Ackté, Aïno (23 April 1876, Helsinki; 8 August 1944, Nummala, Finland), French soprano by training, studied voice first with her mother and then at the Conservatoire under Duvernoy , Girodet , and Paul Vidal . After completing her studies, she accepted a contract with the Opéra and appeared in her debut as Marguerite in Charles Gounod’s Faust on 8 October 1897. She made a favorable impression upon spectators with her dramatic soprano voice, and her contract was renewed. She sang Juliette in…