"Salminen's voice should need no description by now, simply the largest bass voice in captivity. It is not just its roar in powering over Wagner's maximum orchestra, but the way he carves the sonority and forms the color."

San Fransisco Chronicle
May 1989

Biography

Finnish bass Matti Salminen was born in Turku, Finland and received his early music education through singing with a children's chorus in elementary school. His teacher recognized his talent and took him to his first singing teacher, a coloratura soprano at the Finnish Opera in Helsinki. This, in turn, led to his being enrolled in the Sibelius Music Academy, from which he graduated with honors.

Although Salminen was 15 years old when he began to study voice seriously, less than two years later he was singing major roles in amateur performances. His voice developed quickly, and by the time he was 21, he was a member of the Finnish National Opera Chorus.

A government scholarship enabled Salminen to study with Luigi Ricci in Rome, and during that period, he learned every major dramatic role for bass voice. Consequently, when he was suddenly called upon to replace an ailing colleague as King Philip in Don Carlo, he was ready for the part and enjoyed such a resounding success that he was soon singing all of the major bass roles in the Finnish Opera's repetoire. The rest is history...

Matti Salminen is known as one of the world's leading bassos. His Hagen in Götterdamerung is unique and unsurpassed as are his Hunding, Rocco, Boris, King Philip, Commendatore, King Mark, etc.

He is in demand all over the world and two opera houses are fortunate to have him under contract Zurich and Berlin. The balance of the time, he spends between La Scala, the Vienna State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, the Chicago Lyric Opera, etc., as well as major international concert stages.

Mr. Salminen resides in Helsinki, Zurich, and Berlin. An ardent golfer, whenever he finds free time, it is spent on the golf course.