Biography
German mezzo-soprano Maria Hegele graduated in 2021 from the Royal College of Music’s International Opera Studio, where she studied under the tutelage of Dinah Harris and Veronica Vesey-Campbell. Prior to this, she studied with Barbara Bonney at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, graduating with a Bachelors and a Masters degree. She is a Samling Young Artist, a Britten-Pears Young Artist, Heidelberger Frühling Scholar and Imogen Cooper Music Trust Scholar.This season, Maria Hegele joined the newly founded opera studio at Volksoper Vienna, singing roles such as Sandmännchen in Hänsel und Gretel, Ede in Die Dreigroschenoper and several parts in Les mamelles de Tiresias. Most recently, she made her house debut at Staatsoper Berlin as Frasquita in Carmen, conducted by Bertrand de Billy. She will return to the house later this season as Giovanna in Rigoletto, Slave in Salome, conducted by François-Xavier Roth, and 2nd Handmaid of Dirce in Cherubini’s Médée.
During her time at the Mozarteum and at the RCM, Maria performed roles such as Eduige in Handel’s Rodelinda, Tolomeo in Handel’s Tolomeo, Hélène in Offenbach’s La Belle Hélène and Nerone in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea (excerpts), Conception in Ravel’s L’heure espagnol, Lisetta in Haydn’s Il mondo della luna, Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Niklaussee in Offenbach’s Contes d’Hoffmann, Mercédès in Bizets Carmen and Cherubino in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. She also appeared in the world premiere of Thomas Adès The Exterminating Angel at the 2016 Salzburg Festival, conducted by the composer.
Her concert repertoire ranges from Vivaldi and Pergolesi to the oratorios of JS Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Schumann, which she has performed at venues such as Gasteig and Herkulessaal in Munich and Müpa in Budpaest.
Maria Hegele is a passionate recitalist and has participated in masterclasses with Brigitte Fassbaender, Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Sarah Connolly, Jonathan Dove, Julius Drake, James Baillieu, Joseph Middleton, Dame Ann Murray, Wolfgang Holzmair and Mark Padmore.
In 2020, she recorded a programme of songs by pianist Paul-Willot Förster, alongside works by Samuel Barber, Kurt Weill and Aaron Copland for the SWR. Most recently, she performed Schubert’s cycle Die Schöne Müllerin at Snape Maltings and was invited to take part in the 50th anniversary Gala concert of the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme. She will return to Snape Maltings for recitals in 2022-23.
Awards include 1st prize in the 2022 August-Everding Competition, 1st prize in the 2022 Hidalgo Liedpreis, 1st prize at the 2018 Claude Debussy Chamber Music Competition, the 3rd prize in the Lies Askonas Competition in 2021 and the 4th prize and award for best sacred aria in the 2022 Mozart Singing Competition.
Maria Hegele is grateful for the support from several foundations, such as the Walter und Charlotte Hamel Stiftung Hannover and Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.
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