Merja Mäkelä, mezzosoprano

Merja Mäkelä, Finnish mezzo-soprano, is gaining importance as an up-and-coming young artist.  Since 2007/2008 she works with Theater Kiel, in Germany, as a soloist in their opera ensemble, where she did her debut with the title role of Dido & Aeneas with excellent reviews. Her roles included the title role of Dido in Dido and Aeneas, Orlowsky in Die Fledermaus, Mercedes in Carmen; as well as Annio in La Clemenza di Tito, Costanza in L’isola disabitata by Haydn, Ruggiero in Alcina and Hansel in Hansel & Gretel among many others.

In the season, 2008/2009, she was heard as Polina in The Queen of Spades, the title role of Hansel in Hansel & Gretel, Magdalena in The Meistersinger of Nürnberg and Siebel in Faust among the others. Season 2009-2010 will add her repertoire list Magdalena in Alban Berg's Wozzeck and a new opera by Márton. Illés, "The white Princes", including a world premiere at the Munich Biennale.

Ms. Mäkelä participated in V.O.I.C.Experience 2005 Summer Program in Orlando, Opera as Drama 2006 Program in New York with Sherrill Milnes and Friends; as well as IIVArts Program in Chiari, Italy in 2006 with Patricia McCaffrey. She has also participated in master classes with such noted artists as Prof. KS Christa Ludwig and Udo Reinemann.

Merja Mäkelä reached the finals in the National Timo Mustakallio competition 2004 and in National Pentti Koskimies-lied competition 2003 with pianist Anna Nuorsaari. In the summer of 2005 she sang in the finalist concert in Savonlinna Opera Festival, Finland. Ms. Mäkelä has been awarded the Tampereen Ooppera ry’s Grand Prix Award 2005.

Merja Mäkelä has studied at the National University College of Opera in Sweden with Prof. Dorothy Irving, at Stadia, Helsinki Polytechnic in the degree program of classical music with Anita Välkki. In the spring 2007 Ms. Mäkelä studied one semester in the Musikhochschule “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin with Prof. Anneliese Fried, during this time she also finished her studies in Stockholm as well as graduated as Voice Pedagogue (Bachelor of Music) from Stadia, Helsinki polytechnic.

OPERNWELT, Mai 2011: "Vor allem aber ist es Schwalbach gelungen, das Spiel der vier Darstelle minutiös aufeinander abzustimmen. Überragend die junge finnische Mezzosopranistin Merja Mäkelä als beeindruckend differenzierte Adriana, die auh den altersunterschied zwinschen der jungen Frau im ersten und der Mutter im zweiten Akt glaubhaft machte. Stimmlich bewältigte sie die kräftezehrende Partie mühelos, dazu mit einer Klangfarbenvielfalt, ja gestalterischen Tonschönheit, wie man sie in diesem Repertoire mur selten hört." (Saariaho: Adriana Mater. Premiere am 12, besuchte Vorstellung am 18. März 2011. Musikalische Leitung: Herman Bäumer, Inszenierung: Andrea Schwalbach, Ausstattung: Nanette Zimmerman. Solisten Merja Mäkelä (Adriana), Lydia Ackermann (Refka), Bernardo Kim (Yonas), Genadijus Bergorulko (Tsargo).

Homepage: Merja Mäkelä

FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS:

FNO: Rossini, Il Viaggio a Reims, Marchionnes Melibea (debute)

Thu 19 Jan 2012 8 pm (local time) Poulenc: "Le bal masque"
as a soloists of Berlin Konzerthaus Chamber Orchestra, cond. Ferenc Gábor
LISTEN: Live broadcasting on Deutschland Radio

10/2012 Mahler: "Das Lied von der Erde"
as a soloists of Landesjugendorcherster Baden-Würthenbergin
Jubileum concert of the 40th Anniversary

AMONG PAST PERFORMANCES:

Wed 20 Aril 2011 klo 19 J.S.Bach: Magnificat, Pori Sinfonietta

5, 6 & 10 April2011, Münster, Germany
Hector Berlioz: Symphonic Poem "Romeo and Julia"
cond. Fabrizio Ventura

Saturday 12 March 2011 at 7 pm, German Premiere by Kaija Saariaho's opera "Adriana Mater". Other perfomnaces are 15.3. / 18.3. / 25.3. / 3.4. / 13.4. / 11.5. ja 17.5.2011.