Johanna Nylund is a full-lyric Finnish soprano praised for her radiant high notes and the expressiveness of singing. Season 2025-2026 starts with her debut in the iconic role of Violetta Valéry in Verdi’s La Traviata, in her current home theatre Landestheater Detmold. It is followed by two other role debuts: The Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen by L. Janáček and Avis in The Wreckers by E. Smyth. In addition she will continue singing Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, as well as Mary Lloyd in Die Herzogin von Chicago.
Nylund has made several role debuts at the Finnish National Opera including Donna Anna in W.A. Mozart‘s Don Giovanni, Liisa in Pohjalaisia by L. Madetoja and Adele in Die Fledermaus (J. Strauss II). She also made her debut at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in 2024 as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and Anna in G. Verdi’s Nabucco. She has been a guest at several other festivals, including Opera Hedeland and Copenhagen Opera Festival, with roles such as Liù in G. Puccini‘s Turandot, Clorinda in G. Rossini‘s La Cenerentola and Gilda in G. Verdi‘s Rigoletto.
Nylund has been a soloist with different symphony and chamber orchestras, such as the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Århus Symphony Orchestra, South Denmark Philharmonic Orchestra, Mikkeli City Orchestra and Odense Symphony Orchestra. She was Artist-in-Residence at the Rued Langgaard Festival in 2023 and has worked with conductors such as Thomas Søndergård, Ludovic Morlot, Eva Ollikainen, Marc Soustrot, tarmo Peltokoski, Jean Thorel, Andrea Sanguineti and Hannu Lintu.
Nylund has gained recognition in the Nordics in recent years. In 2024 she received a scholarship from Elisabeth Dons Mindelegat in Denmark, in 2023 a Pro Musica Scholarship in Finland, and in 2022 she was the recipient of the Barbro Salén scholarship 2022 at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm as well as received a Léonie Sonning talent prize in Copenhagen in the same spring.
In 2023 Nylund was awarded a special prize in The Lappeenranta Singing Competition, participated in The Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, and was a finalist in the international BA Lirica II Competition in Italy. In 2019 she won the 3rd prize at the international Copenhagen Lied-Duo Competition with pianist Johannes Stenberg Brooks, and a 3rd prize in the Kangasniemi singing competition.
Nylund graduated from The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen (Master’s degree and Soloist class degree) and from The Stockholm University of the Arts (previously Operahögskolan) in 2022. She also has a bachelor’s degree from the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. Nylund used to play the violin and sing in a heavy metal band. Once in a while she can still be spotted in a karaoke bar singing a song by Nirvana, System of A Down, or something completely different.
La Traviata, Theater Detmold, 2025
In the title role, Johanna Nylund shone with an overwhelming blend of vocal presence and nuanced, powerful acting. She delivered a bravura rendition of the freedom anthem Sempre libera at the end of the first act. Her performance of Violetta's farewell song Addio, del passato in the third act was utterly moving.
- Hermann Knaup, Westälisches Volksblatt
https://www.westfalen-blatt.de/owl/kreis-paderborn/paderborn/la-traviata-landestheater-detmold-paderhalle-3435841?pid=true&ueg=default
Die Herzogin von Chicago, Theater Detmold, 2025
Mary's appearance in the bathtub in her newly acquired castle exudes a breath of eroticism. Johanna Nylund plays the character confidently and convincingly, singing with a large, radiant soprano. There's no doubt about it: she's in charge here.
- Stefan Schmöe, Online Musik Magazin
https://www.omm.de/veranstaltungen/musiktheater20242025/DT-die-herzogin-von-chicago.html
Die Zauberflöte, Theater Detmold, 2025
Tamino, Papageno, and Pamina. She initially doubted Tamino's love because Sarastro had imposed silence on him. But she was all the happier when all the misunderstandings were revealed. Johanna Nylund was able to portray this change of heart fascinatingly – thanks to her florid, calmly controlled, and sparkling soprano, she was the discovery of the evening. Why she initially had to act like a bitchy, unruly brat remained inexplicable.
- Heide Oehmen, rp-online.de
https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/viersen/viersen-gemischte-gefuehle-nach-der-zauberfloete-in-der-festhalle_aid-126693839
Deeply touching is her G minor lament "Ach ich fühl`s", a treasure of the score.
- Blog review, kulturinfo-lippe.de
http://kulturinfo-lippe.de/2025/05/15/premiere-die-zauberfloete-oper-von-wolfgang-amadeus-mozart-am-29-november-2024/
A woman from Neviges said: everything was magical, even the men's costumes, which (for reasons of economy?) sometimes showed a lot of leg and underwear. Another visitor said: great voices, outstanding: Johanna Nylund as Princess Pamina.
- Blog review, kulturinfo-lippe.de
https://nevigeser.blogspot.com/2025/03/die-zauberflote-gestern-im-forum.html
Pohjalaisia (The Ostrobothnians), Finish National Theatre, 2024
Amidst all the threats and images of danger, the budding love between Liisa and Jussi emerged powerfully in this production. As if the story had moved to another planet, where happiness is possible. The ethereal nature of Johanna Nylund's dreamy young girl ignited Ville Rusanen's emotions. Nylund was a theatrically modest young Liisa and her voice was tuned to a suitably emotional expression. And Rusanen's Jussi matched Nylund. They were a balanced couple that vibrated with a sense of youth. In the midst of all the gloom, this couple spoke with their humanity and authenticity. And everything was crowned by the sonorous nuance of singing.
- Ilmo Pokkinen, Savon Sanomat
https://www.savonsanomat.fi/paikalliset/8089356
The opening night's cast of artists handled Madetoja's difficulties brilliantly. The opera's main couple, Jussi and Liisa, were excellently interpreted by Ville Rusanen and Johanna Nylund.
- Tarkkaamo blog
https://tarkkaamo.blogspot.com/2024/11/pohjalaisia.html?m=1
Don Giovanni, Savonlina Opera Festival, 2024
The Donna Anna of the Finnish soprano Johanna Nylund was vocally outstanding with strong, splendidly harmonious musicality, which she expressed with almost incomparable quality in her demanding solo aria Non mi dir.
- Dr. Charles E. Ritterband,
klassik-begeistert.de
Nabucco, Savonlina Opera Festival, 2024
Special mention is given to the young Johanna Nylund for how she "expands" the character of Anna.
- Paolo Patrizi
https://www.bellininews.it
The Queen Elisabeth Competition, 2023
Two heroines masked fragile for Johanna Nylund (31). Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress begins her air in hesitation, but soon develops a discreet but intensely lived emotion, ending with a welcome assertiveness. Liù in Puccini's Turandot also remains in the background at the beginning of her aria, but then rises with beautiful fervor. A beautiful performance.
- Serge Martin, Le Soir
Carmina Burana, Helsinki, 2023
In the lyric soprano part Johanna Nylund did a fine job – the voice sounded great all around and the peacefulness offered, at least for me, some of the evenings most touching moments, such as the beautifully interpreted hitballad In trutina.
- Tove Djupsjöbacka
https://kuoromusiikinkausikonsertit.fi/blogi/helsingin-filharmoninen-kuoro-tanssillista-kevatriemua
Cenerentola (Clorinda), Opera Hedeland, 2023
The two self-absorbed stepsisters coquettishly. Mezzo-soprano Sophie Haagen and soprano Johanna Nylund master the art of making them realistic and funny at the same time.
- Christine Christiansen, Jyllands-Possten
https://jyllands-posten.dk/kultur/musik/ECE16333674/askepot-inviterer-til-kuloert-havefest-paa-o pera-hedeland/
Tisbe-Sophie Haagen and Clorinde-Johanna Nylund, as the two stepsisters, were humorously caricatured, with beautiful voices that complemented each other perfectly.
- Louise Frevert, Kulturinformation
https://kulturinformation.org/opera-hedeland-askepot/
The two self-absorbed stepsisters, Tisbe and Clorinde, are also convincingly played by Sophie Haagen and Johanna Nylund, who both sing beautifully and show the humorous potential of the roles by being way, way too much.
- Frederik Nagel Fryland, DEN4VÆG
https://www.den4vaeg.dk/anmeldelser/askepot-hedeland-2023
W.A. Mozart – Great Mass, 2023
Mozart's forever-lovely melodies were fulfilled when the soloist, soprano Johanna Nylund, sang the Christe eleison (Christ have mercy) aria, vigorously reaching for high notes.
The confession of faith with the choir, soulfully accompanied by the woodwind instrument, culminated in Johanna Nylund's Et Incarnatus solo, where the soprano opened to her full glory.
- Satakunnan kansa, Kaija Huida
https://www.satakunnankansa.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000009505791.html
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