Aino Ackte

AINO ACKTE
(originally Achte)
23 April 1876 – 8 August 1944)
Finnish soprano.

studied singing under her mother'( mezzo-soprano Emmy Achté (née Strömer) until 1894 when she entered the Paris Conservatory, studying under Edmond Duvernoy and Alfred Girodet. Her debut at the Paris Grand Opera was in 1897 as Margurite in "Faust" by Gounod .In 1904 she was engaged by the New York Metropolitan Opera where she remained until 1906 . In 1911, Ackté, Oskar Merikanto, and Edvard Fazer founded the Kotimainen Ooppera (renamed in 1914 Finnish Opera)and was to act as its director in 1938-39.
After parting ways with the National Opera, Ackté organized an international Savonlinna Opera Festival beginning on 3 July 1912;[9] it was held 1912-14, 1916 and 1930.1906. She created the title role of Richard Strauss's " Salome" at its local premieres in Leipzig (1907) and London (1910).She ended her international travels in 1914 and returned to Finland, where she gave her farewell performance in 1920. Her final public performances took place at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in 1930.