son of composer Taneli Kuusisto and the most active opera composer in Finland today, actually began his opera career before the opera boom with Muumiooppera (Moomin Opera, 1974), based on the beloved characters created by Tove Jansson. He has since continued to write for children in the opera Pierrot ja yön salaisuudet (Pierrot and the Secrets of the Night, 1991) and in four musicals, including the jazzy Kiljusten Kalevala (Kalevala After the Kiljunen Family, 1999)