Mirjam Mesak

Soprano

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“…Mirjam Mesak stood out as Iolanta. Fragile and fairy-like, her lyrical soprano let the princess shine from within. With a slightly rapturous timbre, she played and lived the blindness credibly and thus gave her role an unbelievable amount of depth…”
(Norman Schwarze, Bachtrack)

Estonian soprano Mirjam Mesak is currently a member of the Bayerische Staatsoper ensemble where she has left an indelible impression in roles from Iolanta to Musetta. Her appearances in Munich this season are heralded by the world premiere of Axel Ranisch’s opera film – Orphea in Love – in which Mirjam plays the principal role. On stage she makes her debut as Oscar in Johannes Erath’s new production of Un ballo in maschera under Ivan Repušic, as well as joining new productions of The Bartered Bride as Esmerelda under Gábor Káli and as Ännchen in Der Freischütz conducted by Lothar Koenigs. Mirjam also sings Tebaldo (Don Carlo) under Andrea Battistoni, Anna (Nabucco) conducted by Daniele Rustioni, 1^st Sprite (Rusalka) under Henrik Nánási, and returns to her roles in The Cunning Little Vixen under Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and Musetta in La bohème conducted by Juraj Valcuha.

A former member of Munich’s Opernstudio, Mirjam’s appearance as Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta at the Cuvilliés Theater earned her unanimous critical acclaim for her ability to bring an ‘unbelievable amount of depth’ to the character (Bachtrack) and is soon to be released on DVD. Further highlights have included Musetta in an all-star cast of La bohème conducted by Asher Fisch, streamed internationally by the Bayerische Staatsoper, as well as Juliette in Simon Stone’s landmark production of Die tote Stadt under Kirill Petrenko, since released on DVD. Her vivid characterisations have also brought to life such roles as Freia (Das Rheingold), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Dew Fairy (Hänsel und Gretel) and most recently in Kirill Serebrennikov’s new production of The Nose conducted by Vladmir Jurowski.

In Estonia, Mirjam appears regularly with the Estonian National Opera, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra, collaborating most recently with Arvo Volmer, Risto Joost and Olari Elts. This season she returns to Tallinn to reprise her critically acclaimed Norina in Don Pasquale. Highlights elsewhere have included her role and company debut at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago as Lisette in La rondine, Nella in Gianni Schicchi for Oper Frankfurt, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No.14 with Oslo Philharmonic under Klaus Mäkelä. A keen recitalist, this season Mirjam presents programmes at the Usedomer Musikfestival and with Eesti Kontsert featuring Rachmaninov, Chopin, and Estonian composers Ester Mägi and Eduard Tubin.

Gallery

Iolanta’s Aria © Bayerishe Staatsoper

Desdemona ‘Ave Maria’ from Otello © Estonian National Symphony Orchestra

Elsa ‘Einsam In Truben Tagen’ from Lohengrin © Estonian National Symphony Orchestra

“Mirjam Mesak sang Oscar in a bright soprano with an easy top and a genuine trill. There was a smile to the tone that I found most agreeable.”

Opera Traveller, November 2022

“And now she [Mirjam] is Ranisch’s movie star. She is our Orphea in Orphea in Love, and she is an event… Nele then travels to her past, very amazing things happen that only exist in the opera, and again and again you stare at Mirjam Mesak completely stunned. She plays insanely natural, truly, wonderfully. And sings. Catalanis La Wally, Butterfly, La traviata. There, in the end, she lends her voice to “Addio del passato”, Nele has her love, the singer has her career. And yet it is the very great, comprehensive vocal triumph of Mirjam Mesak. Wonderful.”

Süddeutsche Zeitung, September 2022

“Soprano Mirjam Mesak (Lisette), an attractive presence, sang with liveliness and crystal timbre.”

Adevarul.ro, September 2022

“Mirjam Mesak is a convincing Lisette with a homogeneous instrument, pleasant in singing as much as in acting.”

Operaclick, September 2022

“Mirjam Mesak’s Lisette is particularly brilliant: the character, already captivating in itself, is enriched by the beautiful voice of the Estonian soprano, who respects her light-lyrical nature.”

GBOpera Magazine, September 2022

“Mirjam Mesak is a very precise Lisette in her rapid interventions of the first act, but she also knows how to bend the instrument in the most relaxed moments where one can appreciate the timbre.”

Connessi all’Opera, September 2022

“A great supporting cast, a hallmark of quality from the Bayerische Staatsoper, with special mention the Die Stimme des Falken of the Estonian soprano Mirjam Mesak”

Platea Magazine, August 2022

“The young Mirjam Mesak stands out with her endearing invention as Dama di Lady”

Anaclase, July 2022

“However, the principal role is entrusted to a newcomer, Mirjam Mesak: her first aria has all the intensity of ardent melancholy as she unites perfect musicality with her youthful colour which is essential to the role”

ResMusica, April 2019

“Mirjam Mesak’s Iolanta is beautiful and seduces from her first notes, with a very pure and sensitive vocal line”

Opera World, April 2019

“Musetta, sung by soprano Mirjam Mesak, was aptly flirtatious and appealing. Her gestures were clear and directed and her movements piquant and smart. She sang the famous waltz, “Quando m’en vo” with nicely detailed musical phrases. Her voice floated with beauty and elegance.”

(Opera Wire, December 2020)

“Mirjam Mesak could change seamlessly between exuberance and honest sympathy as Musetta.”

(Münchner Merkur, December 2020)

“Mirjam Mesak’s glamorous Musetta was something more than just ‘a tart with a heart’. Whilst retaining her materialism, this Musetta seemed truly capable of genuine affection and selflessness.”

(Seen and Heard, December 2020)

“The members of Marietta’s troupe and the count are sung and acted enthusiastically by Mirjam Mesak…”

(Opera Gazet, December 2019)

“…Never is the radiance of her voice careless, there is always scepticism, longing, the idea ofa woe. A wonderful artist…”

(Egbert Tholl, Süddeutsche Zeitung, September 2019)

“…Estonian soprano Mirjam Mesak (Mimì) is surely a singing actress with a great future, and she effortlessly shone out over the biggest vocal ensembles and accompanimental textures…”

(Robert Beale, July 2018)

“…I’ve not heard Lauretta’s “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi delivered with such artistry in concert; Mesak has the measure of authentic messa di voce and phrase-roundings, as well as an understanding of the young girl’s plight…”

(David Nice, The Art Desk, February 2017)