Mikki Kunttu

A man for all seasons – that’s lighting designer Mikki Kunttu from Helsinki. His versatile skills have been applied to everything from Akram Khan’s and Tero Saarinen’s dance-art to variety shows and pop-idol contests. He is the man who created the lighting design for the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki in May 2007. This kind of “Eurotrash” may not be everybody’s idea of fun, but to lift this mainstream entertainment to another level shows imagination and
style.

Regardless of the songs, the lighting effects, often synchronised with the rhythm of a piece or the movements of the performers, presented a feast for the eyes. And not only the competitors from 42 countries but all the other performers got the Finnish lighting wizard’s excellent treatment: the winter show at the beginning, the contemporary Finnish folk dance group which performed during the intermission and the young acrobats performing above the heavy cellists’ group Apocalyptica, which played at the end. Mikki Kunttu’s background as a rock musician helps. Nevertheless, he rarely appears on stage himself – only with Tero Saarinen, because he is one choreographer who always wants to show his whole crew to the audience!