Mika Kares

Mika Kares (born 1 November 1978) is a Finnish operatic bass in opera and concert who made an international career. He was first based at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, and went on to the Savonlinna Opera Festival, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, and the Seattle Opera, among others.

Life Born in Laitila, Kares studied singing with Roland Hermann at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He made his operatic debut in the title role of Le nozze di Figaro and started an international career. His roles include Philip II in Verdi's Don Carlos, Sarastro in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Colline in Puccini's La Bohème, Raimondo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Massimiliano Moor in Verdi's I masnadieri, the Commendatore in Mozart's Don Giovanni, and as his first Wagner roles Fafner in Das Rheingold and Siegfried, and Hunding in Die Walküre.

Kares has also made guest appearances in Hong Kong, Vienna, Paris, and Rome, sang with conductors such as Lorin Maazel and Zubin Mehta, and was a cover at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He is artistic director of a festival for chamber music. 2017: BBC Music Magazine Award