ABOUT

Maria Dale Johannessen (b. 1994) is a mezzo-soprano from Bergen, Norway currently living in Oslo.

She holds her education from Barratt Due intitute of music and Oslo Opera Academy, KHiO where she finished her master's in 2020.

Her repertoir concists of roles like Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel), Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Mrs. Page (Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor.

In 2021 Maria had the leading role in "Veiene som forsvinner" by Bjørn Kruse, in 2021 she performed the role of Nurse in "Kirsten Flagstad - the opera" by Ketil Bjørnstad at DNO&B, in 2022 she sang The Mother Abbess in "The Sound of Music" at Opera di Setra, and in 2023 she had her London debut at Grimeborn Opera Festival.

I 2024 Maria will perform the role of Flora in La Traviata at Operaen i Kristiansund and Opera Trøndelag.

Maria has a special interest for contemporary music, and has participated in many world premiers.

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Photo: Kristianne Marøy

Maria Dale Johannessen (f. 1994) er en ung mezzosopran fra Bergen, Norge. For tiden bor hun i Oslo hvor hun jobber som opera- og ensemblesanger.

Maria har sin utdannelse fra Operahøgskolen ved Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo hvor hun fullførte sin mastergrad i 2020. Under studiene sang hun roller som Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte), Tredjedame (Tryllefløyten) og Hans (Hans & Grete) - sistnevnte på Den Norske Opera & Ballett med KORK i orkestergraven. I 2022 gjorde Maria sin profesjonelle debut ved DNO&B i rollen som Nurse i urfremføringen av Flagstad - the opera av Ketil Bjørnstad.

Sommeren 2022 hadde Maria gleden av å vende tilbake i rollen som Hans under Flagstadfestivalens produksjon av Hans & Grete, før hun dro rett videre til Opera di Setra og deres produksjon av The Sound of Music, hvor hun sang rollen som Abedissen.

I juli 2023 hadde Maria sin internasjonale debut i rollen som Mrs. Page i «De Lystige Koner i Windsor» av O. Nicolai ved Grimeborn Opera Festival i London, England.

I 2024 blir hun å se i rollen som Flora i «La Traviata» av G. Verdi ved Operaen i Kristiansund og Opera Trøndelag

Maria har en sjelden interesse for samtidsmusikk, og har gjort samarbeid med komponister som Eva Holm Foosnæs, Birgit Djupedal og Bjørn Kruse. Hennes urfremføringer har høstet gode anmeldelser.

SKEIVE STEMMER

During her studies, Maria started Norway’s first queer opera company, Queer Voices (Skeive Stemmer) together with Eldrid Gorset (soprano) and Angelle Khachik (soprano). Their goal is to create a workspace for queer artists where they can exchange experiences and create and develop new art in a safe environment.

The company has performed all over Norway during different Pride-events, as well as creating their own concert series at Rosendal Theatre in Trondheim, Norway. In 2022 premiered their first full opera production at the same theatre: a brand new version of Otto Nicolai’s «The Merry Wives of Windsor».

Photo: Talitha Rose

THE NORWEGIAN SOLOISTS’ CHOIR

Maria has sung with The Norwegian Soloists’s Choir since 2016, and been a permanent member since 2022.

The Norwegian Soloists’s Choir is one of Europe’s leading chamber choirs, and they perform spectacular concerts in Norway and abroad. The choir concists of 26 hand-picked, professional singers who have a tremendous ability to blend their voices, resulting in highly distinctive choral expression. Long with their celebrated artistlic leader Grete Pedersen, the choir achieves ambitious artistic goals through constant development.

(from their web-site: https://solistkoret.no/en/about )