Sam Taskinen is a bass-baritone born in Lappeenranta, who has spent the past ten years pursuing an international career in numerous European, Japanese and American opera houses, at the Finnish National Opera and on concert stages. The core of Taskinen’s repertoire is the dramatic German, Italian and Slavic operatic literature; among his roles one may mention Fasolt in Das Rheingold, Orest in Elektra, Scarpia in Tosca and Filippo in Don Carlo. Sam is also an experienced recitalist, with a particular fondness for Shostakovich and Kuula.

In Finland during the coming year Taskinen can be heard as Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca in Lohja, in a recital at the Mikkeli Music Festival with Mirva Helske, on the stage of the Finnish National Opera as Schaunard in Puccini’s La bohème, as Guglielmo Cecil in Maria Stuarda, and in roles in two mini-operas at the Sokeritehdas (Sugar Factory). In addition, the 2026–27 season will take Taskinen to the La Monnaie opera house in Brussels, to Reykjavík, and to Stralsund and Greifswald.

Taskinen graduated from the Sibelius Academy under the guidance of Sirkka Parviainen.