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 performing leading roles.[1]
Life and career
Kinnunen began her studies in the first annual course of the Suomen Teatterikoulu during the Continuation War in 1943.[2] Before founding the Operettiteatteri, she worked at, among others, the Äänislinna Theater, Helsingin Työväenteatteri and Kansanteatteri.[3] 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,[4] 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, awarded theater director Hilkka Kinnunen the title of theater councilor (Finnish: teatterineuvos) for her achievements for the benefit of Finnish musical theatre.
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.[5]
