And for a year or two, I was already waking up every night at three o'clock to bad dreams and anxiety. So I'd say that the whole process probably started already with my former divorce [in 2016]. That was a very sad time when you think about your kids and your broken homes and all that. And then, when I started to get clear from that, then there were, well, all kinds of things. I don't really wanna go any deeper to what kind of things I'd gone through, but I'd gone through enough."

Acknowledging that making NIGHTWISH's latest studio album, 2020's "Human. :II: Nature.", was a "difficult" experience for him, Marko denied that his mental state at the time resulted in a diminished role for him on the final LP. "I think the original idea was to have that… we'll do a couple of [solo vocal appearances], or one solo for me and Troy [Donockley], and the rest Floor [Jansen], and then the harmonies; that was the idea originally for that," he said. "So I don't know if it affected. I think it was sort of as planned. But at that time I already had serious trouble with concentrating and serious trouble with a constant black cloud over my head."

In July 2022, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

In May 2021, Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave NIGHTWISH "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December [of 2020 that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

Tuomas elaborated on NIGHTWISH's reasons for carrying on, saying: "I think we still have something to give, and that's the main point. The music is still there. We felt that there's still so much music that needs to come out from this band that, 'Okay, let's give it one more shot.' And then finding the new bass player was really easy."

He added: "It's not like we do this just because we need to do it and there's nothing else to do. On a personal level, I feel that there's still so many stories and melodies that I want to share with the world with one lineup or another, so that's why you want to continue and keep on going.

"I've said this a million times, that a lineup change is the ultimate energy vampire, and that's how it really felt and still feels."

In June 2021, Jansen spoke about Hietala's exit from the band in an episode of her "Storytime" YouTube video series. She said: "That was a very sudden surprise that, of course, was not fun at all. But we understand — I understand — it was a necessary thing for him to do. And from there, we had to think of how to continue without him, and that also, in preparations towards the virtual show, that was a huge challenge."

In December 2020, Hietala was crowned the winner of the fall 2020 season of "Masked Singer Suomi" — the Finnish edition of the popular masked singing contest. He was disguised as Tohtori — the Doctor.

Photo courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🗞️📖 Bookish News - December Edition

🦇 Extra, extra. Read all about it! 📖 Good afternoon, bookish bats! A lot happened in the publishing industry last month, but here are a few highlights you may have missed!

Adaptations: 📖 Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms 🗞️ Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Piccolo 📖 Uglies by Scott Westerfeld 🗞️ Brianna Peppin's Briarcliff Prep 📖 Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben 🗞️ Geek Girl by Holly Smale 📖 Paddington (musical theater) 🗞️ The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 📖 My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows 🗞️ Heartstopper Season 3 📖 A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts by Ying Chang Compestine 🗞️ My Life With the Walter Boys by Ali Novak 📖 Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me 🗞️ They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera 📖 Pretty Little Liars: Summer School 🗞️ Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries

Cover Reveals: 📖 New Adventure in Space Opera by Jonathan Strahan 🗞️ Cally Fiedorek's Atta Boy has its cover 📖 Brandon Sanderson's The Sunlit Man - March 2024 🗞️ It's Elementary by Elise Bryant 📖 The Wilds by Sarah Pearse - July 16 🗞️ Nicola Yoon's first adult novel, One of Our Kind - June 11 📖 Sanctuary by Valentina Cano Repetto - April 2024 🗞️ Pretty by KB Brookins 📖 Jewel Me Twice by Charish Reid - July 2024 🗞️ The Big Day by Aliya Ali-Afzal - June 6

Other News: 📖 Dhonielle Clayton is starting a new book packaging company, Electric Postcard Entertainment, focused on diverse reads 🗞️ Cassandra Clare's Kickstarter set a record for YA projects on the platform 📖 The winners of the Goodreads Choice Awards were announced 🗞️ Penguin Random House, John Green, Jodi Picoult, and other novelists are challenging Iowa's book banning law 📖 The Books Save Lives Act has been introduced by US Congress

[aporeticelenchus]

While struck down by Covid (alas, alack, etc), I’ve been watching operas on my mom’s Met Opera account. So far we’ve gotten through:

Barber of Seville (2007, Peter Mattei and Joyce DiDonato):

Charming! A delight! I want to spend more time with the music later to get a better sense of individual movements. Largo Al Factotum looms large and is as good as promised. I enjoyed Peter Mattei as Figaro and Joyce DiDonato as Rosina a lot too! Bartolo’s patter songs are fun. Looking forward to hearing those again.

Marriage of Figaro (1998; Bryn Terfel and Cecilia Bartoli as Figaro and Susanna; Renee Fleming and Dwayne Croft as Countess and Count):

Finally watched a Figaro production after listening to it a million times! Also a delight! For some reason they switched out Susanna’s two solo arias, which threw me. I saw some reviewers thought Cecilia Bartoli did a little too much physical comedy, but I really liked her. Renee Fleming was a great countess; Porgi Amor is still a dead bore to me but that’s not her fault. Cherubino was adorable, but seemed to struggle a bit with Non So Piu.

This continues to be my favorite opera, and I enjoyed this as a production. I plan to watch the other two productions available on the Met on Demand later.

Don Giovanni (2000; Bryn Terfel, Renee Fleming, Solveig Kringelborn, Hei-Kyung Hong):

I’ve now spent enough time with Don Giovanni to have an opinion: it’s good, but I don’t like it nearly as much as Figaro. The plot flow and pacing frustrate me. There are some standout musical moments, but also some parts that drag (hi act 2 Donna Anna). I do love La Ci Darem and Hei-Kyung Hong’s Zerlina was charming. Finch’Han Dal Vino and Deh Vieni A La Finestra are songs I enjoy from Don G, and of course Lepprello’s little list is fun. Donna Elivra generally has good music behind her, as does Act 1 Donna Anna.

Does Don Ottavio need to be in this opera? I’m just…not sure he does….

Every time I hear the Statue sing “Don Giovaaaaaaaannnnniiii” at the end, my brain fills in “from thy dark exile thou art suuuuuuumoned”, and it took me a bit to realize I was pulling that from Iolanthe. I like to think it’s a deliberate musical homage by Sullivan.

I definitely want to watch some more stagings of Don Giovanni; overall I enjoy the opera and I can imagine it changing a lot with different directorial choices.

Die Fledermaus (1986, Kiri Te Kanawa, Judith Blegan, Tatiana Troyanos, and some men probably)

I love an operatta. I love a dumb musical comedy. I love a catchy waltz I can’t get out of my head. Two thumbs up; great use of my time listening, bad use of my time trying to follow the details of the plot because it did not really matter. Special shout out to the Overture for being a jam. It almost renders the rest of the operetta superfluous.

A+ joke having an opera singer character who won’t stop singing during the talky bits. Love that the prince is a trouser role; that helped me through some of the dumb gender stuff elsewhere.

Total blast. I plan to listen to some more recording, including two English-language adaptations. (The POP Opera project did their English-language adaptation set in 1920s Hollywood; that’s on my short list to watch) I think I like J Strauss II!

Carmen (2014; Anita Rachvelishvili and Aleksanders Antonenko)

I’ve seen Carmen before, but it’s been awhile. My mom loves Carmen; I…struggle with it. Maybe it’s just my pro-comedy bias.

The music is very good, of course; the Habañera and Toreador song are some of the most recognizable music today for a reason. The Act 1 overture is great! Short and punchy! I think the opera might be growing on me musically as I listen to it more; I’ve found the group numbers initially overwhelming, but with a little more time i can better parse the music and find parts I really like.

But anyway, I liked most of this production! I thought the Carmen was compelling, and Don Jose was a good singer (I just hate his character a lot). The set deign (1930s Spain vibes) worked for me, which was a pleasant surprise.

Going to see La Boheme tonight! Wish me luck.

[jonfarreporter]

Circus Bella Hopes to Perform in Golden Gate Park, perhaps next season?

Life is a circus and the Circus Bella is life to two performers of the ensemble-cast that make the Westside area of the City their home. During June and July 2024 Circus Bella has been performing in and around the Bay Area. The two circus cast members Dwoira Galilea and Toni Cannon who happily live in the Sunset District would like to see the Circus Bella have shows in or around Golden Gate Park.

This summer has been a busy season for the “one-ring” circus ensemble.

“Since it’s founding in 2008 by David Hunt and Abigail Munn, Circus Bella has delighted audiences throughout the Bay Area.

Circus Bella’s ‘Circus in the Parks project’ has offered over 160 performances to more than 80,000 people in 37 locations. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include Golden Gate Park. Yet organizers hope that might change.

Established in the tradition of local family-friendly entertainment endeavors like the Pickle Family Circus of the 1990s and ‘80s. Executive Director, Abigail Munn, explained. “I have spent my entire life entrenched in the San Francisco Bay Area’s vibrant arts community.” Munn's father Thomas Munn was the lighting director for the San Francisco Opera for over 30 years. She literally grew up inside the SF Opera house!

Munn’s love of circus got an early start as she was a performer in the Bay Area’s Pickle Family Circus when she was just 9 years old.

Eager to continue that experience and tradition she and David Hunt put together Circus Bella.”My vision is to recreate and reimagine creative work that is entertaining, beautiful and relevant,” said Munn.

With that vision in mind, Cannon and Galilea consider the Sunset District & the Westside as an ideal spot to foster creativity, especially the unique entertainment experience that Circus Bella provides.

“I love living in the Sunset District, said Galilea, because it’s very close to the ‘Circus Center’ where we performers train.” Amid Circus Bella’s several locations, ‘Circus Center’ for training and practice is just across from Kezar Stadium-Pavilion on Frederick Street.

Describing living in The Sunset District as “a game-changer,” Cannon noted the advantages. “The Sunset has enhanced the quality of my life so much.” “There is so much nature on this side of town, added Cannon and being a short drive from the beach is everything.”

Galilea agreed as she said. “I love the aesthetic of the Sunset District, especially by Ocean Beach.” “I love that it’s a more residential area so it almost has an Urban Suburbia feeling to it,” said Galilea; I really feel at peace in this part of town.”

Both performers chose the Sunset District and the Westside as home because of the proximity. “The Sunset feels close to everything and is very easy to navigate on public transit which I have heavily relied on over the years,” said Galilea.

Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach is part of the appeal as to why Galilea and Cannon have stayed in the District.

“Being so close to nature is very calming for me when the rest of the city can feel hectic,” said Galilea.

“I love being so close to the trees, (in Golden Gate Park) and easy access to the ocean and beach.” “I can sleep with my windows wide open said Galilea, and the area is quiet.”

While other people may consider the usual fog of summer to be a down beat of living out in “the avenues,” Galilea sees it as a plus as she said. “I also LOVE the fog - an unpopular opinion perhaps- but I truly enjoy the moodier weather that we get out here.”

With more than a cast of 86 performers at various times over its 15 year history, Circus Bella is pleased that it’s cast members make the San Francisco Bay Area its home.

“Many of our employed performance artists are Bay Area residents,” said Munn. “We have an intentional focus to ensure that local artists receive competitive employment and a venue to pursue their creative careers.”

“A diverse and unique company is what we aim for noted Munn, representing talents from all corners of the world.” “Our performers come from different backgrounds, perspectives and special artistic gifts,” she added. “We feature aerialists, acrobats, family foot jugglers, clowns, and more – all performed to original music written by local music legend Rob Reich and performed by a live six-piece band,” Munn said.

Like Cannon, Galilea sees the Sunset District and its adjacent neighborhoods like the Richmond District and Parkside as ideal. “The Sunset is a neighborhood that has truly made me feel at home,” she said. “If I had to move I would choose to stay in the Sunset District neighborhood 100%!”

Galilea and Cannon can easily envision Circus Bella making the Sunset District a possible venue to perform in. The possibilities are inviting.

As Galilea noted. “I would LOVE for Circus Bella to perform in Golden Gate Park.”

“I think some good spots would be the grass area at 9th Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.” “Or, perhaps near the Conservatory of Flowers or maybe in the Botanical Gardens,” she said.

Circus Bella performances in and around the Bay Area continue for the rest of the summer. To learn more about the performance schedules for July and August 2024 visit the Circus Bella website.

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[kurtburbidge614-blog]

Life Train As well as Life Training Articles.

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[aporeticelenchus]

Quick thoughts on La Boheme:

The writers of Rent got one thing absolutely right: Colline and Schaunard should kiss. (Not to avoid the true OTP of Colline/His Old Coat)

Love that the weird song about the toymaker has no plot relevance and never comes up again. Weird red herring toymakers ftw.

It’s probably not surprising that I find Rodolfo and Mimi less interesting than everything else going on. Musetta and Marcello would probably be very annoying leads, but I enjoyed them as secondary characters.

I was impressed by the Franco Zefirelli sets, especially for the town and cafe. Immersive! (We saw the 2018 Met Opera production)

There were lots of jokes! I knew there were jokes in Acts 1, and 2 but I didn’t expect there to still be jokes in Act 4 right until the dying Mimi enters. I liked the jokes, but sometimes it was a little tonally odd. I guess that’s Romanticism, baby.

Speaking of Rent, I still have no idea where Maureen’s weird cow song comes from. So many of the other strange Rent moments have obvious La Boheme precedent, but I remain confused on that one.

I thought I might cry at the end, because I cry very easily at theater, but I guess I wasn’t invested enough in Mimi. There were some moving moments, but all the standing around singing waiting for death wore me down a bit.

I don’t know enough about anything to have a strong opinion, but my experience of Puccini so far is that some music of his I find beautiful, but sometimes it gets…a little sickly sweet? Unvaried? Is that anything?

I had fun! Glad to have seen it.

[aporeticelenchus]

Also vis-a-vis Project “Become Slightly More Opera Literate Summer 2024”, I’ve been thinking of doing short summary + highlight posts for the operas I’ve gotten familiar with. Like, real quick intro material for anyone who wants to become slightly more opera literate with me.

I might do them just for myself even if no one else is reading, but also shout out if you’d be interested in any particular opera!

[aporeticelenchus]

Summer Opera Update:

I'm a little bit obsessed with Le Nozze di Figaro. It's been almost two weeks and I don't want to listen to anything else. I tried to start Verdi's Don Carlos and just resented it for not being Figaro. Got a little farther with Don Giovanni, which I thought might be close enough, but no. Not ready to move on. Might have ruined opera for me tbh, because the rest of it isn't Le Nozze di Figaro.

Delighted to finally have (hilarious) context for all the many times I've heard Non So Piu, No Piu Andrai, Voi Che Sapete, and Sull'aria. Blown away by how good even the minor numbers and recitatives are (with some Act IV exceptions...). So many thoughts, I don't even know where to start!

Before dropping into the Figaro pit from whence I can't escape, I listened through Purcell's Dido and Aeneas for personal and professional reasons. It's....fine. Short. I sang Fear No Danger in fifth grade, and that song still rocks. Pity the rest of Act 1 is nothing to me. The Sorceress posse is at least a little injection of fun throughout Acts II and III - I quite like the evil chorus in Act III ("Destruction's our delight / delight our greatest sorrow / Elisa dies tonight / and Carthage flames tomorrow!"). Act III was generally more to my taste, and Come Away Fellow Sailors is definitely enjoyable. I suspect Dido's Lament may be objectively good, it's just a type of music that doesn't much appeal to me.

The opera made me remember how much I like Handel, because I kept wishing I was listening to Handel instead. I do think it would be fun to watch a stage production of the Dido and Aeneas; I imagine it improves with some fun costuming and sets.

I've also listened through a Die Zauberflote recording two or three times. The music is lovely and the best pieces are amazing....but boy a lot of Act 1 feels skippable. Maybe it'll grow on me. The libretto feels like it's dead weight a lot of the time, which I thought might be my English-speaking bias until I listened to Figaro and was blown away by DaPonte's libretto there. (Could be an anti-Germanic language bias, I suppose. I'll have to test the theory.)

All that said, it's still generally delightful. The vocal parts feel like often instruments in their own right in a way that's not usually so obvious, and I'm fascinated by that. The Queen of the Night's second aria blows me away every time I hear it, all the glockenspiel bits are musically charming, and oddly I really like the Three Boys. Maybe that's just my preference for an ensemble number coming through. Anyway, no much in the way of formed thoughts here yet. I'm going to try to watch a filmed production soon, because it also feels like it will be more complete with costumes and sets to fill in the aesthetic.

I have been slowly watching an English-language adaptation on YouTube, where everyone is cast as retro video game characters (obviously big translation liberties are taken). That's been a lot of fun! Monostatos should be Wario in every production, I think.

("It's a me, Papageno!")

I’ve decided to set a summer goal of becoming sliiightly more opera literate.

I’m soliciting Opera Opinion and Recommendations from anyone with passionate feelings on the topic; I’ve got the start of a watch list but I’m adding to it. (Probably going to start with Mozart and Verdi for various reasons)

[black-arcana]

MARKO HIETALA Doesn't Rule Out Starting New Band With TARJA TURUNEN

In a new interview with El Planeta Del Rock, Marko "Marco" Hietala, who is currently on the road in South America as part of the "Living The Dream – The Hits Tour 2024" with his former NIGHTWISH bandmate Tarja Turunen, was asked if there is any chance of the two musicians launching a new project together. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I won't close that option off. We haven't talked about it, putting up a group together or anything like that. But at the moment, it seems that we've got a different kind of connection than it was [in the] past. Because then the camps were really divided already when I stepped into [NIGHTWISH]. And it was hard to find the truth of things, because a lot of it was like a managerial turf war where we got told certain things by one side and told certain things by the other side and lots of confusion — blah, blah, blah — and in the end, yeah, what we already realized a few years back when we were all together there doing the Christmas shows in Finland that after all the hassle has died and the noise has died and everything, you still find out that you lost a friend. And that was the main [reason] why we are basically doing this together again."

In a recent interview with Thiago Rahal Mauro of Brazil's Metal Musikast, Tarja spoke about what it was like to team up with Marko to perform a cover of "The Phantom Of The Opera" during their special open-air concert in July 2023 at Z7 Summer Nights in Pratteln, Switzerland. Tarja and Marko both played individual sets at the event, with their rendition of the main theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical coming during Turunen's portion of the show.

"I got a call from a promoter to take part in one festival in Switzerland last year in a European summertime in July," Tarja said. "And then I got to know, when I had accepted to be the artist of the evening, then I saw that they had also invited Marko and Marko's band to perform in the same festival. So I thought, 'Hmm.' And I was actually sending a message that I wished to reach Marko, because I didn't have his contact any longer, to ask him to perform with me 'The Phantom Of The Opera' in my show. And he responded 'yes.' So, after 18 years [laughs], we were about to sing the song together. And it was super exciting. It was really beautiful. The people got very emotional about this.

"We had met already before — we had been singing on a few occasions in Finland a few years before — so we kind of cleaned the table on that occasion already," she explained. "So we were in good terms, so to say, but now singing 'The Phantom Of The Opera' together after all these years was amazing. So we did it twice, actually — we did it in Switzerland and then in Finland. And now we are going to do it — that and a lot more [laughs] — there in Brazil [during our upcoming joint tour]."

Tarja also elaborated on her friendship with Marko, saying: "It's a new relationship with him, because he's not the same person anymore than he was in the band. He has changed a lot, and many years have passed by. I've changed myself. Life has changed us. So it is a new relationship, let's say. And it had made me very happy to get to know him better after all these years."

Last November, Tarja admitted to Chaoszine that she was "nervous" before performing "The Phantom Of The Opera" with Marko at Z7 Summer Nights. "I believe that he was nervous as well to meet up with me, but we were both very excited to go back to the stage and to sing the song," she said. "We sang 'Phantom Of The Opera' in Switzerland for the first time. Then we went over to Finland to perform it again, did a show together there — he with his band and me with my own. Wow. It was pure emotion. I think it was really beautiful, but it made me kind of… I was, like, 'I'm in peace,' sort of. The feeling was great. I think it was even more for Marko, because I saw him standing there after my concert, when I finished my set, and he came like almost in tears, saying that this was important. We reconnected, and it's great. Now I'm really looking forward to have this tour [with Marko] in South America in March [2024], and I'm sure you will see something else happening also. Yeah, you'll hear."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marko came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

Nearly two years ago, Tarja was asked in an interview with Top Link Music manager and concert promoter Paulo Baron and music critic Regis Tadeu if she would consider doing a tour with NIGHTWISH if all of her former bandmates apologized to her about how their split happened and invited her to share the stage with them again. She responded: "It is very, very hypothetical that all what you said will happen, first of all — it's very, very hypothetical.

"I'm living in a world, like we are all living in a world, that things happen without us noticing," she continued. "I mean, I can't really close any doors in that sense; I'm not that kind of person any longer. I learned so many things in this life already. I take them as they are.

"So I don't know. It would be very hypothetically possible," she added. "It would be unlikely to happen."

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by session bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

In an August 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Hietala revealed that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia, anxiety and an eventual attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Speaking about how he eventually came to the realization that exiting NIGHTWISH was the right thing to do, Marko said: "It was a long process. Of course, the COVID year that was there, where I had a lot of time for soul searching, it obviously gave me the last incentive that I need something else, that if I just continue with this I'm just gonna get sicker and sicker. But, of course, it's a process.

"I've been chronic depressive since 2010 [or] 2011, so I've been on a permanent medication ever since," he revealed. "Sometimes you get used to the meds [and] you will need more. We did raise [the dosage] during the years also, but it just didn't work. And now that I started to do… I had psychotherapy for over four years now, and then I also talked to psychiatrists and some doctors and did that also in Spain. Then my psychiatrist here in Finland said that I should do these ADHD neuropsychological tests, which I then did in Spain. And, okay, I got it."

Hietala reiterated that he "had been thinking about" leaving NIGHTWISH "for a while" before making the final decision. "Because I had a lot of weight. And I tend to… With the attention disorder, it tells me that when there are lots of trouble, then the disorder makes it into a real chaos," he explained. "There's a shitload of stuff coming and going and no peace anywhere. And for a year or two, I was already waking up every night at three o'clock to bad dreams and anxiety. So I'd say that the whole process probably started already with my former divorce [in 2016]. That was a very sad time when you think about your kids and your broken homes and all that. And then, when I started to get clear from that, then there were, well, all kinds of things. I don't really wanna go any deeper to what kind of things I'd gone through, but I'd gone through enough."

Acknowledging that making NIGHTWISH's latest studio album, 2020's "Human. :II: Nature.", was a "difficult" experience for him, Marko denied that his mental state at the time resulted in a diminished role for him on the final LP. "I think the original idea was to have that… we'll do a couple of [solo vocal appearances], or one solo for me and Troy [Donockley], and the rest Floor [Jansen], and then the harmonies; that was the idea originally for that," he said. "So I don't know if it affected. I think it was sort of as planned. But at that time I already had serious trouble with concentrating and serious trouble with a constant black cloud over my head."

In July 2022, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

In May 2021, Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave NIGHTWISH "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December [of 2020 that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

Tuomas elaborated on NIGHTWISH's reasons for carrying on, saying: "I think we still have something to give, and that's the main point. The music is still there. We felt that there's still so much music that needs to come out from this band that, 'Okay, let's give it one more shot.' And then finding the new bass player was really easy."

He added: "It's not like we do this just because we need to do it and there's nothing else to do. On a personal level, I feel that there's still so many stories and melodies that I want to share with the world with one lineup or another, so that's why you want to continue and keep on going.

"I've said this a million times, that a lineup change is the ultimate energy vampire, and that's how it really felt and still feels."

In June 2021, Jansen spoke about Hietala's exit from the band in an episode of her "Storytime" YouTube video series. She said: "That was a very sudden surprise that, of course, was not fun at all. But we understand — I understand — it was a necessary thing for him to do. And from there, we had to think of how to continue without him, and that also, in preparations towards the virtual show, that was a huge challenge."

In December 2020, Hietala was crowned the winner of the fall 2020 season of "Masked Singer Suomi" — the Finnish edition of the popular masked singing contest. He was disguised as Tohtori — the Doctor.

In the summer of 2021, Holopainen said that NIGHTWISH would split up if the band's current singer Floor Jansen ever chose to leave. Holopainen, who formed NIGHTWISH in 1996 with guitarist Emppu Vuorinen and Turunen, made the comment while discussing the departure of Hietala.

Pressed by U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine about his 2019 statement that NIGHTWISH would disband if another member opted to depart, Tuomas said: "That's how I felt back in 2019, and that's also how I felt when Marko left. I take my words back when it comes to that. But if it would be Floor leaving, that's it, it's the end of NIGHTWISH. Absolutely, 100%."