Okka von der Damerau

Critically acclaimed mezzo-soprano Okka von der Damerau is considered one of the most compelling artists of her generation. In the 2015/16 season she returns to the Bayerische Staatsoper in three new productions: in her role debut as Ulrica in Verdi´s Un ballo in Maschera conducted by Zubin Mehta and directed by Johannes Erath, as Magdalena in Wagner´s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg conducted by Kirill Petrenko and directed by David Bösch, and as Abbess in Prokofiev’s The Fiery Angel conducted by Vladimir Jurowski and directed by Barrie Kosky. Other highlights this season include her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra singing Bruckner´s Te Deum under the baton of Riccardo Muti. In future seasons she will make her house debuts at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and at the Vienna State Opera.

In past seasons she marked her debut at Teatro alla Scala singing Charlotte (Die Soldaten) and could be heard in concert singing Mahler´s Symphony no. 3 at the Maggio Musicale and with the Staatskapelle Berlin under Zubin Mehta and Mahler´s Symphony no. 2 at the Verbier Festival.  At the Bavarian State Opera she could be heard as Flosshilde (Das Rheingold), Grimgerde (Die Walküre), Mary (Der Fliegende Holländer), as Flower Girl (Parsifal), as Hänsel in Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, Third Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Dryad in Richard Strauss´ Ariadne auf Naxos, La Voix de la Tombe in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Barmaid in Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) and Emilia in Verdi's Otello.