Hilkka Terttu Annikki Kinnunen (born 19 March 1925) is a Finnish actress and opera singer. She led the Operettiteatteri from 1959 until 1996 and often even acted as a

prima donna In opera or ''commedia dell'arte'', a prima donna (; Italian for 'first lady'; : ''prime donne'') is the leading female singer in the company, the person to whom the ''prime'' roles would be given. ''Prime donne'' often had grand off-stage pe ...

performing leading roles.

Life and career

Kinnunen began her studies in the first annual course of the Suomen Teatterikoulu during the

Continuation War The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet–Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union during World War II. It began with a Finnish declaration of war on 25 June 1941 and ended on 19 ...

in 1943. Before founding the Operettiteatteri, she worked at, among others, the Äänislinna Theater, Helsingin Työväenteatteri and Kansanteatteri. Before the Operettiteatteri, she also appeared in several domestic films, among which is '' April's Coming'' from 1953. Aino Kukkonen edited the book ''Prima-Donna'' about Kinnunen's life in connection with her 80th birthday in 2005, and the story of Hilkka Kinnunen's youth was told in Lotta-Sofia Saahko's book ''Kahvia ja karjalanpiirakoita'', published in 2021. In 2010, the President of the Republic,

Tarja Halonen Tarja Kaarina Halonen (, born 24 December 1943) is a Finns, Finnish politician who served as the 11th president of Finland, and the first and to date only woman to hold the position, from 2000 to 2012. She first rose to prominence as a lawyer wit ...

, awarded theater director Hilkka Kinnunen the title of theater councilor () for her achievements for the benefit of Finnish

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

Personal life

Hilkka Kinnunen was married to actor Ekke Hämäläinen from 1948 to 1971 and to Bill Farrell from 1976 to 1979. Two children were born from the first union, the younger of whom is the actress Vesa Hämes.Hilkka turned 100 on March 19,2025

Filmography

* ''Toukokuun taika'' (1948) – Inga Adlerfeldt * ''Vihaan sinua – rakas'' (1951) – Miss Laaksola * ''The Apple Falls'' (1952) – Susan * ''Maailman kaunein tyttö'' (1953) – Teacher * '' Song of Warsaw'' (1953) – Perämies Koskisen vaimo * '' April's Coming'' (1953) – Annikki Teräs * ''Yhteinen vaimomme'' (1956) – Rouva * ''Syntipukki'' (1957) – Mrs. Beck * ''Jouluvene – tähtiparaati'' (1964)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinnunen, Hilda 1925 births Living people 20th-century Finnish actresses 20th-century Finnish opera singers Finnish women centenarians Finnish stage actresses People from Viipuri Province (Grand Duchy of Finland)