Jenni Hietala

Soprano Jenni Hietala (born in 1995, Nivala) is part of the Vienna State Opera Studio for the seasons 2022-2024. At the same time, she is completing her master’s studies in vocal performance at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität Wien under the guidance of KS Linda Watson. She graduated from Oulu University of Applied Sciences as a music educator under the guidance of Airi Tokola. 

Hietala made her debut with the Finnish National Opera in the role of Gerhilde in R. Wagner’s “Die Walküre” in the autumn of 2022. In October 2022, she became the first Finnish singer to reach the finals of Placido Domingo’s Operalia singing competition. She has won the 1st prize at the Kangasniemi Singing Competition in 2022 and the Havets Röst singing competition in 2021. Additionally, she reached the semifinals of the Neue Stimmen singing competition held in Germany in June 2022, received the Radio Classic Tempo Award, and was a finalist in the Timo Mustakallio Singing Competition in 2017 and 2021. 

Hietala performed in the Oulu Sinfonia Young Soloists concert in 2019, was part of OperArt Jyrki Anttila’s production of “The Gypsy Princess” in 2017-2018 and has sung in the chorus of the Savonlinna Opera Festival in 2016-2019. She is a recipient of the Hildegard Zadek Foundation scholarship for the 2022/23 season, the Finnish Wagner Society summer 2023 scholarship, and the Martti Talvela Foundation scholarship in 2019. Her career has been supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Anita Välkki Society, among others. 

Jenni Hietala will be performing in the concert “Martti Talvela Scholarship recipients on Stage” on July 24 at 19:00 at the Martti Talvela Campus.