Mezzosoprano

Suzuki

(14, 18, 23, 28 July & 1 August)

„Die griechische Mezzosopranistin Elsa Janulidu war in Technik und Stimmschönheit die Königin des Abends.“ – Merker

Born in Athens, Elsa Janulidu initially studied biology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki before beginning her musical training. She studied opera (with Prof. Ralf Döring) as well as lied and oratorio (with Prof. KS Marjana Lipovšek) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, graduating with distinction. She was a scholarship holder of the Richard Wagner Scholarship Foundation, the Janacek-Sobotka Foundation and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. She attended masterclasses with Francisco Araiza, Roberto Coviello, Raul Gimenez, Mariella Devia and Grace Bumbry, among others.

Elsa Janulidu was a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House and a prizewinner of several international competitions: she won first prize at the Concorso Internazionale per Cantanti Lirici Rolando Nicolosi and the International Competition C.A. Seghizzi, third prize at the Concorso Internazionale Cappuccilli-Patanè-Respighi and the Belcanto Prize in 2007.

At the Rossini Festival in Bad Wildbad, she performed the role of Isabella in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri and also sang Zulma on the Naxos CD recording of the same opera under the direction of Alberto Zedda. She also appeared at the Rossini Festival in Bad Wildbad as Lucia in La gazza ladra (dir. Ryuichiro Sonoda) and as Zaida in Il turco in Italia (dir. Antonino Fogliani). At the Landestheater Linz, her roles included Flora (La Traviata), Irene (Hello, Dolly!), Adelaide (Der Vogelhändler), Diana/Giove in Diana (La Calisto), Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Nicklausse/Muse (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Nancy (Albert Herring), Trommler (Der Kaiser von Atlantis), Mallika (Lakmé) and Angelina (La Cenerentola). In 2015, she performed as Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and as Xenia in the world premiere of Periklis Liakakis’ opera Chodorkowski—a production that was awarded first prize in the “Best Off-Music Theater” category at the Austrian Music Theatre Awards in 2017. In 2016, she reprised the role of Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring and performed Zahra in the world premiere of Hannes Löschel’s opera Nemesis at the Vienna Chamber Opera. Other highlights of the year included Mendelssohn’s Elijah at the Brucknerhaus Linz and Dvořák’s Biblical Songs, Op. 99. In 2017, she took on the role of Annio in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito. In 2022, she appeared in France as Siébel in Gounod’s Faust. In 2023, she performed as a soloist with the Ensemble Kontrapunkte at the Vienna Musikverein (ORF live recording).

Her CD “Dream with me”, recorded together with pianist Hanna Bachmann and featuring selected songs in eight languages, was released by Preiser Records in Vienna.

Elsa Janulidu has collaborated with renowned ensembles including the Belgrade Philharmonic, Bruckner Orchester Linz, Virtuosi Brunensis, Ensemble Kontrapunkte and Cappella Istropolitana. She has given art song recitals and chamber concerts and performed both in Austria (e.g., at the Vienna Musikverein, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Brucknerhaus Linz) and internationally.

Elsa Janulidu is a Senior Lecturer in Voice at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.