Malena Ernman (Mezzo-soprano)
Malena Ernman was recently called ” without a doubt one of the worlds
greatest singers” in Swedens leading newspaper Dagens Nyheter. But Malena
Ernman is far more than a world class mezzo. She is an entertainer in the words
true meaning – a groundbreaking modern classical artist with an extremely
flexible voice, spanning over nearly 4 octaves. A voice that is willing to try
out anything that spells music.
Education and background
Malena Ernman is educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockolm, the
Conservatoire d’Orléans and the National Opera School in Stockholm.
Her musical background is firmly anchored in the Swedish choir tradition.
From the age of 6 she was a member of the the Coromanterna Choir in her native
Sandviken; a small industrial town some 200km north of Stockholm. And until her
exam from the National Opera School she sang the first alto part in the Swedish
Radio Choir under the supervision of Tönu Kaljuste,
Gustav Sjökvist and Eric Ericsson.
Opera
Her swedish breakthrough came straight after finishing Opera school, 1998, in
the roles Kaja in Sven David Sandströms Staden and
Rosina in il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Royal Swedish opera , where
she later also sang the title roles of Carmen and La
Cenerentola.
Malena sang some very early and hugely praised roles at the
Staatsoper Berlin ; as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (
D Barenboim) Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia (
D Barenboim) and Roberto in Scarlatti’s Griselda (
R Jacobs). Followed by Zerlina in Don Giovanni (
D Barenboim).
Her international breakthrough came in 1999 as Nerone in Agrippina (
René Jacobs) at La Monnaie in Bruxelles and
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris; a role that has indeed
followed her career in various new productions during the last decade. Next time
it will be performed in Barcelona 2013 – still under the baton of René
Jacobs and with Malena Ernman as the only remaining solist from the
original Bruxelles production.
Malena Ernman has appeared at the Glyndebourne Festival as
Nancy in Albert Herring and as Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus.
In 2004 she sang Elvira in Don Giovanni at La
Monnaie in Bruxelles. And at the Festival d’Aix en
Provence, the Wiener Festwochen and Opéra
Garnier in Paris s he sang Lichas in Hercules with
William Christie and les Arts Florissants.
In 2005 she created the title role at the world premiere of Philippe
Boesmans Julie at La Monnaie in Bruxelles,
the Wiener Festwochen and in Aix en
Provence.
2006 she started out as Nerone in L’Incoronazione di Poppea (
R Jacobs) at the Staatsoper Berlin and at
La Monnaie in Bruxelles. In the same year at the Wiener
Festwochen she made her debut as Dido in Dido and Aeneas (
W Christie and les Arts Florissants) followed by
Annius in La Clemenza di Tito ( N Harnoncourt) at the
Festspiele in Salzburg.
In 2007 she sang Sesto i Giulio Cesare ( R Jacobs)
in Wien, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (Daniel
Harding) in Aix en Provence and Nerone in
L’incoronazione di Poppea (C Rousset) at De Nederlandse
Opera in Amsterdam.
During 2008 Malena Ernman returned to the Royal Opera in
Stockholm to make her debut as Angelina in Irina
Brooks production of La Cenerentola. In the autumn she once again sang
the title role in Dido and Aeneas at the Opéra Comique
in Paris with William Christie and Les
Arts Florissants.
In 2009 she sang Angelina in La Cenerentola at Oper
Frankfurt and at the end of april she sang the same role the
Royal Opera in Stockholm. After that awaited Dido in Dido
and Aeneas ( W Christie and Les Arts Florissants) at
the Wiener Festwochen and at De Nederlandse
Opera in Amsterdam.
In March 2010 she made her debut as Idamante in Mozarts Idomeneo at
La Monnaie in Brussels. She has sang numerous concerts in
Scandinavia and Germany, including one in Sthlm Globe Arena
with Andrea Bocelli.
Future engagements include Händels Semele ( sept 2010 ) and Rodelinda (
spring 2011) and the title role in Händels Serse ( Xerxes) in the autumn of
2011. All at Theater an der Wien.
Concerts
Malena Ernman is a highly renowned concert artist with concerts in
Rome, Madrid, Paris, London, Los Angeles, Berlin and
Tokyo. Working with conductors like Esa Pekka Salonen,
René Jacobs, Daniel Barenboim, Nicolaus Harnoncourt, Philippe Herreweghe,
Herbert Blomstedt, Marc Minkowski, Daniel Harding and Sir Simon
Rattle.
Her – extremely- wide reportoire include Berios Folk Songs, Seven Deadly Sins
by Kurt Weill, Elgars Sea Pictures, Mahlers Kinder Toten Lieder, Bach Cantatas,
Mozart’s requiem and C-minor mass and Cabaret songs by Bolcom, Britten and
Holländer as well as song cycles by Grieg, Schumann, Brahms, Stenhammar and
Nyström.
Malena also sings a wide range of modern contemporary music, often directly
written for her by composers like Sven David Sandström, Philippe
Boesmans, Anders Hillborg, Fabian Müller and György
Ligiti.
Jazz and musical
Malena Ernman is widely knowned for her ability to sing cross over music. She
is very versatile and moves effortlessly between different styles and
genres.
The fact is that she started her soloist singing career as a jazz singer in
Orléans and Paris at the age of 15 in the mid 80s. She has made many jazz
concerts with legendary swedish jazz artists including Arne Domnérus,
Putte Wickman and Magnus Lindgren among many
others.
She also sings musicals. For instance; in 2001 she played Sally Bowles in
Cabaret at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.
TV
Malena Ernman has been a frequent guest artist on Swedish TV. Performing on
various TV shows and galas including the Swedish Sport Awards and the Noble
Prize. In 2004 she created the hugely successful No Strings Attached
along with Martin Fröst and Niklas Sivelöv on
SVT.
2009 she entered the Swedish Melodifestivalen Eurovision Grand Prix with the
song La Voix written by her friend Fredrik Kempe.
Malena won the competition and represented Sweden in Moscow in may 2009.
She finished 4th in her semifinal ( 9th overall in the semifinals). Malena
Ernman finished 21 in the final.
Personal
Malena Ernman is married to actor Svante Thunberg. They have two daughters,
Greta and Beata. They live on Kungsholmen in Stockholm.
Malena Ernman is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of
Music.
Malena Ernman official website www.malenaernman.com
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