Mezzosoprano Elli Vallinoja has been praised for her beautiful and well-carrying voice and strong stage presence. She is a graduate of the Sibelius Academy. She has a very versatile repertoire including opera, operetta, musical theater, lied, and oratorio. She has also premiered many contemporary pieces.

In 2018, she received both the second prize and the lied prize in the international Haydn competition for classical lied and aria. In 2016, she was one of the finalists in the international Zinka Milanov competition in Croatia and in the international Wilhelm Stenhammar competition in Sweden.

Her most recent works include, for example, the role of prince Orlovsky in Finnish National Opera’s production of Strauss’ operetta die Fledermaus, role of Francesca Johnson in Turku City Theater’s production of musical Bridges of Madison County, role of Mezzosoprano in FNO’s production Circopera 2.0. and role of Tove in Finnish Chamber Opera’s world Premiere production of opera Tove J., composed by Heta Aho. In the spring season of 2024, she will make her debut at the Tampere Opera as Annina in Verdi’s La Traviata and also debut as a soloist for Helsinki City Orchestra in Mahler’s 8th Symphony. 

Elli has visited as a guest soloist at Finnish National Opera regularly since 2010. Her international debut was in the role of Ottavia in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea at Opera de Lyon in France in 2017. Soloist work has taken her also to Germany and Norway.

She has sung as an opera and concert soloist e.g. at Turku Music Festival, Vocal Espoo Festival, Ilmajoki Music Festival, Mänttä Music Festival, and Lemi Music Festival, as well as with several Finnish choirs and orchestras.