Amira ELMADFA  Mezzosopran
 
 
  BIOGRAPHY  

 

Ever since 2015 the mezzo soprano has regularly guest performances at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. She repeatedly portrayed FLORA in ‘La Traviata’ and sang ANNA KENNEDY in concertant performances of ‘Maria Stuarda’ with Diana Damrau in the title role. Her engagement as DORABELLA in ‘Cosi fan tutte’ was cancelled because of the COVID 19 pandemic. In 2021 she was SCHIAVA SMARAGDI in the new production ‘Francesca di Rimini’ by Christof Loy and PRINCE ORLOFSKY in ‘Die Fledermaus’.
At The Salzburg Festival of 2022 she could also be seen in a Christoph Loy production of ‘Suor Angelica’. Before, she was HÄNSEL in ‘Hänsel und Gretel’ at the Opera House Bonn.

In the season 2022/23 she sings MERCEDES in a concert open air performance with the Hagen Symphony Orchestra, NARCISO in “Agrippina” at the Opera House Bonn, concerts at the Darmstadt Baroque Festival and makes her debut as ROSINA in ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ at the Teatro Petruzelli in Bari.

With her debut as CLORINDE in Lucia Rochetti’s world premiere of ‘Rivals’ on the occasion of the reopening of the Berlin State Opera in autumn 2017 AMIRA ELMADFA was internationally noticed. For her interpretation she was awarded the German Theatre Prize’ Faust’. Afterwards, she also played CLORINDE at the Braunschweig State Theatre.

From 2013 until 2017 she had engagements at the Darmstadt State Theatre, the Opera House Kiel and the Theatre Altenburg-Gera.
Here, she performed numerous roles such as ROSINA, HÄNSEL ,DORABELLA in ‘Cosi fan tutte’, the FOX in ‘The Cunning Little Vixen’, MERCEDES in ‘Carmen’, GIUNONE in ‘La Calisto’, ZERLINA in ‘Don GIovanni’, ZENOBIA in ‘Radamisto’, GOFFREDO in ‘Rinaldo’, SIEBEL in ‘Faust’, NICLAUSSE/MUSE in ‘Les Contes d’Hoffmann’, ROSETTE in ‘Manon’ and OCTAVIAN in ‘Der Rosenkavalier’.

Amira started her musical education at the University of Vienna, where she studied Music and Theatre Sciences. In parallel, she obtained singing lessons with KS Hilde Zadek. In 2009 she completed her singing studies at the Karlsruhe Music Academy with a diploma.
Amira Elmadfa attended master classes with KS Brigitte Fassbaender, KS Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and KS Julia Varady.
While still studying at the Karlsruhe Conservatory, the singer could be seen in such roles as Händel’s LUCREZIA, L’ENFANT in ‘L’enfant et les Sortilèges’, and PAULINE in ‘Pique Dame’.

Amira Elmadfa won the 1st Prize in DAS LIED, the International Song Competition in Berlin, the Lied Special Prize for Lied interpretation at the Bergheim Singer Prize and the Advancement Award at the Competition of the Freiburg Academy. She gave Liederabende at the Lucerne Festival, the Austrian Cultural Forum New York, the Arnold Schönberg Center, the Theatre Kiel and on the MS Europa.

Concert engagements brought the good-looking artist to the Music Days Franken, the Thüringen Bach Weeks, the Händel Festival in Karlsruhe, to the Darmstadtium, to the Concert Houses in Vienna and Basle, to Spain with Thomas Hengelbock and to the International Baroque Festival in Gran Canaria.

Since 2017 the artist is a regular guest at the Wiener Volksoper and the Dresden State Operetta. In Vienna she performed CHERUBINO, HENRI (in Heuberger’s ‘Der Opernball) and ROBIN (King Carrot) and in Dresden she succeeded as CHERUBINO and HÄNSEL (2017 and 2019).

Further engagements brought her as DORABELLA in ‘Cosi fan tutte’ and DIDO in ‘Dido and Aeneas’ to the Weimar National Theatre, as DIDO and GIUNONE in ‘La Calisto’ at the Nuremberg State Opera, as DONNA ELVIRA to the Innsbruck Theatre as well as in Leonard Ever’s GOLD at the Luxembourg Philharmonics. She sang a GALA CONCERT with the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded LIEDER by Anno Schreier for the Südwestrundfunk(German broadcast) and she made her debut as ADALGISA in concerts of ‘Norma’ at Schloss Königs Wusterhausen.

‘Un Giorno in Regno’ (GIULETTA) at the Danish National Opera was cancelled due to the COVID19 pandemic.

Future engagements bring her back to the Nuremberg State Opera as GIUNONE in ‘La Calisto’, to the Heidelberg Theatre as ALMA in Ludger Vollmer’s world premiere of ‘Zusammenstoß’ and as KATARINA in ‘Greek Passion’ to the Danish National Opera.


 
 
 
REVIEWS
 
Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern - Theaterfest
...with the guest singer Amira Elmadfa: She sang a role from Leonhard Bernstein’s opera „Trouble in Tahiti“ with natural grace and lightness in her voice-leading, without any sign of forcing or mannerism.
Rheinpfalz
www.rheinpfalz.de
Deutsche Oper Berlin – Francesca di Rimini - SMARAGDI
Amira Elmadfa’s deep mezzo colours made the role of the loyal Smaragdi seem bigger than it actually is.
seenandheard-international
www.seenandheard-international.com
…and rich-toned mezzo Amira Elmadfa in the confidante role of Smaragdi.
Opera News – David Shengold
Amira Elmadfa (Smaragdi), Andrew Dickinson (Ser Toldo Berardengo), Dean Murphy (Il Giullare), Patrick Cook (Il Balestriere) and Thomas Lehman (Il Torrigiano) also show splendid performances.
Online Merker
www.onlinemerker.com
Also a sinister figure is the slave Smaragdi, darkly chanted by Amira Elmadfa (Madama, non torna).
Opern- & Konzertkritik Berlin
www.konzertkritikopernkritikberlin.wordpress.com
...singing slave Smaragdi, profoundly performed by Amira Elmadfa.
NMZ
www.nmz.com
Konzert - Jenaer Philharmonieball
With five songs by the composer Manuel de Falla and the famous Habanera from the opera “Carmen” the mezzo soprano Amira Elmadfa knew how to put some hailing highlights…
Ostthüringer Zeitung
www.otz.de
Volksoper Wien – König Karotte – ROBIN
Amira Elmadfa is an authentic, present good spirit ROBIN.
Der neue Merker, 12/2019 – Sieglinde Pfabigan
In the rather central role of Robin, that used to be one of the highlights of the opera ball desaster, Amira Elmadfa gave an excellent vocal and acting performance.
Online Merker
www.onlinemerker.com
Staatstheater Nürnberg – Cosi fan tutte - DORABELLA
Amira Elmadfa is an equally passionate and lively Dorabella with a richly timbred, agile mezzo voice.
Süddeutsche Zeitung
www.sueddeutsche.de
Absolutely leasing this evening the vocal qualities:… with her enchantingly dark mezzo voice Dorabella’s “Smanie implacabili”, in perfect vocal harmony also in the duets credible sisters.
bachtrack
www.bachtrack.com
Together with the vivacious, vocally no less convincing Amira Elmadfa they built a perfectly harmonizing pair of sisters, also in their vocal colors.
Juan Martin Koch
www.nmz.de
And when the Julia Grüter and Amira Elmadfa as the sister Fiordiligi and Dorabella nimbly swng on Mozart’s love pirouettes, you can’t do bu one thing: listen.
BR-Klassik
www.br-klassik.de
Amira Elmadfa is a girlish, refreshingly non-dramatical Dorabella, working with plenty of little nuances.
Merkur
www.merkur.de
Nationaltheater Weimar – Cosi fan tutte – DORABELLA
Amira Elmadfa, who jumped in on short notice as Dorabella. Which was not at all noticed. She acts securely, she has the cheeky tone of pertness but also an sensibility of velvet mezzo sounds in her withdrawal.. In her role interpretation she leaves it open, whether she can cope with her sister setting the tone in the erotic schedule.
Opernglas (3/2019)- B. Gruhl
Amira Elmadfa as her delightfully flexible sister Dorabella.
NMZ
www.nmz.de
Deutsche Oper Berlin - Maria Stuarda -ANNA KENNEDY
…with her intimate Anna (excellent: Amira Elmadfa)…
Der neue Merker 06/2018 - Käthe Wegler-Heinze
Amira Elmadfa sang the part of Anna Kennedy with warm and round vocal tones.
Der Opernfreund
www.deropernfreund.de
Mezzo soprano Amira Elmadfa’s portrayal of Anna Kennedy was earthy and extremely secure.
ioco Kultur im Netz
www.ioco.de
Amira Elmadfa as Anna Kennedy enriched the ensembles with her harmonious, very strong mezzo voice.
Der Opernfreund
www.deropernfreund.de
Amira Elmadfa as Maria’s court lady was extremely present but at the same time she sang the role with soft tones.
Morgenpost
www.morgenpost.de
Casting the mezzo soprano Amira Elmadfa for the role of Anna Kennedy was a carefully considered decision.
Opera Lounge
www.operalounge.de
…also Nicolas Testé, Dong-Hwan Lee and Amira Elmadfa gave excellent performances in the minor roles.
Klassik begeistert
www.klassik-begeistert.de
Amira Elmadfa escorts her mistress to the scaffold with a softly conforting voice.
Online Merker
www.onlinemerker.de
Volksoper Wien - Der Opernball - HENRI
Amira Elmadfa’s play (Henri) had a boyisch effect, which perfectly suited the role. Besides, she pleased with her pastose mezzo voice.
Der neue Merker 04/2018 Gerhard Ottinger
The role of Henri suits Elmadfa ( mezzo soprano) perfectly well. She is very convincing as Henri, the Schachtelhuber's nephew, who takes glances at Helene. Elmadfa never makes an androgyn impression and doesn't play with exaggerated gender stereotyping. Her entire behavious on stage, her body language and facial expressions is masculinely scurlish. She is defenitively the best actress of the evening. Hats off to so much pubescent, youthful charms!
Klassik begeistert
www.klassik-begeistert.de
Sympathetic, youthfully fresh, the nephew Henri (Amira Elmadfa)
Kronen Zeitung
Amira Elmadfa as Henri, who sang with a beautiful mezzo voice and played enhtusiastically.
Online Merker
www.der-neue-merker.eu
Among the soloists Amira Elmadfa as Henri with her beautiful mezzo voice and her enthusiasm are particularly worth mentioning.
Mottingers Meinung
www.mottingers-meinung.at
...and Amira Elmadfa filled the stage on her own and caught the listener's attention with her warm timbred mezzo voice..
Die Presse
Except for Sieglinde Feldhofer (Helene) and Amira Elmadfa (Henri) there is mostly vocal dullness.
Wiener Zeitung
www.wienerzeitung.at
Nationaloper Weimar - Dido und Aeneas - DIDO
Amagnificent, even world class performance. Above all by Amira Elmadfa (Dido). Her beautifully softly timbred mezzo voice, nuancedly enduring all emotional states , is a voice to be kept in mind.
Frankfurter Allgemeine - CHRISTIANE WIESENFELDT
www.faz.net
With the mezzo soprano Amira Elmadfa as Dido....who has a warm timbred voice with grounded depth. Her authentic singing, a kind of deeply touching pureness, creates islands of musical art midst all shallows of Dido’s struggle with her memories.
Opernglas – 1/2018
Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin – Rivale - CLORINDE
"There she is. Amira Elmadfa standing on a platform marked out by iron rods."

"With her dark brown eyes and her charming smile she looks the audience right into the eyes. Being just a arm’s length away from the spectators, she cannot hide anything nor does she want to. Unsparing of herself she reveals her emotions little by little… With only her melodious mezzo voice and astounding physical play, Amira Elmadfa illustrates her current situation and the upcoming tragic development in this chamber opera for a female voice by Lucia Ronchetti…"

"A mysterious, psychologically meant event, sung by Amira Elmadfa in all variations. Overall this is an extremely demanding part, but Amira’s voice does more than sing in this 60 minutes solo work. It is able to scrape, slide, scream, soundfully whisper and sing coloraturas, never sounding unpleasant. (Amira Elmadfa made her debut at the Vienna Popular Opera in the season 2016/17 with Mozart’s Cherubino)"

"One can hear ove and hate, fear and determination. Everyone understands what is happening and how she is feeling even without the translation. Besides because of her convincing play, one cannot get one’s eyes off of her."

"This exceptional performance was rewarded by a big, long applause"

Ursula Wiegand
www.der-neue-merker.eu
"…with the inauguration of the new work shop, the state opera celebrated a big success, due in the first place to the wonderful singer-actress Amira Elmadfa. With her dark, brilliant mezzosoprano voice she doesn’t just sing, she also currs, whispers and hisses. Breathtakingly perfect she changes between recitative and melody. The performance started with a long silence and also ended with one, due to the audience’s emotions and it’s admiration for the soloist."
Der Opernfreund
www.deropernfreund.de
Staatstheater Darmstadt - Konzert
In Dorabella’s aria, Amira Elmadfa developed glowing voice volume.
Echo Online
www.echo-online.de
Staatsoperette Dresden - Figaros Hochzeit - CHERUBINO
Amira Elmadfa’s Cherubino is a pubescent boy, who lets his destructive drives run wild. The singer pleases with her flexible and rich voice.
Der neue Merker - Christoph Suhre
Vienna Popular Opera - Figaros Hochzeit - CHERUBINO
Cherubino, as resiliently sung and acted by Amira Elmadfa, embodies the fresh air that runs through this production.
www.bachtrack.com/de
Staatstheater Darmstadt - Carmen - MERCEDES
Also vocally excellent Jana Baumeister (Frasquita) and Amira Elmadfa (Mercédès).
www.fr-online.de
Berlin - Deutsche Oper: La traviata
Buono il resto dei comprimari, in particolare la Flora di Amira Elmadfa.
www.operaclick.com
Staatstheater Darmstadt - La Calisto - JUNO
'Also Juno (vocally beautiful and impressive : Amira Elmadfa) the jelaous wife has some different facets. One moment, she sovereignly guides a revenge campain and the next she suddenly covers her face with her hands, crying over Jupiter's repetitive cheatings. Her crying really gets under one's skin..'
www.echo-online.de
'Or the mezzosoprano Amira Elmadfa, who dominates the stage like no other.'
www.fr-online.de
St.John Passion - Darmstadtium
The aria "It is fulfilled" was seldom sung wich such impressiveness. The interpretor, alto singer Amira Elmadfa, made a large pause before her first prformance.
www.echo-online.de
Darmstadt State Theatre - The Cunning Little Vixen - FOX
'...and with her warmly shining, unforced mezzosoprano voice AMIRA ELMADFA as the little vixen is remarkale, especially in the high registers. Their duet is the musical highlight.'
www.der-neue-merker.eu
Stadttheater Darmstadt - Il barbiere di Siviglia - ROSINA
'High praise for the ensemble, in this staging carried by two pillars: the young Amira Elmadfa, a new member of the Darmstadt ensemble, giving her brilliant debut as Rosina...'
Darmstädter Tageblatt
www.darmstaedter-tagblatt.de
A new member of the ensemble is the Lich-born soprano Amira Elmadfa, who plays the role of the moody Rosina with a crystal-clear voice, nimble coloraturas and enormous enthusiasm.
www.echo-online.de
Theater Altenburg/Gera - Peter Grimes - AUNTIE
'Amira Elmadfaa, member of the Altenburg/Gera since this season, is not only an excellent actress, she also has a beatiful, flexibly guided voice.'
Der neue Merker Vienna, Christoph Suhre, 03/2015
Altenburg Gera Theatre - Der Rosenkavalier - OCTAVIAN
‚Amira Elmadfa is a passionately singing t Octavian with a enchantingly beautiful dark mezzo soprano vcoice and „great“ tone.‘
OnlineMusicMagazin
 
 
 
SZENENFOTOS
Volksoper Wien – König Karotte – ROBIN
 
Landestheater Innsbruck – Don Giovanni – DONNA ELVIRA
 
Staatstheater Nürnberg – Cosi fan tutte – DORABELLA
 
Staatstheater Nürnberg – Cosi fan tutte – DORABELLA
 
Deutsche Oper Berlin - Maria Stuarda - final applause
 
Volksoper Wien - Der Opernball - HENRI
 
Nationaloper Weimar - Dido und Aeneas - DIDO
 
Volksoper Wien - Figaros Hochzeit - Cherubino
 
Volksoper Wien - Figaros Hochzeit - Cherubino
 
Theater Kiel - Giulio Cersare - SESTO
 
Theater Kiel - Agrippina - NERONE
 
Staatstheater Darmstadt - Das schlaue Füchslein - FUCHS
 
Staatstheater Darmstadt - Der Barbier von Sevilla - ROSINA
 
Staatstheater Darmstadt - Der Barbier von Sevilla - ROSINA
 
Staatstheater Darmstadt - La Calisto - JUNO
 
Theater Altenburg - Martha - NANCY
 
Theater Altenburg - Martha - NANCY
 
Theater Kiel - Don Giovanni - ZERLINA
 
Theater Altenburg-Gera - Der Rosenkavalier - OCTAVIAN
 
Theater Altenburg-Gera - Der Rosenkavalier - OCTAVIAN
 
Theater Kiel - Radamisto - ZENOBIA
 
Theater Kiel - Cosi fan tutte - DORABELLA
 
 
 
INTERVIEWS - PORTRAITS
"Barock oder Moderne - alles ist mir lieb."