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Elena Kelessidi, Soprano Born in Kazakhstan of Greek parentage, Elena Kelessidi sprang to International attention in 1996 when she made a highly auspicious stage debut at London's Royal Opera House as Violetta in La traviata and was hailed as an important new discovery by the British musical press. She has returned to sing with the Royal Opera every year since. Her father was an engineer and a talented singer and pianist, so as a child Elena was surrounded by music. 
"Elena Kelessidi, rehearsing for the part of Liù in the Garden's Turandot, one of more than 20 roles in her repertoire, agreed to meet me at the Royal Opera House. Turandot is reviewed in this issue. My first thought on meeting her was: "How tiny she is, like a bright eyed, beautiful little bird; but aren't opera singers supposed to be big?" Elena told me: "If it's a girl's part like Mimi in La Boheme or Violetta in La traviata I am supposed to be ill so must be very, very thin, but if you are playing Marguerite in Faust, Gilda in Rigoletto or Giulietta in I Capuleti e I Montecchi; well, Giulietta cannot possibly be fat!" Elena Kelessidi wurde in Kasachstan von Eltern griechischer Herkunft geboren und studierte am Konservatorium von Alma-Ata. Seit 1991 sang sie am dortigen Opernhaus Partien wie Leila (Les pêcheurs de perles), Zerlina (Fra Diavolo) und Amor (Orpheo ed Euridice). Schon ein Jahr später trat sie am Opernhaus von Athen als Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) auf und gab kurz darauf ihr Debüt an der Royal Opera, Covent Garden London als Violetta (La traviata). Seither hat sie dort mehrere Partien verkörpert, u.a. die Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare in Egitto), Königin von Shemakha (Der goldene Hahn) und Mimi (La bohème). Beim Festival von Edinburgh sang sie die Titelpartie in Luisa Miller, in Baden-Baden Violetta und in Bilbao die Manon von Massenet. Partien an der Bayerischen Staatsoper: Violetta (La traviata), Mimi (La bohème). back to Gstaad Music Promenade artists |