Widely praised for a perfect mix of radiant stage personality and purity of tone, Norwegian soprano Mari Eriksmoen recently scored a personal triumph in her role debut as Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande) in an acclaimed new staging for Opera Vlaanderen and Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg conducted by Alejo Pérez, and of which Forum Opéra wrote “her French diction was faultless, her voice like crystal, and she embodies the hypnotising fragility of this heroine to perfection.”
On completion of her vocal studies in Oslo (Norwegian Academy of Music), Paris (Conservatoire National Superieur) and Copenhagen (Royal Danish Academy of Opera), Eriksmoen was invited to debut at Theater an der Wien as Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos) launching her career and marking the start of a close and ongoing relationship in Vienna where she has since appeared as Olympia (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Euridice (Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo), Teti (Rossini’s Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo), Rosina (Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia) and Agilea (Handel’s Teseo), in addition to her portrayals of Susanna, Zerlina and Fiordiligi in their Da Ponte Trilogy conducted by the late Nikolaus Harnoncourt, for which she attracted universal praise. Operatic highlights elsewhere include Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier) for Den Norske Opera, Blondchen (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) at Oper Frankfurt, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the BBC Proms, La Fée in Damiano Michieletto’s production of Cendrillon at Komische Oper Berlin under Henrik Nanasí, and in a display of repertoire versatility, Waldvogel in Daniel Barenboim’s epic Ring Cycles at Teatro alla Scala.
