TUOMAS KATAJALA Tenor
Stravinky´s Oedipus Rex (Oedipe)
Sinfonica di Milano 4.-7.5.2023
”The Finnish tenor Tuomas Katajala, whose operatic repertoire ranges from Mozart to Wagner and Weber, already applauded on these boards a few months ago in the second act of Parsifal, plays the role of the protagonist (Oedipus). Katajala stands out for his ringing, homogeneous and soft emission, voluminous and with a bright metal, well projected and of seductive clear and malleable texture. The effectiveness and care in presenting the word, the clarity in diction, the ease in the high notes, and the interpretive elegance are also appreciated, qualities showcased from the opening aria "Liberi, vos liberabo a peste". At the end, there was a warm and enthusiastic success from the large audience present in the hall, with peaks of enthusiasm for Katajala and Maestro Boreyko.”
Stefano Balbiani /
Connesiallopera.it
Wagner´s Lohengrin at Savonlinna Opera Festival 2024
Für Stoffe wie Richard Wagners „Lohengrin“ könnte der Bau bühnenbildnerisch nicht besser erdacht sein. Der Abend fegt jeden Vorbehalt gegen die „Provinz“ vom Tisch, so stark ist der musikalische Eindruck. In Tuomas Katajala findet sich ein Titelheld, der sich mit einer Mühelosigkeit über das Orchester hinwegsetzt, dass man kaum glauben mag, es handele sich um ein Rollendebüt.”
- Von Robin Passon / Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Photo Heikki Tuuli
Mahler´s Das Lied von der Erde /
Teatro alla Scala Milano 10.9.2023
”Tuomas Katajala is a tenor with a clear and homogeneous voice, very effective and euphoric in outlining the verses of his Lieds”
- Emiliano Michelin / Operaclick.com
Teatro alla Scala Milano 10.9.2023 / Mahler´s Das Lied von der Erde
"Heading The opening of Das Trinklied von Jammer der Erde gallops with the first calls of the brass, but Tuomas Katajala has no trouble bringing forth his radiant vocal quality, even tinting the passages where he sings about the pains of life and the certainty of death with humor. In Von der Jugend, Katajala and the orchestra engage in a genuine quarrel that recalls the joyful spirit of Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Similarly, in Der Trunkene im Frühling, the tenor speaks of comfort 'in the bottle' as if he were possessed by a divine lesson" -Alessandro Arnoldo / Artesnews.it
News & upcoming and recent events
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June & July 2025
Mussorgsky´s Boris Godunov / Grigory
Savonlinna Opera Festival
Conductor, Dima Slobodeniouk
Director, Nicola Raab
June & July 2023
Wagner´s Das Rheingold / Loge
Orchestre of the Music Makers
Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore
Conductor, Joshua Kangming Tan
Director, Tang Xinxin
May 2025
Wagner´s Der fliegende Holländer / Erik
Luxembourg Philharmonic
Grand Auditorium & Bozar, Brussels
Orchestre Philharmonique
du Luxembourg and Polish Radio Choir
Conductor, Tarmo Pelkoski
May 2023
Stravinsky´s Oedipus Rex / Oedipus
with Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano at Auditorium di Milano Fondazione
Cariplo & Conductor, Andrey Boreyko
April & May 2025
Strauss´s Die Liebe der Danae / Pollux
Teatro Carlo Felice Genova
Conductor, Fabio Luisi & Michael Zlabinger
Director, Laurence Dale
February & March/April 2025
Weber´s Der Freischütz / Max
Oper Leipzig
Conductor, Yura Yang
Director, Christian von Götz
December & January 2025
Concerts of Beethoven´s 9th Symphony
Orchestra National Capitole Toulouse
Conductor, Tarmo Peltokoski
Tenor, Tuomas Katajala
February & March & April 2023
Theater an der Wien
A new production of Weber´s Der Freischütz / Max
Conductor, Patrick Lange Director & Stage, David Marton.
A New year concerts 2023 Beethoven´s 9th Symphony with Vienna Symphony Orchestra at Wiener Konzerthaus & conductor
Klaus Mäkelä.
December 2022
Wagner´s Parsifal / Parsifal
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano at
Auditorium di Milano Fondazione Cariplo & Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado
October 2022
Britten´s Serenade with Orchestre Philharmonique de la France at Paris Maison de la Radio Grand Auditorium & Conductor Mikko Franck
October 2022
Mahler Das Lied von der Erde
Chamber Orchestra Kremerata Baltica
Dresden Hautbahnhof Main Hall
Conductor Fuad Ibrahimov
September 2024
G. Mahler´s Symphony No. 8 /
Tenor, Doctor Marianus
Teatro Nacional de Sâo Carlos
Orchestra Sinfónica Portuguesa
Coro Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
Conductor, Antonio Pirolli
August 2022
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Mozart´s Requiem
Conductor Hannu Lintu
Helsinki Music Centre
August 2024
Mussorgsky´s Khovanshshina /
Andrey Khovansky
Helsinki Music Center
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conductor, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Director, Gerard McBurney
June / July 2024Savonlinna Opera Festival
Wagner´s Lohengrin / Lohengrin
The Opera Festival Orchestra
Conductor, Stephan Zilias
Director, Roman Hovenbitzer
May 2024Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation,
Lisbon / Grand Auditorium
Beethoven´s Symphony Nro. 9
Conductor, Joana Carneiro
Gulbenkian Orchestra & Choir
December/January/February 2024
Poulenc´s Dialogues des Carmélites
The role of Chevalier de la Force
Finnish National Opera
Director, Olivier Py
Conductors, Hannu Lintu and James
Sherlock
November 2023
Duomo di Milano
Mahler´s Symphony No. 8
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano
Conductor, Claus Peter Flor
Tenor, Tuomas Katajala
June 2022
The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
& conductor Tarmo Peltokoski
Open-air concert in Classic Festival
Summer in Lesmona, Bremen
April 2022
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Bach´s St. John´s Passion / Evangelist
Gulbenkian Orchestra and Choir
Conductor Florian Helgath
March 2022
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Alfred Schnittke´s Faust Kantate
Orchestra e Coro dell´Accademia
Conductor Antonio Pappano
Canceled / COVID
December & January & February 2021/2022
Strasbourg Opéra National du Rhin
Braunfels`s Die Vögel / Hoffegut
a new production & FRENCH PREMIERE
September & October & November 2021
Bolshoi Theatre Moscow
Mozart´s Don Giovanni / Don Ottavio
(a new production)
Conductor Tugan Sokhiev
April & May 2021
Opéra de Lyon, France
Weber´s Der Freischütz / Max
(a new production)
Canceled / COVID
Teatro alla Scala, Milano
Mahler´s Das Lied von der Erde
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano
Conductor, Andrey Boreyko
Tenor, Tuomas Katajala
Bariton Georg Nigl
September 2023
February & March 2021
London Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Wagner´s Der Fliegende Holländer
Steuermann & Erik
Canceled / COVID
Finnish tenor Tuomas Katajala is one of the most versatile and sought after tenors and makes remarkable career equally in the opera, oratorio, concert and lied genres.
He has performed over 100 oratorio, orchestra and lied pieces from baroque to contemporary music.
In the season 2024/25 includes the role of Andrey Khovansky/Khovanshchina under baton Esa-Pekka Salonen at Helsinki Music Festival and at Berwardhallen in Stockholm, He will sing the role of Pollux in Strauss’ Die Liebe der Danae at Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa with Fabio Luisi and Michael Zlabinger.
Katajala will perform the roles of Max / Der Freischütz at Opera Leipzig, the role of Erik / Der fliegende Holländer at Grande Auditorium in Luxembourg and at Bozar in Brussels with conductor Tarmo Peltokoski, and the title role of Idomeneo at Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and also at Helsinki Music Centre. In addition, he can be heard in Mahler’s Symphony no 8 at Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon as well as in the New Year's concerts of Beethoven’s Symphony no 9 in Toulouse with Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse.
In the season 2023/2024 included among others a critically acclaimed debut in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde at Teatro alla Scala in Milan with conductor Andrey Boreyko, the title role of Lohengrin at Savonlinna Opera Festival under baton Stephan Zilias,
Mahler´s Symphony No. 8 with Sinfonica di Milano at Duomo di Milano (Mahler Festival) with conductor Claus Peter Flor, The Role of Erik / Der fliegende Holländer at Nacional Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and Beethoven 9th Symphony at Gulbenkian Foundation Joana Carneiro.
In the season 2022/2023 Engagements included among others Parsifal at Auditorium di Milano Fondazione Cariplo with Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano under baton Pablo Heras-Casado, a New Year concerts of Beethoven´s 9th Symphony at Wiener Konzerthouse with Wiener Symphoniker & conductor Klaus Mäkelä, a new production of Weber's Der Freischütz, role of Max at Theater an der Wien, Britten Sérénade Op.31 at Paris Maison de la France Grand Auditorium with Orchestre Radio de la France & conductor Mikko Franck, Stravinky´s Oedipus Rex (Oedipus) at Auditorium di Milano Fondazione Cariplo with Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano & conductor Andrey Boreyko and Das Lied von der Erde in Dresden with Kremerata Baltica.
Recent events
 Teatro alla Scala MilanoMahler´s Das Lied von der Erde 10.9.2023 |  A. Schnittke Faust Kantate & Antonio PappanoAccademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Conductor Antonio Pappano, Tenor Tuomas Katajala, Orchestra and chorus dell´Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Performs 17th, 18th and 19th of March 2022. |  Wiener KonzerthausA New Year concerts 2023 at Wiener Konzerthaus / Beethoven´s 9th Symphony with Wien Symphony Orchestra & conductor Klaus Mäkelä. |  Teatro alla Scala MilanoMahler´s Das Lied von der Erde 10.9.2023 |  Wagner ParsifalAuditorium di Milano Fondazione Cariplo, conductor Pablo Heras-Casado, Tuomas Katajala Parsifal, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, 15. and 16.12.2022 |  London Royal Opera House Covent GardenRoyal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, Steurmann & Erik / Tuomas Katajala Performs Febrary & March 2021, CANCELLED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Stravinsky Oedipus RexAuditorium di Milano Fondazione Cariplo, counductor Andrey Boreyko, tenor Tuomas Katajala (Oedipus), Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, 3.,4. and 7.5.2023 |  Paris Maison de la Radio Grand HallBritten´s Serenade at Maison de la Radio Paris - Grand Hall with l´Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France & conductor Mikko Franck. 14.10.2022 |  Das Rheingold / LogeEsplane Concert Hall Singapore, conductor Joshua Kangming Tan, director Tang Xinxin, Tuomas Katajala Loge, Orchestra of the Music Makers, 8.7.2023 |  Theater an der WienA New production of Der Freischütz / MAX at Theater an der Wien in February & March 2023. Conductor Patrick Lange and Producer & Stage David Marton. |  W.A. Mozart / Don Giovanni (a new production)Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Conductor Tugan Sokhiev, Director Semyon Spivak, Don Ottavio Tuomas Katajala, Performs 3.,4.,5.,6.,and 7. of November 2021. |  The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie BremenThe Deutsche Kammerphilhamonie Bremen & conductor Tarmo Peltokoski. Summer in Lesmona / Open-air Classic Festival in Bremen 17.6.2022 |
 W. Braunfels Die Vögel (French premiere)Opéra national du Rhin, Strasbourg, Conductors Sora Elisabeth Lee and Aziz Shokhakimov, Director Ted Huffman, Hoffegut Tuomas Katajala, Performs 19.1.- 22.2.2022. |  Potsdam Kammerakademie Orchestra concertThe concert at Schlosstheater Neues Palais, Conductor Antonello Manacorda, Tenor Tuomas Katajala, Orchestra Potsdam Kammerakademie, 27.3.2022 |  C.M. von Weber Der Freischütz (a new production)Opéra de Lyon, Conductor Daniele Rustioni, Director Dmitri Tcherniakov, Max Tuomas Katajala, Performs 20.5.-2.6.2020, CANCELLED |  W.A. Mozart / IdomeneoTHE ISRAELI OPERA, TEL AVIV, Conductor Michele Gamba, Director Kasper Holten, Idomeneo Tuomas Katajala. 20., 21., 23., 24., 25., 27., 28., 29., 31. of January 2020 |
Watch and listen
L.V. Beethoven`s Symphony No. 9 with Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra & conductor Klaus Mäkelä / Live recording
L.V. Beethoven`s Missa Solemnis with Finnish
Radio Symphony Orchestra & conductor Hannu Lintu / Live recording
B. Britten´s Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Corn and strings with Orchestre Radio de la France at Paris Maison de la Radio Grand Auditorium & conductor Mikko Franck /
Live recording.
The season opening live concert of Britten´s Nocturne Op. 60 with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra at Helsinki Music Centre, cond. Hannu Lintu.
Nocturne: 22.00-55.00
G. Mahler Symphony No. 8
with Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra & conductor Hannu Lintu /
Live recording at Helsinki Music Centre
Wagner`s Das Rheingold,
Loge Tuomas Katajala.
New Ring at Finnish National Opera, conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Reviews
Savonlinna Opera Festival 2024 / Lohengrin
"Elsa and Lohengrin, the opera's main roles, built a perfect vocal ensemble.
The other pillar of the opera is Lohengrin's Grail story at the end, when he finally reveals his name. Tuomas Katajala elevated it to sublime power with his strong interpretation, while usually tenors' strength starts to wane at this stage."
Eero Tarasti, Amfion.fi
"In his debut in the title role of Lohengrin, Tuomas Katajala's pure and direct tenor voice also possesses the dramatic power required by Wagner."
Samuli Tiikkaja, Hs.fi
"Tuomas Katajala makes a great debut in the demanding and significant role of Lohengrin. Katajala's voice resonates freely, strongly, and high, with seemingly endless power. The large role fits Katajala well, and the image of the mythical knight is clearly depicted. Katajala's Lohengrin is a distant figure, an unknown savior who does not live in the same reality as the original inhabitants of Brabant.
Riitta-Leena Lempinen-Vesa / Ita-savo.fi
Finnish National Opera / Das Rheingold / Loge
”From the role debuts the most impressive one is Tuomas Katajala's Loge. With his expressive tenor voice he shows the demigod's intelligence, guile and insurgency.”
Harri Kuusisaari / rondoclassic, rondo.fi
"Possibly the best singing of all was delivered by Tuomas Katajala as the red-haired Loge. Seemingly effortless beauty of tone and expressive acting characterised his performance."
Göran Forsling / Seenandheard.com
"...while Tuomas Katajala's Loge wavers in a credible way between excitement and melancholy or whispering, always with a clear and warm tenor voice."
Andreas Wahlberg / Olyrix.com
”Den som dock främst sticker ut är tenoren Tuomas Katajala som Loge. Även om man kan tänka sig
att rollens dubbelhet i sig öppnar upp för en mer spännande prestation, har Katajala också en röst,
även om han kanske inte äger den mest klassiska Wagner-stämman, och ett agerande som gör hans
prestation till den mest minnesvärda"
Bodil Hasselgren / Capriccio.se
London Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / The Magic Flute / Tamino
"Tuomas Katajala, at the awakening of his character, extend this euphony thanks to the agility of his technic and the warmth of his tone quality. Hero on a full quest or enchanter musician, he imposes also his stage presence when Tamino is forced to shut up. His duos with Pamina, the soprano Janai Brugger, are precisely done, their vocal lines always regular."
Céline Wadoux, Olyrix.com
Opera National du Rhin
The French Premiere of Braunfels Die Vögel / Hoffegut
” The Finnish tenor Tuomas Katajala is the big discovery of the evening, since his equally easy and radiant singing illuminates each line. The timbre’s beauty, as well as the clarity of phonation are a constant delight.
Classiquenews.com / Florent Coydeyrat
”It's the tenor Tuomas Katajala who convinces the most: clear and powerful timbre, concern for the text, clarity of pronunciation.”
Resmusica.com / Michel Thomé
”The voice of the day is the one of Tuomas Katajala, a bright and very sharp tenor voice whose art of phrasing and musicality in every instant wins all the votes.”
Anaclase.com / Berntrand Bolognesi
”In the role of Hoffegut, Tuomas Katajala projects a clear and bright voice, with a full-bodied timbre, with a vivid and light vibrato, in a very lyric phrasing carried by a powerful breath.”
Olyrix.com / Damien Dutilleul
”From the stage stand out the precise and virtuoso soprano voice of Marie-Eve Munger, the warm and amber tenor voice of Tuomas Katajala”
LeFigaro.com
I´Orchestre Philharmonique Radio France
& Mikko Fracnk / Grand Auditorium Paris
Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings places the Finnish tenor Tuomas Katajala and horn player Antoine Dreyfuss face to face in a colorful dialogue where the words flow back and forth between them. The two soloists deliver a perfectly convincing interpretation of this original exchange, where one can admire the vocal qualities of Tuomas Katajala, whose timbre, power, and diction are discovered in Paris, as well as the beautiful, nuanced sound and virtuosity of Antoine Dreyfuss, the horn soloist of the orchestra.
Patrice Inbaut / ResMusica.com
European Tour with Paris Insula Orchestra Aix-en-Provence, Grand Théâtre /
Der Freischütz / Max
"Max, Agathe's fiancé and unfortunate shooter, is sung by the Finnish tenor Tuomas Katajala. He carries out this romantic role with ease and succeeds in incarnating this antihero. His articulated and declamatory voice has a soft timbre and easy, well-projected high-pitch notes. He thus portrays an alternately scared and influenceable character."
Véronique Boudier, olyrix.com
”This is a tenor I hadn't known before. Category Mozart singer, but with a lot of body in the timbre, for sure also a wonderful Tamino or Ottavio. Tuomas Katajala perfectly projects his velvety voice without weakening in the high-pitch notes. He possesses a very elegant singing line, and his interpretation of the pusillanimous antihero is very convincing. A very beautiful Max, whom I really hope to hear again.”
Frederic Bodin, fredailleurs.fr
Helsinki Music Centre / Idomeneo
Tuomas Katajala, who sang the role of Idomeneo, expressed despair and horror with his metallically slashing, flexible tenor. Idomeneo is already ready to kill his son. However, peace and love eventually triumph, and the performance ends with charming wedding ballet music.
Hannu-Ilari Lampila, Hs.fi
Finnish National Opera / Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg / David
"His tenor colleague Tuomas Katajala is an excellent David with lyric glow and
elegant acting."
Göran Forsling, seen and heard international
"Das traditionell beifallsfreudige Premierenpublikum verteilte seine Sympathien am Schluss durchaus differenziert und ließ den Interpreten des David und Sachs den größten Applaus zukommen – aus meiner Sicht vollkommen zu Recht. Es ist meines Erachtens von Vorteil, die Partie des Lehrbuben nicht mit einem Buffo, sondern einem lyrischen Tenor zu besetzen, und TUOMAS KATAJALA entledigte sich dieser Aufgabe mit einer Bayreuth würdigen Qualität.... Es machte Spaß, einem derart stimmschönen und bei aller Weichheit des Timbres mit metallischen Höhen aufwartenden David zuzuhören – beste Voraussetzungen für „höhere Weihen“ an größeren Bühnen."
Sune Manninen, der neue merker
Loge
David
Don Ottavio
Loge
© 2022 Tuomas Katajala