# Ville Rusanen, baritone

> Ville Rusanen, baritone – 5 recordings on Ondine. First prize winner of the 2004 Lappeenranta Solo Voice Competition, Finnish baritone Ville Rusanen began his…

Source: https://ondine.eyelabel.com/artists/rusanen-ville

- **Role:** baritone
- **Photo:** © Heikki Tuuli

## Biography

First prize winner of the 2004 Lappeenranta Solo Voice Competition, Finnish baritone Ville Rusanen began his musical studies as an instrumentalist, playing the double bass at Kuopio Conservatory where he also studied singing under Pertti Rusanen. He moved to the Sibelius Academy to study singing in 1999 where he was taught by Jorma Hynninen, and then later by Päivi Nisula.

Ville Rusanen is a regular guest at Finnish National Opera where he has recently sung the title role in Rautavaara's Aleksis Kivi and Sid in Albert Herring this season. Other roles to date include Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), The Forester (The Cunning Little Vixen), Schaunard (La bohème), Marco (Gianni Schicchi), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Dancairo (Carmen), Ottokar (Der Freischütz) and Guglielmo (Così fan tutte).

Outside Helsinki, Ville Rusanen garnered excellent reviews for his appearances as Guglielmo in David McVicar's production of Così fan tutte for Scottish Opera. In 2010 he made his debut with De Nederlandse Opera in a new opera by Alexander Raskatov - A Dog's Heart. In concert, Ville Rusanen has performed Fauré's Requiem, Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem, the St John Passion, the St Matthew Passion, Carmina Burana and Sibelius' Kullervo. He made his London debut at the 2007 BBC Proms in a performance of Sibelius' The Tempest with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vänskä.

Recipient of a scholarship from the city of Kuopio, Ville Rusanen has participated in master classes with Roger Vignoles and Olaf Bär and studied Lieder with Ilmo Ranta. He won first prize in the Lied duo (accompanied by Ilmari Räikkönen) category of the 2002 Erkki Melartin Chamber Music Competition.

## Discography on Ondine (5)

- [Jean Sibelius: Sibelius and the Kalevala · (Digital Album)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1460-2.md): Various (ODE 1460-2, 2024)
- [Jean Sibelius: Kullervo (ODE 1338-5)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1338-5.md): Johanna Rusanen-Kartano, soprano · Ville Rusanen, baritone · Estonian National Male Choir · The Polytech Choir · Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 1338-5, 2019)
- [Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Violin Concerto · Photoptosis · Die Soldaten Vocal Symphony](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1325-2.md): Leila Josefowicz, violin · Anu Komsi, soprano · Jeni Packalen, alto · Hilary Summers, contsalto · Peter Tantsits, tenor · Ville Rusanen, baritone · Juha Uusitalo, bass · Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 1325-2, 2019)
- [Veli-Matti Puumala: Anna Liisa, opera in three acts](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1254-2d.md): Helena Juntunen, soprano · Jorma Hynninen, baritone · Tanja Kauppinen, soprano · Ville Rusanen, baritone · Sanna Kurki-Suonio, ethno mazzo-soprano · Juha Hostikka, baritone · Anu Hostikka, soprano · Jouni Kokora, bass · Tapiola Sinfonietta · Helsinki Chamber Choir · Jan Söderblom, conductor (ODE 1254-2D, 2015)
- [Einojuhani Rautavaara: Aleksis Kivi - Opera in Three Acts (ODV 4009)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/odv-4009.md): Jorma Hynninen, Aleksis Kivi · Janne Reinikainen, August Ahlqvist · Riikka Rantanen, charlotta · Pauliina Linnosaari, hilda · Ville Rusanen, Young Alexis · Tobias Zilliacus, J.L. Runeberg · Finnish National Opera Orchestra · Mikko Franck, conductor (ODV 4009, 2011)

## Links

- [HarrisonParrott](http://www.harrisonparrott.com/artist/singer/ville-rusanen)
- [Operabase](http://www.operabase.com/listart.cgi?name=Ville+Rusanen&loose=E&acts=+Schedule+)