Over the years, Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak has been moving into more dramatic and lyrical roles. After starting her career singing coloratura and Bel Canto roles like “Lucia di Lammoor” and the roles of Rossini, the soprano has continued to expand her repertoire, engaging with more Puccini and Verdi operas, among other heavier repertory.

After taking on the role of Cio-Cio San in “Madama Butterfly” this past summer, Kurzak will sing arguably the most dramatic and longest role of her career at the Opéra de Paris this week.

The soprano will make her role debut as Elisabetta in “Don Carlo,” adding yet another Verdi role to her repertoire. The singing actress has thus far sung in the composer’s “Rigoletto,” “La Traviata” which is considered one of her signature roles, “Falstaff,” “Otello,” and “Luisa Miller,” which she recently did in a concert performance. Elisabetta is considered a milestone for many sopranos as it is a vocal part that allows an artist to explore different ranges of the voice. Not only is Kurzak acclaimed for her vocal flexibility and versatility but she is also a committed actress who has been hailed for her “throwing herself” into each role she inhabits.

Kurzak will make her role debut alongside her husband Roberto Alagna and critics have raved about the couple’s chemistry on stage. The couple has performed around the world in numerous productions including “Otello,” “Luisa Miller,” and “Pagliacci,” among other works.

For those who are not in Paris, the Polish soprano will sing in a new production of Verdi’s ‘Falstaff” at the Bayerische Staatsoper and will return to the role of Nedda in “Pagliacci” at the Royal Opera House and Gran Teatre del Liceu. She also returns to the Metropolitan Opera and Royal Opera for “La Traviata.”

Recordings

For those not familiar with Kurzak’s voice, she has a recording with Alagna of Puccini duets entitled “Puccini in Love” and an album dedicated to the works of Rossini. She also has an album entitled “Gioia” and a DVD of “Rigoletto” from the Opernhaus Zurich.

Here she is singing Sempre Libera from “La Traviata.”

And here she is as Desdemona in “Otello.”