Tarja Turunen and Marko Hietala were announced for a show in the city of Curitiba on March 10th, a Sunday, at one of the most beautiful concert venues in Brazil, the Ópera de Arame.
The venue was very crowded, with lines stretching for blocks, which is unusual, especially at the Wire Opera House, but it was understandable considering the show was sold out.
Around 8 p.m. the venue opened and the public was allowed to enter, but security was reinforced, which caused some delays in searches and a few isolated disturbances, as the light drizzle typical of Curitiba turned into rain.
At around 8:13 PM, the opening band, The Seer from São Paulo, started the show in a very professional manner, both in style and sound quality, attempting a Foo Fighters , which was very well received by the audience.
But what everyone really wanted was the majestic musical duo who had been a part of the adolescence of many local thirty- and forty-somethings. There were many people from out of town, and anxiety gripped the audience when, about 40 minutes after the opening band left the stage, Tarja appeared in casual clothes and a shawl around her neck, suggesting some kind of problem. Hietala appeared next, but looking like someone who was going to perform that day. Soon the producers appeared, and the two musicians asked the audience for the floor. Tarja explained her health condition and that she was truly very sad, but she wouldn't be able to sing that night. Both she and Hietala had fallen ill during their time in Brazil and had experienced vocal problems.
His emotional state was clearly visible; he was trying to hold back tears so he could speak. But after the support and applause from the audience, Hietala said he would perform a special song, one he had never sung before, in honor of his father, as a way to express his feelings about the cancellation of the event. The performance of the song was very moving and beautiful, but at the end, the singer apologized again to the audience and left the stage.
It was the event producer's turn to explain the situation and assure everyone that the show "was not canceled" but rather "postponed" to the coming weeks. Tarja was present on stage and, in tears, apologized again. While a large part of the audience was already leaving, she sat on the edge of the stage to greet the fans who remained in the area near the premium seating. She greeted everyone who stayed, regardless of their ticket type.
Simply put, despite the cancellation, the singer showed great consideration for the people who were there and made a point of talking, taking photos, selfies, and signing personal items. Security arranged for a line of 10 people at a time to enter the restricted area so they could hug the singer and offer her support, as her sadness was evident.
Information regarding the new date for the presentation in Curitiba should be released by the end of this week.
READ ALSO: Tarja and Marko Hietala kick off their Brazilian tour with a memorable show in São Paulo; see photos
