Born April 24, 1943, Kauhava

Master of Arts 1966, Licentiate 1969, PhD 1972 (Finnish literature), University of Helsinki

Director of the Finnish National Theatre 1992–2010
Theatre secretary 1966–69, Helsinki City Theatre
Research assistant 1970–73, Finnish Research Council of the Humanities
Acting junior researcher 1973 and 1975–77, acting associate professor 1974 and 1976–91, acting professor 1989–91 and 1991–92, University of Helsinki

Publications, awards and special achievements:
Mielikuvien taistelu. Psykologinen aatetausta Eino Leinon tuotannossa ‘Battle of imagination. The psychological value-base of the works of Eino Leino’ (doctoral dissertation) 1972
Kansalaissodan kirjalliset rintamat 1918 ‘The literary fronts of the Civil war’ 1918 (1976)
Muodon vallankumous. Modernismin tulo suomenkieliseen lyriikkaan 1945-1959 ‘Revolution of form. The emergence of modernism in Finnish lyrics’ (1981)
Ilmari Kianto (1986), Mieleni talot. Totta, tarua ja tulkintaa ‘Houses of my mind. Truth, tale and interpretation’ (2012)
Kuningatar Kristina – aikansa eurooppalainen ‘Christina, Queen of Sweden –European of her time’ (co-authored, 1990)
Editor: Kirjallisuudentutkimuksen menetelmiä ‘Literary research methods’(1983)
Eino Leino I-II (1986)
Sain roolin johon en mahdu, suomalaisen naiskirjallisuuden linjoja ‘I received a role that would not fit. Trends in Finnish women’s literature’ (1989)
Suomen Kansallisteatteri. Teatteritalo ennen ja nyt ‘The Finnish National Theatre. The theatre past and present’ (2003)

The Ida Aalberg medal

Photo: Veikko Somerpuro
Written by Maria-Liisa Nevala (Kaija Hartikainen, ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington