Aino Ackté (23 July 1876, Helsinki – 8 August 1944, Vihti, original surname Achte) was a Finnish soprano. She was the first international star of the Finnish opera scene, and a groundbreaker for the domestic field.

Acktés parents were mezzosoprano Emmy Achte and the conductor-composer Lorenz Nikolai Achte. Aino Ackté married doctor Heikki Renvall in 1901 and gave birth to a daughter (Glory Leppänen) the next year.

The young Ackté studied at her mothers instruction, until in 1894 she entered the Parisian conservatory and debuted there in the Grand Opera in 1897. Acktés performance in Faust was a success and she was signed on for six years in Paris as a result.

After Paris, Ackté signed on to the New York Metropolitan opera and then to the London Covent Garden. After completing her international career in 1913 she returned to Finland, where she gave a farewell performance in 1920. Her final public performance came at the Olavinlinna Opera Festival in 1930.

In 1911 Ackté, Oskar Merikanto and Edvard Fazer founded the Kotimainen Ooppera, a predecessor to the Finnish National Opera (renamed 1914 Finnish Opera and then in 1956 the Finnish National Opera). She was to act as its director 1938 - 1939.

Having broken up with the opera staff, Acté organized an international Olavinlinna Opera Festival beginning in July 3 1912; they were held 1912-14, 1916 and 1930.

Aino Acktén coterie included among others Albert Edelfelt, who painted a famous full portrait of her in 1901.

She died of pancreatic cancer in Nummela Vihti in the August of 1944.

External links

• Voice sample from YLE national voice galleria