TALVELA, MARTTI (, Hiitola–), bass opera singer and recitalist, once described by a Parisian critic as having thunder in his throat.
At the age of four, at the start of the Winter War (1939–40) with Russia, Talvela became a refugee with his family from Karelia, fleeing the oncoming Russian troops. Having returned after the peace treaty, they were forced to leave again a year later when the Continuation War (1941–44) began again in 1941...