Biography:

Ritva Alina Auvinen-Kolehmainen ( 18 October 1932 in Sortavala – 2 January 2026 in Helsinki [ 1 ] [ 2 ] ) was a Finnish opera singer , with a soprano voice . [ 3 ]

Auvinen’s husband was Major General Pentti Kolehmainen . [ 4 ] Auvinen was the youngest of nine children, whose mother was musical. Auvinen had originally trained as a gymnastics teacher and began singing lessons when she was over 30 years old under Mirjam Helin . She gave her first concert in 1965. Her career included over 50 opera roles, and she also gave concerts abroad. [ 5 ] She also worked as a singing teacher at the Sibelius Academy and Stadia . Gustav Djupsjöbacka was her pianist in the concerts ; another long-term collaborator was Collin Hansen .

Auvinen received the Pro Finlandia medal in 1979.

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