It was intended for the opening of a new national opera house in Helsinki, but building construction delays meant that the work was presented in Los Angeles as part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Finnish independence.

[3] The first performances outside the United States and Finland were given by the Opéra de Nantes in December 1995, with Jorma Hynninen in the title role and Koen Kessels conducting.

[1] Another critic noted that there "is not a superfluous quaver in Kullervo" and admired the "sinuously coiled melodies [...] quirky ostinato figures, long-held pedal-points, sardonically percussive setting of arioso dialogue".

The opera is scored for a large variety of instruments, including three woodwinds, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, synthesizer and strings.

[6] The act begins with a choral prologue recounting the feud between Kalervo and his brother Unto, leaders of opposing clans.

Kullervo proves to be a disturbed and unruly youth consumed with rage, some of which he turns against his childhood friend Kimmo.

After an episode in the fields where Kullervo discovers that the blacksmith's wife has baked stones into his bread, he kills all the cattle and returns to the smith's house.

Meanwhile, Kimmo finds Kullervo's mother and father, who had survived the fire, and hopes to reunite the family.

On hearing this, Kullervo (who has been joined by the warrior Tjiera, two strangers, and the hunter) vows to kill Unto and all his clan.