Petri Bäckström, tenor

Petri Bäckström studied on the degree programme in vocal music at the Sibelius Academy as a student of Jorma Hynninen and has taken further studies at Renato Federighi's summer academy in Rome. He was a finalist in the Timo Mustakallio Competition in 2000 and a finalist in the Lappeenranta Singing Competition in 2002. In addition, Bäckström received a special award at the Merikanto Singing Competition of the Art Centre Salmela in 2001.

Bäckström made his debut at the Finnish National Opera in 2001 as Nick in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, since when he has performed regularly at the Finnish National Opera in roles such as the lead in Kung Karls Jatkt (King Charles’ Hunt) by Fredrik Pacius, Prunier in Puccini’s La Rondine, Pang in Turandot, Faninal’s Major-Domo and Innkeeper in Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss, as well as Chekalinsky in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades. His roles in the season 2009 to 2010 included Bardolfo in Verdi’s Falstaff and the Hunter in Dvorák’s Rusalka. Bäckström’s roles at the Savonlinna Opera Festival have included Normanno in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, A young sailor in Wager’s Tristan and Isolde, as well as Spalanzani in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, and Monostatos in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. He has also performed in the lead role of Oulu Opera’s Tales of Hoffmann, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, which was performed in Turku, and as Rodolfo in the performance of La Bohème by Kuopio Opera.

As an opera singer, Bäckström is known as a dramatic artist who gives everything to the role. This ability has also made him a sought-after interpreter of Finnish operas and a popular visitor on the stages of music theatres.  He has performed in the role of Antti in Madetoja’s opera The Ostrobothnians in the 30th anniversary performance of the Ilmajoki Music Festival, and in the lead role in the premiere of To Helsinki! by Pasi Lyytikäinen. Bäckström has also been highly praised for his role as Priidik the forester in the opera the Wolf’s Bride by Tauno Pylkkänen and Leo in the opera Fitness composed by Kirmo Lintinen for the Helsinki Festival. Some of his most recent performances include Lotta Wennäkoski’s song cycle intended for children, Ämpärilumikki (2008), Paul Abraham's operetta Ball at the Savoy (2009), performed by Kerava Opera, and the music theatre performance of Hamburger Börs (2010) at Turku City Theatre.

Bäckström’s future dramatic roles include roles in the new opera Eric XIV by Mikko Heiniö for the Turku European Capital of Culture year and the multimedia opera entitled The Great Conspiracy Opera produced by Helsinki Skaala Opera.

Concert roles undertaken by the versatile tenor have included Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, Janá?ek’s opera From the House of the Dead, the requiems by Verdi and Mozart, Liszt’s Faust Symphony and Pekka Kostiainen’s Triduum Paschale. He has performed with several orchestras and choirs in Finland, such as the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Oulu Sinfonia, and Kuopio Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist with the YL Male Voice Choir. He has worked with conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Leif Segerstam, Pertti Pekkanen, Juha Kangas, Hannu Lintu and Mikko Franck. Bäckström’s recordings include Einojuhani Rautavaara’s The House of the Sun for Naxos and the Christmas disc ‘Joulun hohde’ with the Vantaa Pops orchestra for Ondine, as well as A Madrigal Opera by Philip Glass produced by Helsinki Skaala Opera.

FUTURE PERFORMANCES 2012:

FITTNESS Light Opera
Co-operation Ooppera Skaala, Åbo Svenska Teater ja Savoy-teatteri

ÅBO SVENSKA TEATER
Savoy-teatteri, Aurakatu 10, Turku
la 28.4.2012 klo 18 (ensi-ilta)
ma 30.4. klo 19
ke 2.5. klo 19
la 5.5. klo 16

SAVOY-TEATTERI
Savoy-teatteri, Kasarmikatu 46-48, Helsinki
ti 8.5. klo 19
ke 9.5. klo 19

Savonlinna Opera Festival 2012: The Magic Flute and Aida


AMONG PAST PERFOMANCES:

Tampere Opera 2012: Wagner, Tannhäuser

Turku Music Festival: Mikko Heiniö, Eric XIV (Word premiere)

Turku City Theatre: Hamburger Börs
Helsinki Skaala Opera: The Great Conspiracy Opera

RECORDINGS:

Ondine:
Vantaa Pops, Joulun hohde

Naxos:
Einojuhani Rautavaara, The House of the Sun

Helsinki Skaala Opera: Philip Glass, A Madrigal Opera