Biography

Finnish soprano Karita Mattila made her Royal Opera debut in 1986 as Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) and has since sung Countess Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Agathe (Der Freischütz), Musetta (La bohème), Elisabeth de Valois (Don Carlos), Elsa (Lohengrin), Liza (The Queen of Spades), Chrysothemis (Elektra), the title roles in Jenůfa and Arabella, Amelia (Un ballo in maschera), Leonore (Fidelio), Marie (Wozzeck) and Ariadne (Ariadne auf Naxos).
Mattila studied singing at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and came to international attention when she won the 1983 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. She began her career specializing in Mozart roles and has since expanded her repertory to include roles by Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Richard Strauss, Puccini and Janáček, with engagements including Liza and Kostelnička (Jenůfa) for the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Jenůfa for Bavarian State Opera and Emilia Marty (The Makropulos Affair) in Helsinki.
Mattila is an active concert singer and recitalist, performing regularly throughout Europe with leading orchestras and accompanists at venues including Carnegie Hall and the Ravinia Festival, in repertory including Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder, Schoenberg’s Erwartung and contemporary Finnish songs. Her many recordings include an acclaimed disc of Jenůfa recorded at the Royal Opera House, CDs of arias and orchestral songs, many opera DVDs and two Grammy Award-winning recordings. Her awards include Musical America’s Musician of the Year and a Royal Philharmonic Society Award. She is a Chevalier des arts et des letters.
Videos
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Photos
Karita Mattila

Karita Mattila as Ariadne and Roberto Saccà as Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos

Karita Mattila as Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos

Karita Mattila as Marie in Wozzeck

Simon Keenlyside as Wozzeck and Karita Mattila as Marie in Wozzeck

Karita Mattila as Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos

Roberto Saccà as Bacchus and Karita Mattila as Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos

Kiandra Howarth as Echo, Wynne Evans as Scaramuccio, Paul Schweinester as Brighella, Karita Mattila as Ariadne, Jane Archibald as Zerbinetta and Jeremy White as Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos

Jane Archibald as Zerbinetta and Karita Mattila as Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos

Simon Keenlyside as Wozzeck and Karita Mattila as Marie in Wozzeck

Karita Mattila as Marie, Endrik Wottrich as Drum Major and Sebastian Wright as the Child in Wozzeck

Roberto Saccà as Bacchus and Karita Mattila as Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos

Karita Mattila as Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos

Karita Mattila in Ariadne auf Naxos, The Royal Opera

Karita Mattila

Karita Mattila as Marie and Sebastian Wright as the Child in Wozzeck

Christoph Quest as Major Domo and Karita Mattila as Ariadne auf Naxos in Ariadne auf Naxos
