Lilli Paasikivi
Ian Stones
Catherine Znak
“Lilli Paasikivi practically stole the show. She was well-nigh perfect.”
(The New York Sun)
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Lilli Paasikivi is known as a true multi-tasker of culture — active as an opera and concert singer, artistic director, lecturer, performance coach and specialist in cultural issues. She was a member of the ensemble of Finnish National Opera from 1998 to 2013 where opera roles included Carmen, Amneris, Eboli and Fricka and during which time she carved out a high profile international career taking her to the world’s leading concert stages with the New York Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker and Los Angeles Philharmonic and working with conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Michael Tilson Thomas, Ricardo Chailly, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Paavo Järvi and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Celebrated for her performances of the Mahler song-cycles and symphonies, Lilli Paasikivi also champions the music of her homeland with a concert repertoire including Sibelius’ epic Kullervo, his incidental music The Tempest and The Maiden in the Tower, and Migrations by Olli Kortekangas which she premiered with the Minnesota Orchestra under the baton of Osmo Vänskä. She sang the role of Alexandra Fyodorovna in the world-premiere of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Rasputin at Finnish National Opera Orchestra conducted by Mikko Franck, appeared as Cordelia in Aulis Sallinen’s King Lear also at Finnish National Opera, sang the role of the Pilgrim in the French-premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s L’amour de loin at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées under Kent Nagano and most recently, appeared as the title in Eeva Kontu’s new work Armi Ratia – an operatic portrait of the legendary founder of the Finnish design house Marimekko.
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An extensive discography includes The Dream of Gerontius with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Ashkenzay); Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (Chailly); Mahler’s Symphony No.2 with Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (Paavo Järvi); Mahler’s Symphony No.3 with Philharmonia Orchestra (Zander); Mahler’s Symphony No.8 with Berliner Philharmoniker (Abbado); Kullervo with Lahti Symphony Orchestra (Vänskä); and Alma Mahler’s Complete Songs arranged and conducted by Jorma Panula.
Performances in the 2023/24 season include Berio Folk Songs with Finnish National Opera Chamber Ensemble, Les nuits d’été with both the Vaasa City Orchestra conducted by Tomas Djupsjobacka and the Kuopio City Orchestra under Eugene Tzigane and Mahler’s Symphony No.8 with Helsinki Philharmonic under Jukka Pekka Saraste.
Lilli Paasikivi held the position of Artistic Director of Opera at the Finnish National Opera from 2013 – 2023 and will take up the position of Artist Director of the Bregenzer Festspiele from October 2024. She was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal in 2008 in recognition of her artistic achievements and in 2017 she received the Commander’s Badge by the Order of the Lion of Finland.
“Kontu takes skillfully into consideration the voice type and personality of the soloists. The role of Armi was written for mezzosoprano Lilli Paasikivi, who had already finished her singing career. Fortunately this decision did not last, since the role of mature Armi is one of the best in her career. Her stage presence is so strong, that it held the audience in her grip even in those scenes, where she did not sing.”
“Lilli Paasikivi is one of the leading interpreters of the Mahler song-cycles and symphonies, and it was a delight to witness her performance with QSO – she directed her gaze across the entire hall, enunciating clearly and engaging the audience with her movements and gestures.”
“Lilli Paasikivi, singing with burnished warmth as [Kullervo’s] Sister.”
“… the mezzo soloist in the central scena for Kullervo and his sister/lover is the thrilling Lilli Paasikivi”
“In the final, monumental song, Der Abschied (the farewell), her performance rose gradually in intensity, weaving in and out of the complex yet transparent orchestration, until the extraordinary peroration, Allüberall und ewig blauen licht die Fernen!; that passage which famously Kathleen Ferrier couldn’t sing without breaking down in tears. Well, Paasikivi didn’t break down, but there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience at the end of the concert. It was unspeakably moving, one of the finest performances of this wonderful piece that I have ever heard.”
“Lilli Paasikivi as the Finnish Farmer’s wife threatened, with crunching consonants — “Rämäksi reen rekutan!” – to chop up Kullervo’s sleigh; but then flexed the giant wind sail that is her warm mezzo-soprano voice in the farewell song.”
“Lilli Paasikivi was the breathtaking mezzo, beautiful in tone and infinitely noble of utterance.”
“On retrouve le mezzo Lilli Paasikivi, dont la ligne vocale somptueusement menée bénéficie d’une riche expressivité.”