Current and future plans for Brazilian-American mezzo-soprano Melissa Zgouridi include Carmen (title role) in a new production of Theater Hagen, ERDA Siegfried Saarländisches Staatstheater Saarbrücken, ERDA in both Das Rheingold and Siegfried Theater Dortmund and a concert performance of ERDA Siegfried Opéra Royal du Château de Versailles with Saarländisches Staatsorchester.
From 2021 to 2023 Melissa was in the ensemble of the Saarländisches Staatstheater, where roles included Carmen (title role), ERDA and FLOSSHILDE Das Rheingold, RUGGIERO Alcina, and ORLOFKSY Die Fledermaus and LAERTES in the world premiere of Sarah Nemtsov’s Ophelia. Past guest appearances have included SUZUKI (cover) in Anthony Minghella’s production of Madama Butterfly Metropolitan Opera, ERDA and FLOSSHILDE Das Rheingold Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, THIRD WEIRD SISTER Macbeth Underworld (Franck Ollu) Opéra Comique, ERDA Das Rheingold (Peter Konwitschny) Theater Dortmund, Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder ensembleKONTRASTE (Jac van Steen) in Nürnberg, ROSSWEISSE Die Walküre Staatstheater Augsburg, ORLOFSKY Die Fledermaus Stadttheater Klagenfurt and LEHRBUBE Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Christian Thielemann) Salzburger Osterfestspiele.
Melissa was a soloist in Bach St. Matthew Passion, Haydn Scena di Berenice and Paukenmesse, Handel Messiah, Mozart Coronation Mass and Requiem, Beethoven Symphony 9, Rossini Petite messe solennelle and Mahler Symphony No. 2 and 3 in Austria, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and the United States. She trained at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg and the Eastman School of Music and lives in Austria.
Christopher Broom
Phone: +44 208 768 6604
Mobile: +44 7778794397
Email: chris@atholestill.co.uk
Representation: Europe/UK
News | Melissa Zgouridi
"(…) Melissa Zgouridi [dazzled] as Erda with a broad voice, a velvety timbre, and full mastery of her instrument."
Avant Scène Opéra
"Melissa Zgouridi delivers a terrific Erda with a sonorous, deep-timbered mezzo-soprano."
Das Opernglas
"Finally, one can't help but understand Wotan […] yielding to the sublime, sparkling bronze singing of Melissa Zgouridi's Erda, an ideally Wagnerian young mezzo, who passionately binds us to her every word… Coming from the Urwala and messenger of Eternity, her mysterious warning has the superior accentuations of the great tragediennes of the past."
forumopera.com
"Finally, Floßhilde by Melissa Zgouridi - who [also performed] Erda this evening-, with a broad, velvety, and powerful timbre, stands out particularly for the clarity of her vowels as well as the length of her sentences. In [Erda's] scene, the lyricism of her tessitura, as well as the constancy of her projection and the intensity of her vibrato in the treble are particularly noticeable."
Olyrix
"One must indeed wait for Melissa Zgouridi’s sublime alto, her appearance as Erda, but when she sings, a sonorous voice pours out & enchants the ear. When this earth mother sings & speaks, even Wotan, father of the gods, takes two steps back."
Saarbrücker Zeitung
"The young mezzo-soprano Melissa Zgouridi (…) shines as Ruggiero…The pants role is one of the most beautiful & demanding Handel roles ever. Zgouridi's darkly colored voice has expression, character, substance. With her passionate interpretation & remarkable technique, she achieved by far the greatest success."
Das Opernglas
"And then the voices: In this production, they almost deliver an overabundance of good sound (…) and then especially Melissa Zgouridi [with] an enchantingly beautiful mezzo, strong characterization, warm, full of colors. If you heard her as Ruggiero, in this trouser role, the possible casting of the part with a countertenor would seem almost absurd."
Saarbrücker Zeitung
"Melissa Zgouridi flooded listeners with her rich, incandescent tones (...) here is a future Verdi singer."
Nord24
"Melissa Zgouridi (…) positively spellbinding with her grandiose voice."
Saartext: Opernkritik
"Melissa Zgouridi had a powerful voice as Erda, particularly in the lower register of her genuine alto."
Seen & Heard International
"Melissa Zgouridi scores as Erda with a rich mezzo-soprano and marvelous low notes."
Online Musik Magazin
"Melissa Zgouridi, ein wunderbarer Mezzo, ist als Carmen eine Idealbesetzung, weil sie in jeder Hinsicht unglaublich präsent ist und ihrem Charakter sehr prägnante Konturen gibt."
Neue Musikzeitung
"Melissa Zgouridi überzeugt als Carmen: Darstellerische Präsenz und ein wandlungsfähiger Mezzo von samtener Wärme zeichnet die Carmen von Melissa Zgouridi aus, die die vielfältigen Fassetten der Rolle von unaufdringlicher Koketterie bis zum dramatischen Ausbruch vorzüglich zum Ausdruck brachte."
Westfalenpost
"Melissa Zgouridi is an outstanding choice for the title role. With her velvety, dark mezzo-soprano, she portrays a Carmen full of fire, setting men's hearts ablaze. She begins with an intensely seductive presentation of the famous Habanera and shows absolute mastery with the castanets in the second act. She also gives moving performances in the card scene and in the final duet."
Online Musik Magazin
