Baritone Waltteri Torikka is one of Finland’s most acclaimed opera singers, known for his charisma, versatility, and artistic depth. A celebrated artist in Finland, he has received awards such as the HSBC Laureate at Aix-en-Provence, the Martti Talvela Award, and First Prize at the Lappeenranta Singing Competition. Torikka has performed widely with leading orchestras, including Kullervo at the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared with all major Finnish orchestras, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, and Camerata Salzburg, and toured with the Danish National Opera. Recent highlights include his debut as Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca at Vaasa Opera under Anna-Maria Helsing, a role he was praised for as “brilliant,” “powerful,” and “highly convincing.” This Summer, Torikka will make his debut as Ping in Puccini’s Turandot at the Savonlinna Opera Festival.
 
At the Finnish National Opera, Waltteri has performed pivotal roles, including Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte (2018), Danilo in Lehar’s The Merry Widow (2020), and a memorable appearance in the internationally acclaimed Covid fan tutte project. His versatility extends to concert performances, such as bass arias in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the New Trinity Baroque Orchestra in Novi Sad and Belgrade (2022), and Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder alongside Mozart arias at the Finnish Crusell Weeks in Uusikaupunki. That same year, he performed Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Vaasa City Orchestra, showcasing his mastery in sacred repertoire.
 
In 2023, Waltteri portrayed Jesus in Bach’s St. John Passion at Tampere Cathedral on Good Friday and delivered a celebrated performance as Papageno in The Magic Flute at the Savonlinna Opera Festival. He also performed a leading role in the premiere of People in Summer Night at the Hämeenkyrö Opera Festival, where he served as artistic director. At the beginning of 2024, he took on the role of Belcore in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore at the Jyväskylä Opera.
Earlier in his career, Waltteri earned acclaim for his role debut as Amfortas in Wagner’s Parsifal at the Turku Music Festival (2017), where he performed alongside Karita Mattila, Klaus Florian Vogt, and Matti Salminen. That same year, he sang Escamillo in Carmen and Mendelssohn’s Elias with the Jyväskylä Symphony, further solidifying his reputation as one of Finland’s leading baritones.
 
With a repertoire that spans opera, oratorio, and lieder, Waltteri Torikka continues to demonstrate his remarkable versatility and artistry, captivating audiences both in Finland and internationally. Waltteri Torikka’s operatic repertoire spans title roles in Don Giovanni, Eugene Onegin, and The Marriage of Figaro, as well as Papageno (The Magic Flute), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Escamillo (Carmen), and Amfortas (Parsifal). He has collaborated with conductors such as Mikko Franck, Anna-Maria Helsing, Leif Segerstam, Sakari Oramo, and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

An Emma Award-nominated artist, his 2024 album Songs by Oskar Merikanto (Ondine Records) was nominated for the 2025 Indie Awards Finland. In the 2024-2025 season, he reprises Don Giovanni at Savonlinna, premieres a monologue opera in Turku and Oulu, and returns to the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival.

Press reviews:

 
“Waltteri Torikka delivered a powerful long line in the Offertorium section… The brilliance of his upper register was captivating.” – Satakunnan Kansa, 2024

 
“Torikka’s rich baritone resonates beautifully, even against the more powerful orchestral passages. The first act’s concluding Te Deum with the choir is a dramatic and powerful climax.” – Vasabladet, 2025

 
“Torikka is very agile on stage and delivered a highly convincing performance as the ultimate villain… His unconventional, physical Scarpia certainly did not leave anyone cold.” – Pohjalainen, 2025

 
“Waltteri Torikka delivers a brilliant performance as the classic villain, Baron Scarpia.” – Kulttuuritoimitus, 2025

 
www.waltteritorikka.com

Updated February 2025