Croatian-Canadian soprano Chelsea Kolić is establishing herself as one of the most exciting young performers of her generation. During the 2020/21 season she received over ten international awards including four first prizes, among which she was named Canada District Winner of the Laffont competition. 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 (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. She also sang Frasquita (Carmen), 1st Wood Sprite (Dvořák's Rusalka), 1st Elf (Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream), and 1st Lady (Die Zauberflöte) last season. Chelsea recently 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. 

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      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). 

 

      Her chorus experience includes engagements with the Salzburg Festival (Austria), Theater Osnabrück (Germany), 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, 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 to refine her skills, most recently with renown German tenor Christoph Prégardien (November 2019). Chelsea is also an avid Lied singer and has recently performed new compositions with the NEO Voice Festival (USA) and the Arcady Emerging Artist program (Canada). She is currently based in Krefeld, Germany.

 

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