ELLI VALLINOJA

Biography

In June 2018 she received both the second price and the lied price in the international Haydn competition for classical lied and aria. In 2016 she was one of the finalists in international Zinka Milanov competition in Croatia and in international Wilhelm Stenhammar competition in Sweden. On national level competitions she is the winner of the first prize in Erkki Melartin Lied competition(2010) and the third prize in Kangasniemi Singing competition(2011).

Season 2017-2018 Elli Vallinoja appeared as Kate Pinkerton (G.Puccini: Madama Butterfly), Ines (G. Verdi: Il trovatore), Die Knappe and Blumenmädchen(R. Wagner: Parsifal) at The Finnish National Opera. She made her debut at FNO already year 2010 in the role of Emmie (B.Britten: Albert Herring). Other previous roles at the Finnish National Opera include Summer girl (A. Merikanto: Juha), Ida (J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus), Meg Giry (A. L. Webber: The Phantom of the Opera) and Mother/Janitor woman(T. Hietala: Miracle boy A).

Highlight of season 2016-2017 was Vallinoja’s well-received International debut as Ottavia in Opera de Lyon’s production of Monteverdi’s opera Incoronazione di Poppea. The production was also performed at Opera de Vichy and at the Royal opera of Versailles.

She has sung as an opera and concert soloist e.g. at Turku Music Festival, Turku City Theatre, Ilmajoki Music Festival, Mänttä Music Festival, and Lemi Music Festival. As a soloist she has performed e.g. in Mozart’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Händel’s Messiah. She sings also contemporary music and has world premiered pieces from Finnish composers such as Ville Matvejeff, Jukka Nykänen and Kirmo Lintinen.

Vallinoja is a grantee of Finnish Cultural foundation, Selim Eskelin foundation and Pro Musica foundation.

Photo Gallery

Nur die schöntönende Ottavia (Elli Vallinoja) meint alles blutig ernst, dafür geht sie dann auch in die Verbannung.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Nous avons particulièrement aimé l’interprétation du mezzo-soprano finnois Elli Vallinoja dans le rôle d’Octavie, la femme de Néron, parfaite tant quand elle dessine le rôle de la femme désespérée, que dans celle qui machine l’homicide de Poppée avant d’échouer et d’accepter le raison d’Etat et, donc, l’exil. Une véritable figure sombre qui s’oppose à la lumière terrifiante du mari.
Fabrizio Migliorati/teatro.persinsala.it 16.3.2017

L’Octavie d’Elli Vallinoja est également somptueuse de couleur et de tenue, particulièrement dans ses adieux à Rome.
David VERDIER/Altamusica.com 19.03.2017