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The Finnish, mezzo-soprano, Hilke Andersen, was born in Finland and raised in Germany, where she accomplished her vocal studies with Mayling Konga at the Academy for Music and Theatre in Hannover. She has also attended classes at an actor’s college in Tampere for one year as well as master classes with Irwin Gage and Aribert Reimann.
While still a student, Hilke Andersen made her first appearances at the Staatsoper Hannover in 2000. Two years later, she joined the permanent ensemble of the company for four years, where she performed several leading roles and has worked together with such directors as Calixto Bieito, Brigitte Fassbaender, Anthony Pilavachi, Joachim Schlömer, and many others. Under the direction of Peter Konwitschny she performed in Luigi Nono's Al gran sole carico d’amore, which has been invited to the Edinburgh Festival and was elected “Production of the year” by the renowned Opernwelt magazine, the same which nominated Hilke Andersen as “Young singer of the year“ in 2003 and 2005. Her concerts in Finland and Germany have included apperances at the Biennale in Munich, the Kuhmo Music Festival and Gustav Mahler’s 8th Symphony under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen at the Helsinki Festival as well as in Stockholm.
Working today as a freelance, Hilke Andersen has been performing at the Komische Oper Berlin since 2001, namely as Olga in Andreas Homoki’s production of Eugene Onegin as well as Zweite Dame/Die Zauberflöte and Orlofski in Fledermaus (2007-2008). Further guest engagements since 2006 have included Hänsel und Gretel, Die Zauberflöte and La Traviata at the Stuttgart Opera, followed by Mary in a new production of Der Fliegende Holländer (2008). The 2008-2009 season has started with Rosina/Il barbiere die Siviglia at the Herrenhausen Festival, followed by several concerts and productions of Alcina in Potsdam, Nabucco together with the Nationale Reisopera as well as Ezio at the Schwetzingen Festival. Future role debuts will include Mrs.Quickly in a new Falstaff production at the Finnish National Opera (2009), as well as Erda in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Cologne Opera (2010). |
