Lilli Katriina Paasikivi-Ilves (born in 1965 in Imatra, Finland) is a Finnish mezzo-soprano and cultural manager. [1] She served as the Artistic Director of the Finnish National Opera from 2013 to 2023 and is currently the Intendant of the Bregenz Festival in Austria. [2] [3]
Paasikivi has worked to reshape operatic structures and explore the integration of new technologies into opera. In 2019, Paasikivi launched Opera Beyond – a project designed to apply emerging technological tools to opera and ballet. [4]
As a soloist, she has performed with major orchestras including the Berlin, London, Los Angeles, and New York Philharmonic orchestras. [5] [6] [7] Her repertoire spans from Rossini's coloratura roles to central parts in Verdi and Wagner operas. [8] [9]
At the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, she appeared as the Pèlerin in Kaija Saariaho's L'Amour de loin . [10] At the Aix-en-Provence Festival she sang in the world premiere of Toshio Hosokawa's Hanjo and also performed in Sir Simon Rattle's Ring project with the Berlin Philharmonic as Fricka, [9] a role she later sang at the Hamburg State Opera conducted by Simone Young. [11] The mezzo-soprano roles of Wagner's Ring Cycle have been a central focus of her career, performed with conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Simone Young, Susanna Mälkki, and Hannu Lintu. [12] [11] [13] [14]
In addition to her operatic career, Paasikivi has been active as a festival director. She founded the "Sydänkesän säveliä" festival in Kisko, Southwest Finland, in 2016, [3] and served as artistic director of the Pyhäniemi Manor concert series from 2010 to 2015. [3]
Paasikivi also works internationally as an expert in opera and classical music. She has served on juries of major competitions and, beginning in 2025, is a member of the board of Opera Europa. [15] [16]
Paasikivi has been married to violinist Jaakko Ilves since 1997; they have two children. [1]
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