Seppo Ruohonen
{{Short description|Finnish opera singer (1946–2020)}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox artist
| honorific_prefix =
| name =
| honorific_suffix =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1946|04|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Turku, Finland
| baptised =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|03|01|1946|04|25|df=yes}}
| death_place = Vantaa, Finland
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| nationality =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| style =
| movement =
| spouse =
| partner =
| parents =
| father =
| mother =
| relatives = Matti and Teppo Ruohonen (brothers)
| family =
| awards = Pro Finlandia (2011)
| elected =
| patrons =
| memorials =
| website =
| module =
}}
Seppo Ruohonen (25 April 1946 — 1 March 2020) was a Finnish operatic tenor and voice pedagogue.{{cite web |title=Ruohonen, Seppo |url=https://uppslagsverket.fi/sv/sok/view-170045-RuohonenSeppo |website=Uppslagsverket.fi |access-date=1 May 2022 |language=sv}}{{cite news |title=Seppo Ruohonen on kuollut |url=https://www.is.fi/viihde/art-2000006429457.html |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=Ilta-Sanomat |date=6 March 2020 |language=fi}}{{cite news |title=Oopperalaulaja Seppo Ruohonen on kuollut |url=https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000006429652.html |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |date=6 March 2020 |language=fi}}
Education
Ruohonen trained initially under Lea Piltti, and later continued in Vienna at the Vienna State Opera school and the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst (now the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he obtained three separate degrees (opera, lied and oratorio, and voice), all with the highest available grade.{{cite news |title=Ruohosen veljessarjan vanhin, oopperalaulaja Seppo Ruohonen on kuollut – menehtyi syöpään viime sunnuntaina |url=https://www.hameensanomat.fi/uutiset/ruohosen-veljessarjan-vanhin-oopperalaulaja-seppo-ruohonen-on-kuollut-menehtyi-syopaan-viime-sunnuntaina-1085663/ |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=Hämeen Sanomat |date=6 March 2020 |language=fi}}
Career
Ruohonen's professional debut came in Turku in 1969, singing Don José's role in Carmen. He was afterwards signed by the Finnish National Opera, where he performed a total of 23 roles, in nearly 250 performances.{{cite web |title=Encore performance database: Seppo Ruohonen |url=https://encore.opera.fi/fi/person/2057 |publisher=Finnish National Opera |access-date=1 May 2022 |language=fi}} From 1978 to 1994 he was attached to Oper Frankfurt. He also had attachments to Vienna State Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin.{{cite news |title=Oopperalaulaja Seppo Ruohonen on kuollut |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11244444 |access-date=1 May 2022 |publisher=Yle |date=6 March 2020 |language=fi}} He furthermore appeared as guest in numerous productions in countries including the UK, France, Italy, USA and Russia, as well as at the Savonlinna Opera Festival. His career spanned over 40 years, and comprised over 100 major roles.
From 1999 to 2004, Ruohonen served as professor of opera coaching at the Sibelius Academy.
He also recorded extensively, across genres from opera and operetta to classical and religious music.
Awards and honours
In 2011, Ruohonen received the {{ill|Pro Finlandia|fi}} medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland.{{cite web |title=SUOMEN LEIJONAN PRO FINLANDIA -MITALIN SAAJAT 1945-2021 |url=https://ritarikunnat.fi/ritarikunnat/palkitut/suomen-leijonan-pro-finlandia-mitalin-saajat-aakkosjarjestyksessa/ |website=Ritarikunnat.fi |publisher=The Orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland |access-date=1 May 2022 |language=fi}}
Personal life
Seppo Ruohonen's younger brothers also sing professionally, as the pop and folk duo Matti ja Teppo. As children, they sang together at weddings and other events, and were later joined by future operatic bass Matti Salminen.
Ruohonen was nearly deaf in one ear, and would make sure to position himself on the stage so as to face the orchestra with his good ear.
He died in 2020 following a long battle with cancer; he was survived by wife and a daughter.
References
{{Portal|Finland|opera}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruohonen, Seppo}}
Category:20th-century Finnish opera singers
Category:Pro Finlandia Medals of the Order of the Lion of Finland