Aino Ackté-Jalander

Born Apr. 23, 1876, in Helsinki; died Aug. 8, 1944, in Nummela, near Helsinki. Finnish singer (mezzo-soprano).

Ackté-Jalander was the daughter of E. C. Achté and the composer-singer L. N. Achté. She studied singing under her mother and at the Paris Conservatory and made her debut as a concert singer in 1893. From 1897 to 1903 she sang at the Grand Opera in Paris and during the years 1904–06 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. At the same time she appeared in Finnish opera theaters, as well as going on tours to Great Britain and other countries. Her roles included Elsa from Wagner’s Lohengrin and Elisabeth from the same composer’s Tannhäuser. She also sang the part of Tosca, from the Puccini opera of the same name, and other roles. In 1911 she founded an opera theater in Helsinki, which since 1956 has been the Finnish National Opera. She has written her memoirs.