Wilderness guide Tapani Lappalainen rents a wilderness cabin to two German tourists. Soon, he finds himself on the run after being accused of murdering his own brother. In addition to the local hotel owner, many others seem to be involved in the situation.

Finland may be the happiest country on earth, but it is also known as the land of a thousand sad songs. Lurking in the shadows of this Nordic welfare state are violence, alcoholism and inequality. A century after its premiere, the most Finnish of all operas is now being performed in a new production at the Helsinki Opera House.