ODE_1054_cover 9.8.2004 14:23 Page 1 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Excellence Karita Mattila MATTILA OF KARITA THE ARTISTRY EXCELLENCE Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Franz Schubert (1797-1828) D DD 1 Widmung 2:18 17 Ave Maria 6:46 2 Der Nussbaum 3:02 Texte en français 3 Du bist wie eine Blume 1:57 Anton Dvorˇák (1841-1904) Deutsche Textbeilage 18 Song to the Moon (Rusalka) 5:25 Manufactured Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) in Austria. 4 Meine Liebe ist grün 1:34 Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) Unauthorised copying, 5 Vergebliches Ständchen 1:47 19 Ritorna vincitor (Aida) 6:29 hiring, lending, public 6 Der Gang zum Liebchen 1:29 performance and Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) broadcasting of this Oskar Merikanto (1868-1924) 20 Vissi d'arte (Tosca) 2:56 record prohibited. 7 Kun päivä paistaa / When the Sun Shines 1:59 Johann Strauss (1825-1899) Tracks previously 21 Klänge der Heimat released © 1995-2002. Erkki Melartin (1875-1937) (Die Fledermaus) 4:03 This compilation 8 Mirjamin laulu I / Miriam's Song I 1:47 2004 Ondine Inc. 9 Mirjamin laulu II / Miriam's Song II 2:54 Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) Helsinki 22 Somewhere (West Side Story) 3:38 Toivo Kuula (1883-1918) ODE 1054-2 Excellence 10 Aamulaulu / Morning Song 1:25 Frederick Loewe (1901-1988) 11 Syystunnelma / Autumn Mood 2:56 23 I Could Have Danced All Night (My Fair Lady) 2:32 Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) ODE 1054-2 12 Illalle / To Evening 1:27 [67:19] ONDINE Karita Mattila 13 Var det en dröm / Did I just Dream? 2:10 Karita Mattila, soprano 14 Den första kyssen / The First Kiss 2:04 Ilmo Ranta, piano (1-16) 15 Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, / The Tryst 3:02 Jukka-Pekka Saraste (18-21) 16 Svarta rosor / Black Roses 2:03 Tapiola Sinfonietta, Pekka Savijoki (22-23) Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Pertti Pekkanen (17) www.ondine.net Composite ODE_1054_cover 9.8.2004 14:31 Page 2 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Composite ”Gorgeous to behold, wondrous to hear,” was the verdict Brilliance, sensuality, warmth and healthy energy of the enchanted critic of the Sunday Times in London are widely acknowledged as the hallmarks of Karita upon hearing Finnish singer Karita Mattila as Elisabeth Mattila’s powerful lyrical-dramatic soprano voice and in the famous production of Verdi’s Don Carlos directed of her personality as a whole. However, outside Finland by Luc Bondy at Covent Garden in spring 1996. Star tones of nostalgia and sorrow are often heard in her soprano Karita Mattila captivates audiences all over the voice. She herself admits to a dark, melancholy streak world, but it seems that the British critics are the most in her personality. ”I am closer to deep Slavic waters inventive in praising her. When Karita Mattila gave a than to the Scandinavian world. I feel there is an invis- recital at the Barbican Centre in London, the reception ible mysticism in me.” was enthusiastic: ”a Finnish Venus”, ”more beautiful than One of her mystic features is no doubt her diversity, Greta Garbo,” ”acts like Vanessa Redgrave”. encompassing acting skills and language skills to an For Finnish audiences, Karita Mattila is above all a extent that has dazzled the musical world. She is always source of brilliance and bold joie de vivre, a wonderful willing to explore new facets of herself. blend of an uncorrupted country girl and a cosmopolitan Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Carl Maria von Weber, Richard woman. It is inspiring for Finns to hear how she has Strauss, Puccini, Tchaikovsky and Janácˇek are opera com- retained the dialect and outspoken language of her posers well known to her. Her Lied repertoire is extensive, native region. Her self-confi dence and extrovert nature featuring German Lieder and Finnish solo songs alike. She are something quite extraordinary from the Finnish also loves operetta, Lehár and Johann Strauss II, music cultural viewpoint. that serves as an outlet for her exuberance. Musicals are ~ 2 ~ 11054_Booklet_ID3054_Booklet_ID3 2 110.8.20040.8.2004 113:00:473:00:47 equally attractive to her. She is truly an all-round singer, would not be where I am now,” she said in the late 1990s and as such diffi cult to categorize. when she had already become one of the brightest star Karita Mattila’s roots are deep in the Finnish country- sopranos of her time. Vera Rozsa was greatly impressed side. Her home is a large farm in Perniö, a community by Karita Mattila’s determination and willpower, and in southwestern Finland. Being the only daughter in the she wondered where the young singer was drawing her family, she had to match up to her brothers, so much so strength and her capacity for withstanding risks. ”She is that she was obliged to attempt to outdo them in sports. almost too self-critical at times. She would not need to This struggle against their superiority engendered in her give so much of herself,” Vera Rozsa once said. a rebel spirit and the famous Finnish sisu, best translated At the Finnish National Opera, Karita Mattila made her as ’tenacity’. ”Singing gave me a channel to express début as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro in 1983. She my energy and my soul. It became a compulsion.” The obtained her fi rst foreign engagements in 1984, and in young Karita began to take singing lessons at the music 1986 she was already an international celebrity snowed institute in Salo, a nearby town. She did not immediately under with requests from all over the world. decide to take up singing as a career, since she was also During the fi rst ten years of her career, Karita Mattila interested in languages. became known above all as a Mozart singer, although Karita Mattila went on to study singing with Liisa as early as in 1985 she appeared as Eva in Wagner’s Die Linko-Malmio at the Sibelius Academy. She was only Meistersinger von Nürnberg in Brussels, and in 1987 as 21 when she won the national Lappeenranta Singing Amelia in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra in Helsinki. Competition in 1981. It was immediately obvious that this While singing Mozart, she gradually came to real- was one of the most talented Finnish singers ever. ize that her development as a singer was taking her She herself became convinced of her abilities with her elsewhere. Nevertheless, ten years passed after her sensational win of the fi rst Singer of the World competi- fi rst appearance as Eva before she decided to aban- tion organized by the BBC in Cardiff in 1983. Suddenly, don Mozart. She loved Mozart’s female roles with a the doors to international opera were open to her. Cardiff passion, but it was in Eva that she found her métier. was crawling with critics, agents and talent scouts from Eva gave her the courage to be herself and to trust in major opera houses and artist management agencies. herself as a singer. Karita Mattila saw the Cardiff competition as ”a very The role of Eva is considerably heavier than any- good dress rehearsal” for her future career, giving a young thing Mozart ever wrote, and it taught Karita Mattila singer the opportunity to gauge her abilities at an early much about technique and physical endurance. It was stage. ”You test your stage presence, your nerves, your ”a great physiology lesson” for her, teaching her how own limitations,” she explained for Opera magazine. all-important the link between the voice and the rest After winning in Cardiff, Karita Mattila was fortunate of the body is. She began to take physical exercise and to have the chance to study with the Hungarian-born fi tness training. Vera Rozsa, whom she greatly respects. ”Without her I The role of Chrysothemis in Richard Strauss’s Elektra, ~ 3 ~ 11054_Booklet_ID3054_Booklet_ID3 3 110.8.20040.8.2004 113:00:513:00:51 ~ 4 ~ 11054_Booklet_ID3054_Booklet_ID3 4 110.8.20040.8.2004 113:00:563:00:56 which she fi rst performed under Claudio Abbado at Sieglinde or Isolde. the Salzburg Easter festival in 1995, was a milestone Major conductors appreciate Karita Mattila highly, as in her career. ”I found new dimensions in my voice: I do leading directors, who value her acting skills and her could sing to my heart’s content. It was a liberating and love of theatre. She enjoys extensive rehearsal periods, wonderful experience.” and ensemble opera focusing on human relationships is In 1996, she appeared as Elisabeth de Valois in Verdi’s her ideal. Her colleagues admire her ability to immerse Don Carlos at the Châtelet Theatre in Paris, and in the herself in whichever role she is singing. She does not following year for the first time as Elsa in Wagner’s put on a solo performance on stage; instead, she is Lohengrin, fi rst in San Francisco and then in Paris. Having extremely sensitive to react to the tones and gestures sung the long and arduous role of Elsa, she realized that of other performers. She is capable of electrifying the it had been necessary to do Chrysothemis and Elisabeth entire stage, but she is also appreciated for her sense fi rst in order to be able to cope with the physical demands of humour and playfulness. of the role of Elsa. Karita Mattila has said that she needs at least one Karita Mattila has had the knack of taking the right new role each year to refresh herself and to remain roles at the right time, whenever she has felt herself active.