Finland can be justly proud of one of the finest operatic voices of the recent years. The soprano Karita Mattila began her singing studies under the direction of Liisa Linko-Malmio at the Sibelius Academy of Helsinki, and never fails to acknowledge the insight of her teaching and the solid technical basis that she passed on. Another first-class teacher, Vera Rozsa, with whom Karita Mattila was to take lessons in London from 1984 onwards, added the finishing touches to the voice, which in her hands became an exceptionally rich lyric-dramatic soprano, more than once described by the critics as having a "radiant" timbre.
"You should enjoy life, enjoy all you do and stay within your limits", Vera Rozsa would often say to her. Karita Mattila's career, a model of perception and intelligence in her choice of roles, is proof that she constantly bears this advice in mind, coming from one who formerly trained Kiri Te Kanawa, Lucia Popp and Ileana Cotrubas.
It was Mozart's music that first revealed the vocal and theatrical gifts of Karita Mattila, and she has always remained faithful to the composer: in 1999 she sings Donna Anna and in 2000 Fiordiligi at the Salzburg Festival.
Although Karita Mattila is passionately involved with grand dramatic roles, she also finds time to sing contemporary music by Finnish composers (for example, Jouni Kaipainen), and the Kaddish Symphony by Leonard Bernstein (her first recording with Erato) who, one may imagine, would have roundly applauded her fiery performance.