Biography

 

Following her studies of classical ballet, German-Hungarian soprano Susanne Serfling completed her vocal studies at the Academy of Music “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin under the tutelage of Hannerose Katterfeld. During that time, she also took lessons with Kammersänger Prof. Julia Varady, Elisabeth Schwartzkopf, Thomas Quasthoff and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

While still a student, she debuted at the Komische Oper Berlin  in addition to other engagements at the Unter den Linden State Opera House and the Konzerthaus Berlin, among others. Her first full-time commitment then brought her to the Erfurt Theater, where she successfully played Gretel in the production of Hansel and Gretel for Adults by G.C. del Monaco, in addition to other roles.

In 2005, the young soprano joined the ensemble of the Darmstadt State Theatre. In the beginning, she played title roles such as Poppea, Iphigenie, Kluge, and Anne Frank, and in 2008, she successfully transitioned to the young dramatic soprano genre, playing the part of Rachel in La Juive, earning admiration in many regions.

Then, Susanne Serfling broadened her repertoire with roles like Katja Kabanowa, Sieglinde, Micaëla, Líu, Mimí, Nedda, Suor Angelica, Georgetta, Gouvernante and Cio Cio San – her debut role at the Wiesbaden State Theatre. She played Desdemona and Salome in productions at the Darmstadt State Theatre as well as at the Detmold State Theatre in 2014/2015. The season 2015/2016 started for Susanne Serfling with the debut of Leonore in Fidelio at the Koblenz Theatre followed by the production of Elektra with the part of Chrysothemis at the Detmold State Theatre. At Theatre Wielki Warsaw she was covering the title role in "Salome" with Maestro Soltesz.

The current season she is performing Micaela at Staatstheater Wiesbaden and Darmstadt, following her successful role debut of Blanche de La Force ("Dialogues des Carmélites") at Theater Hof and Chrysothemis at Staatstheater Cottbus.


In the following season, she will give her debut as Senta in the Landestheater Detmold and in the original version at the Koblenz Theater, in May 2018 her house debut as Salome at the Theater Magdeburg.


Her wide-ranging concert repertoire covers among others Mozard, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Verdi, Strauss, Mahler, and Kurt Weill.

She has received numerous awards for her extraordinary performances, among them, 1st place at the Bundeswettbewerb für Gesang (National Singing Contest), a special award from the Robert Stolz Foundation, and a scholarship award from the European Cultural Foundation. Additionally, she is the prizewinner of the Lotte-Lenya Singing Contest.

Susanne Serfling