Biography
The tenor Ari Grönthal was born in Helsinki, where he studied singing, initially at a conservatoire (1985 - 1988) and subsequently at the Sibelius Academy (1988 - 1991). In addition, he attended a host of master classes given by, amongst others, Elio Battaglia, Irina Gavrilovic and James King. In 1988 and 2004 he won first prizes at the Timo Mustakallio and Olavi Virta Competitions. After completing his studies he performed as a guest at the Finnish National Opera, where since 1999 he has been permanently engaged. In 1992 and 1995 he sang at the prestigious Savonlinna Opera Festival, and also guested at the Estonian Opera and Theater Bonn Opera. Ari Grönthal’s repertoire includes pivotal concert and operatic tenor roles, for example, Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Števa (Jenůfa), Peppe (The Comedians), Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Rodolfo (La Bohème), Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Alfredo (La traviata) and many others.