ABOUT
CHELSEA
Croatian-Canadian soprano Chelsea Kolić is establishing herself as an exciting young artist throughout both North America and Europe. She has received over ten international awards including four first prizes, among which she was named Canada District Winner of the Laffont Competition (2021/2022). In fall 2023, after seven years of working and studying abroad in Europe, Chelsea returned to Canada to join Opéra de Montréal's Atelier lyrique young artist program. Throughout her first season, she successfully covered the roles of La Contessa (Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro) and Violetta (Verdi's La Traviata), made her mainstage debut as Annina (Verdi's La Traviata), and sang the roles of La Virtù and Venere in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea. She also gave strong performances as Donna Elvira and Vitellia in a Mozart scenes project directed by the world-renowned Stephen Lawless. Chelsea also joined Orchestre symphonique de Drummondville in their concert production of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'amore as Giannetta.
She is currently preparing for the 2024/2025 season with Opéra de Montréal, where she will cover the role of Mimì (Puccini's La bohème), sing the roles of La princesse/La bergère (Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges), Vitellia (Mozart's La clemenza di Tito), as well as the role of La Lune in the world premiere of a new Canadian work, titled Le Phare. She will also be singing Mrs. Gobineau/Offstage Voice (Menotti's The Medium) with Orchestre classique de Montréal and will sing works by various late-Baroque/early Classical composers in an opera pasticche (titled "Rome") with Orchestre de la Vallée du Henri-Saint-Laurant-Gallileo. In addition, Chelsea will be singing the role of Vitellia in a condensed version of Mozart's La clemenza di Tito, which will be directed by Stephen Lawless.
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
In 2016, she completed her Bachelor of Music at McGill University (Canada) under the supervision of soprano Joanne Kolomyjec. During her studies at the University Mozarteum Salzburg (Austria), she completed both a Master of Arts (Lied & Oratorio) under the direction of Barbara Bonney and Wolfgang Holzmair and a Master of Arts (Opera) under the direction of Gernot Sahler and Alexander von Pfeil. Chelsea performed her first role with the University Mozarteum in December 2018 in their production of Philippe Boesmans’ Reigen. Unfortunately, her final role at the Mozarteum (Vitellia in Mozart’s La clememza di Tito) was cancelled due to Covid-19.
During the pandemic, she sang in several virtual productions, such as Norina (Donizetti's Don Pasquale) and Micaëla (Bizet's Carmen) and has spent two summers as part of the Accademia Europa dell’Opera (Lucca, Italy) singing the roles of Oberto (Händel’s Alcina) and Susanna (Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro). She has also worked extensively on the roles of Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Äanchen (von Weber’s Der Freischütz), and Morgana (Alcina). In spring 2021, she starred as a soloist with Theater Krefeld and Mönchengladbach in The Plague; a Baroque opera pasticcio with music by Henry Purcell. During the next three seasons, she sang Frasquita (Carmen), 1st Wood Sprite (Dvořák's Rusalka), 1st Elf (Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream), 1st Lady (Die Zauberflöte), and Countess Ceprano/Page (Verdi's Rigoletto). In June 2023, she jumped in as Lisa (Bellini's La Sonnambula) and shone. In fall 2022, Chelsea made her UK debut in the title role of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen with Hamstead Garden Opera (London), which received the 2023 Offies award for Best Opera Performance by an Ensemble.
In 2022, Chelsea made her oratorio soloist debut in a performance of Händel’s Brockes Passion with Crescendo Chorus Krefeld. She was also an academy artist with the Confidencen Opera & Music Festival in Sweden (summer 2022), where she performed an original concept piece consisting of Baroque solo and ensemble pieces. Chelsea also recently performed the soprano solo in Haydn's Missa in tempore belli and Mozart's Regina coeli with the Rheinisches Oratorienorchester in Krefeld (fall 2022). She looks forward to upcoming solo performances of Mozart's Requiem (Helsinki, Finland), Orff's Carmina Burana (Bregenz, Austria), and Händel's Messiah (Saint Catherine's and Burlington, Canada) later this year.
Her chorus experience includes engagements with the Salzburg Festival (Austria), Theater Osnabrück (Germany), Theater Krefeld and Mönchengladbach (Germany), CoGNiMUS Collektiv (Germany and International), Opera McGill (Canada), and Opera Hamilton (Canada). Chelsea’s choral and cantor experience began in 2002 and she has performed often throughout North America and Europe. She has also participated in many solo and studio recitals in Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Austria. Upon graduating from her bachelor degree, Chelsea received special distinction and excellence in voice performance. She has been awarded many voice and academic scholarships from both McGill University and the University Mozarteum. Chelsea has also taken part in masterclasses with top members of the field to refine her skills, including with Helmut Deutsch, Pierre Vallet, Barbary Bonney, Wolfgang Holzmair, Christoph Prégardien, Étienne Dupuis, and Jordan de Souza. In November 2023, she was invited to work extensively with Thomas Hampson and Melanie Diener's as part of the 4th annual Opera Workshop (Waiblingen, Germany). Chelsea is also an avid Lied singer and enjoys performing new compositions. She has taken part in the NEO Voice Festival (USA) and has sung in many concerts as part of the Arcady Emerging Artist program (Canada) In her spare time, Chelsea is an passionate traveller and enjoys spending time with her family and friends, especially her dachshund puppy, Miniato. She is currently based in Montréal, Canada.
REVIEWS
"A silver-voice soprano from Canada, Chelsea Kolić, with already perfect German and graceful design."
DrehPunktKultur (Salzburg, Austria)
"Chelsea Kolić, with silvery soprano and winning charisma."
Heide Oehmen, Rheinische Post (Krefeld, Germany)
"Special praise goes to Chelsea Kolić, who stepped in at short notice for a colleague and shone."
Mein Krefeld (Krefeld, Germany)
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"Chelsea Kolić gave the title role of Vixen a child-like inquisitiveness and was always in character with a pure and charming voice. I loved her reaction to the bubble floating from the badger's sett. An excellent performance. She was well matched with ... who gave two outstanding characters: a comical Lapák and a slinky and vulpine Zlatohřbítek."
Paul M. Holgate, The National
Operatic & Dramatic Association- London Region (London, UK)
"There was nicely observed movement for the animal characters. The vixen running amok amongst the chickens, which usually closes the first act, was well realised and very funny."
Paul M. Holgate, The National
Operatic & Dramatic Association- London Region (London, UK)
"As the vixen, Chelsea Kolić shines. She has a rich and characterful soprano and she is also lithe and vigorous as she brings to life the woodland animal – the courtship between the vixen and Fox Gold-stripe is funny and touching."
Owen Davies, Plays to See (London, UK)
"Chelsea Kolić sang the vixen and came close to stealing the show."
Owen Davies, Plays to See (London, UK)
"The young Croatian-Canadian singer manages to give the roles she embodies (Daughter of Zion, Faithful Soul) the greatest possible expression of all the required emotions. As an opera singer in concert, she outshines ... in her interpretations and roles. "
Gabriele M. Knoll, Rheinische Post (Krefeld, Germany)
"... and Chelsea Kolić alternated in the roles of the Faithful Soul and the Daughter of Zion, with Kolić's intense soprano always shining in the expression of the soul that gives voice to her indignation."
Ute Büchter-Römer, Westdeutsche Zeitung (Krefeld, Germany)
"And the famous lament "O let me weep" from Purcell's "Fairy Queen" is touching with Chelsea Kolić's silvery, sparkling soprano."
Petra Dieterichs, Rheinische Post (Krefeld, Germany)
"In addition to the aforementioned performers, the sopranos Chelsea Kolić, ... are also impressive."
Michaela Plattenteich, Westdeutsche Zeitung (Krefeld, Germany)
"The ensemble of singers is also to be praised, all of them very healthy voices with organic fit and many expressive nuances."
Andreas Falentin, Die Deutsche Bühne (Krefeld, Germany)
"The nine actors, including soprano Chelsea Kolić, can also please both in terms of acting and singing."
Markus Lamers, Der Opernfreund (Krefeld, Germany)
"The mastery of the baroque emotional scale clearly belongs to the ladies: ... Chelsea Kolić singing a heart-breaking lament is great operatic art for the small screen."
Florian Maier, Orpheus Oper und Mehr (Krefeld, Germany)