Michaela Martens
Vocalists
— Mezzo-Soprano
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Manager: William G. Guerri
Management Territory: Worldwide
“Michaela Martens was the highlight of the performance, first as an authoritative figure, later a horribly shattered Küsterin. Vocally powerful, she pushes vocal boundaries and lives the vibrant music of Janáček with every fiber of her being.” —Neue Zürcher Zeitung
“And who could not be moved by Michela Martens’ storming final aria in memory of her husband.” —The Independent
“…the most searing performance comes from Michaela Martens as Mrs. Klinghoffer. Her moving final aria gives a sense of what might have been had Adams chosen to write a more traditional opera.” —WhatsOnStage.com
About
The Boston Globe hails Michaela Martens for her "dense, color-saturated voice" and declares: "She is a passionate and sympathetic vocal actress." Ms. Martens is fast becoming known for her portrayals of some of the most difficult dramatic mezzo-soprano roles in the repertoire. In the 2007-2008 season, she made a triumphant last minute debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as die Amme in “Die Frau ohne Schatten”, a role she repeated for the Oper Graz in a new production by the critically acclaimed director Marco Marelli. . . . In the current season, Ms. Martens makes her company debut at Opernhaus Zürich as Kostelnicka in Jenůfa a role she performed to critical acclaim at English National Opera. She also joins the Metropolitan Opera as the 2nd Norn in “Götterdämmerung” and for productions of “Die Walküre” and “Parsifal”.
In the 2011-2012 season, she was heard as Gertrude in “Hänsel und Gretel” and returned to English National Opera as Marilyn Klinghoffer in Adams’ “The Death of Klinghoffer”. Ms. Martens made her Carnegie Hall debut with the American Symphony Orchestra singing the difficult title role in Albéric Magnard's “Berenice”. Opera Today said, "...she can indeed sing softly, though clearly, when required...but it is the fierce and tireless, unwavering solidity of Martens' voice that Wagnerians will find exciting." Finishing the 2010-2011 season she joined the Indianapolis Symphony for performances of Beethoven's “Symphony No. 9” with world renowned conductor Raymond Leppard and later this season, she will be heard as the mezzo soloist in Verdi’s “Requiem” for the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago. Also in the 2010-11 season, Ms. Martens once again joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for productions of “Capriccio” and “Die Walküre” in their new Ring Cycle staged by Robert LePage.
Ms. Martens made her debut with the Cleveland Orchestra in Beethoven's “Symphony No. 9” with Franz Welser-Möst to open the 2009 - 2010 season. She returned to the English National Opera as Judith in “Duke Bluebeard's Castle” where she had previously been heard as Kostelnicka in David Alden's critically acclaimed production of Jenůfa. The London Musical Criticism praises Ms. Martens' protrayal as "a virtuoso and heart-breaking portrayal, physically as well as vocally." She began the 2008 - 2009 season, with a return to the Metropolitan Opera as Alisa in “Lucia di Lammermoor”, along with productions of “La Damnation de Faust” and “Götterdämmerung”. In the 2006–2007 season, Ms. Martens sang Verdi’s “Requiem” in a return to the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. That same season she made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Contessa in “Andrea Chenier” and joined their productions of “The First Emperor”, “Il trittico”, and “Jenůfa”. The mezzo-soprano’s other recent engagements include Margerethe in Schumann’s opera, “Genoveva”, at Bard’s SummerScape Festival and the Queen in “La bella dormente nel bosco” by Respighi at both the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. and New York’s Lincoln Center Festival.
