Raimo Sirki� is a Finnish operatic tenor whose repertoire ranges from spinto to dramatic. The musical education or Raimo Sirki� began at the age of four. He was the Finnish Champion in accordion four times, 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1964. He studied music pedagogics and voice at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, and in Rome with Gavarrini and Morelli. He won won the prestigious Timo Mustakallio award for young opera singers in 1981. Raimo Sirkia performed mainly in Germany from 1983 to 2001. He was the principal tenor at the Finnish National Opera from 1990 to 2006. Sirkia's most noted roles are in Otello, Calaf, Tannh�user, Siegmund, and Lohengrin. Mr. Sirkia has recorded several complete operas, symphonies, as well as many solo CDs of opera arias, Italian songs, film music, Christmas music, and tangos. Raimo Sirkia was the Artistic Director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival from 2002-2007, where his new productions included Turandot and Lucia di Lammermoor, and the commissioned Is�n tytt� composed by Olli Kortekangas, which subsequently has been played also at the Finnish National Opera. [More at Wikipedia]

January 1st, 1951 in (Age 73)