Finnish bass Mika Kares studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and was an ensemble member of Baden State Opera (2005–10). He made his Royal Opera debut in the 2017/18 Season as Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte) and elsewhere has appeared at La Scala, Milan, Chicago Lyric Opera, Vienna State Opera, Paris Opera (Bastille), Staatsoper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper, Semperoper Dresden, Zurich Opera, Finnish National Opera and for the Bayreuth, Salzburg, Savonlinna and Bregenz festivals. His repertory includes the Wagner roles Hagen, Gurnemanz, King Marke, Hunding, Herrmann, King Heinrich, Daland, Fasolt and Fafner, as well as Boris Godunov, Ivan Khovansky (Khovanshchina), Osmin (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), the Commendatore (Don Giovanni), Sarastro, Oroveso (Norma), Balthazar (La Favorite), Philip II (Don Carlo), Ramfis (Aida), and Zaccaria (Nabucco). He has recorded for Naïve, Naxos, Sony and BIS. His awards include a BBC Music Magazine Award (2017), the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland (2025), several nominations for Male Singer of the Year at the International Opera Awards (2023, 2025), and a Grammy nomination.