Singers at the Finnish National Opera rehearse “Covid fan tutti,” a satirical take on a famed opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but with an adapted contemporary story line that reflects the Nordic country’s pandemic experiences, in Helsinki, on Thursday Aug. 20, 2020. The show follows the lives of ordinary Finish people, the news conferences by the government and pandemic experts with satirical undertones.

A singer at the Finnish National Opera performs the role of a greedy businessperson getting rich from the rush on toilet paper and face masks during a rehearsal for “Covid fan tutti,” a satirical take on a famed opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but with an adapted contemporary story line that reflects the Nordic country’s pandemic experiences, in Helsinki, on Thursday Aug. 20, 2020. The show follows the lives of ordinary Finish people, the news conferences by the government and pandemic experts with satirical undertones.

Singers at the Finnish National Opera rehearse “Covid fan tutti,” a satirical take on a famed opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but with an adapted contemporary story line that reflects the Nordic country’s pandemic experiences, in Helsinki, on Thursday Aug. 20, 2020. The show follows the lives of ordinary Finish people, the news conferences by the government and pandemic experts with satirical undertones.

Singers at the Finnish National Opera rehearse “Covid fan tutti,” a satirical take on a famed opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but with an adapted contemporary story line that reflects the Nordic country’s pandemic experiences, in Helsinki, on Thursday Aug. 20, 2020. The show follows the lives of ordinary Finish people, the news conferences by the government and pandemic experts with satirical undertones.

HELSINKI (AP) — After being forced to cancel all its spring season performances due to the coronavirus outbreak, Finland’s National Opera is opening this fall with an opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart featuring a topical twist: a story line that reflects on the Nordic country’s COVID-19 pandemic experiences.

The 100-minute piece “Covid fan tutte” is meant as a satirical adaptation of the Austrian composer’s classic “Cosi fan tutte.”

The Finnish-language production that premieres Friday conveys “scenes from the coronavirus spring” in Finland with a look at social isolation, job losses and travel restrictions, among other topics. The artists involved say the work doesn’t aim to make fun of a human tragedy.

“Without humor these extraordinary times would have been very hard to take,” said soprano Karita Mattila, who will sing the lead role — the part of Despina, a character from Mozart’s classic who is now navigating her way through the coronavirus world.

The opera will be performed under strict distancing rules for both performers and the audience. Performed on the Helsinki Opera House’s main stage, only 650 spectators will be allowed inside, half the venue’s capacity. Face masks are strongly recommended, though not compulsory. There will be no choir on the stage but its singing will be heard through a prerecorded performance.

Mozart’s Italian-language “Cosi fan tutte” — first performed in 1790 — was his lighthearted take on the merry-go-round of human relationships. The plot of “Covid fan tutte” follows the lives of ordinary Finns, the news conferences by the government and pandemic experts, while adding satirical undertones.