Karita Mattila

[Rob A.]

So Karita Mattila...

I was listening to CBC -2 (Canadian radio) yesterday afternnoon (Saturday afternoon is devoted to opera) as drove into town to do a bit of grocery shopping...I tuned in ...a bit late, to an interview in progress...I didn't know for several minutes who was being interviewed... However, I was immediately attracted to the speaker's voice...a very slight accent which I could not discern as Finnish, and the manner in which she was speaking; so warm, earthy, pleasant and genuine...

Then I heard a reference to Finland...I listened more intently and then realized it was Karita Mattila...I hadn't previously heard her speaking... She seemed to be displaying very effectively what I consider the "Finnish sensibility." The whole interview was very nice and it ended with her singing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend"...from the album featuring a concert held in Helsinki on her 40th birthday in 2000....

So I'm curious... What is her reputation in Finland? We all know that divas are often chronic, high-strung overachievers with bad tempers and bad moods... So is that her real personna?? Or is she just so attuned with her culture she can pull off the "Finnish sensibility" thing to great effect??...

Oh and the interviewer asked her to say a few lines in Finnish...although I couldn't really understand it, I did clearly understand a few words...

[Hank W.]

Yes well if you are into opera or tune to some YLE granny-channel you might have actually heard her sing. Otherwise I'd gone "who?"... She's more known internationally methinks. Too small circles here. She don't sing tango so shes... well... unless you're into opera... I think she holds the record sales numbers of "classical music" by a Finnish singer and theres some sort of award in her name.

[Jukka Aho]

Yes well if you are into opera or tune to some YLE granny-channel you might have actually heard her sing. Otherwise I'd gone "who?"... She's more known internationally methinks.

I don’t know if she really does, but I’d characterize her as a person who would probably get featured in the local women’s magazines (Anna, Eeva, Me Naiset, ...) with some regularity.

I’m thinking of the standard women’s magazine “human interest” stories here... where they’ll meet the interviewee at her home, ask her about her latest professional projects (and “life philosophy”, perhaps letting her relate some personal anecdote or the other), and shoot photos of her living room, fireplace and pets... and after reading the story you realize you have just lost 10 minutes of your life and got none wiser.

[sammy]

I'm not too familiar with her output, but her name (if not the music) is quite well-known here I think, even among many of those who wouldn't touch opera with a long stick. However I can't seem to remember any anecdotes about her personality, whether she's a diva or not. I don't follow the opera scene much at all I'm afraid, not quite my cup of tea.

Just for your information, she's just recently released a "light" music album, including music by the likes of Gershwin, Porter and Rodgers. If you're into such fare, it could be worth investigating.


http://www.ondine.net/index.php?lid=en&cid=2.2&oid=3321

(haven't heard that album myself - merely spotted the ads on the underground train )

Btw if you're into classical and would like to check out another Finnish songster, take out your notebook and pencil now: Monica Groop. I've heard her "do" Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde some years back - fantastic. But hers is a darker voice than that of Marita Kattila I presume.

[Hank W.]

but I’d characterize her as a person who would probably get featured in the local women’s magazines (Anna, Eeva, Me Naiset, ...) with some regularity.

No wonder, I read only mens magazines Jallu, Kalle, Ratto...

Actually the name is not unknown but honestly I'd never heard her sing. That "light music" record might get airplay on groove.fm though so I'm waiting to get educated...

[sammy]

No wonder, I read only mens magazines Jallu, Kalle, Ratto...

Well they can provide another way of losing 10 minutes of a man's life But as far as I know Ms Mattila hasn't appeared on any such "feature"...

Actually the name is not unknown but honestly I'd never heard her sing. That "light music" record might get airplay on groove.fm though so I'm waiting to get educated...

Dunno, would need to hear the album first before commenting - however I fear that (at least for me) her operatic style might not be what those particular songs call for... but that's just a question of personal taste. I'm sure that she does her thing professionally.

[Hank W.]

Well, the page you linked to has two samples... if thats someones cup of tea in that case I'm a mormon.

[sammy]

Well, the page you linked to has two samples...

Right, so it does. Hmm... it's not quite as operatic as I'd expected (judging by Blue Moon) - but still, give me a crooner version like that of Mel Tormé anytime... no offence, Ms Mattila

[Paul_D]

What is her reputation in Finland?

She does not perform much in Finland. Why? Because she's so good that she can perform on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York...

Don't get me wrong, I am not being sarcastic. she is really extremely good, she's considered as being currently the best female opera-singer from Finland. If she performs on the biggest opera stages of the world, she earns a great amount of money, a great recognition and she can even become part of the history of opera. Why would she have said "no" to being rich and famous...?

Tabloids, as far as I can guess (I don't read Finnish), are quite respectful towards the opera singers and classical musicians. So, she has her career and life abroad, she's considered as the Greatest, and there's not much to add, and not much to know for Finns...

More info there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karita_Mattila

/Paul

[EP]

She performs in Finland at least once a year. She decided already early in her career that even with full bookings from the Metropolitans and La Scalas of this world, Finland will always get a piece.

There is not a tiniest bit of diva in her, she would be best described as "hyvä jätkä". A bit foul-mouthed, though, "perkele" creeps into her speech regularly. Plus other "colourful" expressions. She also has a thick Turku dialect. A diva would never strip herself stark naked on the stage of Metropolitan (Salome), and later in the interview worry if she managed to keep her stomach in, or did it hang out.

And sure, there are interviews in magazines (not just women´s magazines), but never about pets (she has none), wardrobe (she loves clothes) or her home. People don´t even know where her Finland-home is (somewhere near Turku).

All in all, she seems to be as healthy between the ears as one can get.

[sinikettu]

An interesting article from the Int Hesa..

http://www2.hs.fi/english/archive/news. ... 010904IE14

One bit of musical trivia..She was born in Somero. (see the Wiki link)...so was...Rauli Badding..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rauli_Somerjoki

Regarding her performance in Finland...there have been quite a few..she come here every year.
...always sold out..
She has made quite a number of recording in Finnish...but she is an "international" in all senses of the word so Finns just have to share her enormous talent with the rest of the world..

[sammy]

A bit foul-mouthed, though, "perkele" creeps into her speech regularly. Plus other "colourful" expressions. She also has a thick Turku dialect.

Well her version of the aria of the Contessa ("porgi amor") in Le Nozze di Figaro might be worth hearing then...

Perkele, amor, qualche ristoro
kui mio duolo, a' miei sospir.
Onk mi rendi il mio tesoro,
ei sunkka, o mi lascia simmottis morir...

(couldn't find Mattila so you'll need to listen to the Kiwi lady singing...)

[sammy]

There is not a tiniest bit of diva in her

Interestingly, this article on Virtual Finland describes her as a (down-to-earth) Diva... however, the following is quite telling - re: what you said about being "healthy between her ears"... this confirms it IMO

Mattila 'only' works about 45-60 nights of the year. There is far more demand for her than that, but she keeps her voice in good shape with exactly the right mix of work and rest. "My agent said didn't I want to make more money in all that free time. I replied, no. I told my husband he wouldn't get rich living with me, but we'd have a nice life," the Finnish star laughed at a press conference in April.

[EP]

Aren´t big opera stars always called divas? Whether they behave diva-like or not. Mattila behaves sane, very down-to-earth, and fun. And she laughs a lot.

I think the sentence in the beginning of VirtualFinland article describes her way of speaking quite well: ""I have come to a point where I can concentrate my appearances in New York, London, Paris and Salzburg. Not the !"#¤% places in the world, are they?" Although in Finnish she sounds way more colourful.

[Rob A.]

She performs in Finland at least once a year. She decided already early in her career that even with full bookings from the Metropolitans and La Scalas of this world, Finland will always get a piece.

There is not a tiniest bit of diva in her, she would be best described as "hyvä jätkä". A bit foul-mouthed, though, "perkele" creeps into her speech regularly. Plus other "colourful" expressions. She also has a thick Turku dialect. A diva would never strip herself stark naked on the stage of Metropolitan (Salome), and later in the interview worry if she managed to keep her stomach in, or did it hang out.

And sure, there are interviews in magazines (not just women´s magazines), but never about pets (she has none), wardrobe (she loves clothes) or her home. People don´t even know where her Finland-home is (somewhere near Turku).

All in all, she seems to be as healthy between the ears as one can get.

...in other words a genuine, earthy Finn, and in this case, with an enormous talent... This is nice hear, I did think she was being "real"...it was a good interview, though I didn't hear a single "Perkele"... As I tuned in late I'm not sure when it took place...but probably recently...her speaking voice with just the slightest hint of an accent, was to my ears beautiful, and when she sang (from the 2000 Helsinki concert) , "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend"...it really was exquisite...the "feeling"... ...And that was on a auotmobile speaker system...

I'm not really an opera fanatic, and I usually stick pretty close to the old "classics"...Mozart, Puccini, Rossini, Verdi, and above all, IMHO, Wagner...Who can not be moved by "Die Walküre"??... Anyway, I know what I like...and Mattila ranks right up there with the best...

I picked this out of the wiki article:

Among the awards she has received is one of France’s highest cultural honours, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (2003).

Say what you like, but you know you've "arrived", if the French are impressed...