 |
Jorma HynninenFinnish opera singer-baritone
Date of Birth: 03.04.1941
Country:  Finland |
Content:
Biography of Jorma Hynninen
Early Life and EducationJorma Hynninen, a Finnish operatic baritone, was born on April 3, 1941, in Leppävirta, Finland. He studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki from 1966 to 1970, where he received vocal lessons from conductor and vocal pedagogue Luigi Ricci in Rome and composer and conductor Kurt Overhoff in Salzburg.
Operatic Career
In 1969, Hynninen won first prize at the Lappeenranta Solo Voice Competition, and in 1970, he made his debut as Silvio in Pagliacci by Leoncavallo at the Finnish National Opera. He became a permanent member of the Finnish National Opera until 1990. Hynninen also won first prize at the Scandinavian Singing Competition in 1971 and the Cannes Classical Awards in France in 1996.
Throughout his career, Hynninen performed a wide range of roles on opera stages around the world. He portrayed Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze de Figaro, the title role in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, and Pelléas in Debussy's Pelléas and Mélisande. He gained recognition in the United States after his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1980 and later at the Metropolitan Opera as Rodrigo in Don Carlos.
Hynninen frequently appeared at renowned opera houses such as the Vienna Opera, La Scala in Milan, Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Hamburg State Opera, Barcelona Opera, Geneva Opera, and Berlin Opera. From 1984 to 1990, he served as the artistic director of the Finnish National Opera and later became the artistic director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland. From 1980 to 1991, Hynninen was also the artistic director of the Joensuu Song Festival.
Concert Performances and Contributions
While building a successful opera career, Hynninen also performed in concerts throughout Europe and North America. He collaborated with prestigious orchestras and conducted by renowned conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Masur, and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Hynninen actively supported Finnish music and participated in several world premieres of Finnish operas. He played the lead role in Aleksis Kivi, an opera by Einojuhani Rautavaara, at the Savonlinna Opera Festival. Additionally, he participated in the premiere of the opera trilogy Aika ja uni, composed by Herman Rechberger, Olli Kortekangas, and Kalevi Aho, at Olavinlinna Castle in 2000. Hynninen also performed in the premiere of Kuningas Lear by Aulis Sallinen in 2000, singing the role of Gloucester.
Discography
Hynninen has an extensive discography, which includes over a hundred recordings of international operatic repertoire, spiritual works, compositions by Finnish composers, and collections of romances and classical songs.
