Marlis Petersen

The German soprano Marlis Petersen is among the most sought-after singers of her time. Her repertoire focuses on the lyric soprano field as well as the interpretation of contemporary music.

Since her acclaimed debut at the Vienna State Opera as Lulu, she has been a regular guest on the world’s most prestigious opera stages, including the Opéra de Paris, Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, the State Operas of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Vienna, the Theater an der Wien, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, LA Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Salzburg and Aix-en-Provence Festivals.

Her wide-ranging repertoire includes roles such as Marietta (Die tote Stadt), Handel’s Alcina, Manon, Thaïs, Violetta (La traviata), Elettra (Idomeneo), as well as Strauss roles like Salome and the Marschallin (Der Rosenkavalier), with which she recently celebrated sensational success at the Bavarian State Opera.

As a concert singer, Marlis Petersen has appeared on all the major concert stages, including performing at the opening of the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. In the 2019/20 season, she was Artist in Residence with the Berlin Philharmonic.

In 2020, she was named “Singer of the Year” by the magazine Opernwelt for the fourth time, for her portrayal of Salomeat the Theater an der Wien. In the same year, she received the Opus Klassik award for her album Dimensionen: Innenwelt.

In 2021, Marlis Petersen was named Kammersängerin of the Bavarian State Opera. Following her acclaimed debuts as the Feldmarschallin (Der Rosenkavalier) at the Bavarian State Opera, as Emilia Marty (Věc Makropulos) at the Berlin State Opera, and as Elisabeth (Tannhäuser) at the Salzburg Easter Festival, she can be heard this season as Marie (Wozzeck) and Emilia Marty at the Vienna State Opera.