Kouta Räsänen has studied at the Sibelius-Academy in his native Finland under the direction of Jaakko Ryhänen as well as in Florence with Rolando Panerai. A “Soloist of the Year 2002” at the Finnish Opera Union, he came second at the Lappeenranta Singing Competition and third at the Timo Mustakallio Competition.

After several appearances in Finland, namely at the Finnish National Opera (Lodovico/Otello) Kouta Räsänen joined the ensemble of the Chemnitz Opera in 2006. His repertoire includes such parts as Daland/der Fliegende Holländer (2009), Heinrich/Lohengrin, Bartolo/Le nozze di Figaro, Leporello/ Don Giovanni, Alidoro in La Cenerentola, Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Don Pasquale, Ferrando in Il Trovatore, Colline in La Bohème as well as Aida, Zauberflöte, Il Templario, Massenet’s Manon, Hans Pfitzner’s Die Rose vom Liebesgarten and Gounod’s Faust (2008/09).

Mr. Räsänen has given recitals in Finland, Stockholm, Paris, Amiens, Tehran, Toronto as well as in Calumet, Michigan. He performed with many Finnish Orchestras in such works as Bach’s passion of St. Matthew, Christmas Oratorio and Magnificat, Händel’s Messiah, The Creation by Haydn, Mozart’s Requiem and Golgotha by Frank Martin. In Chemnitz he performed Verdi’s Requiem under the new Music Director Frank Beermann as well as Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.