Artist Of The Week: Elisabet Strid

Swedish Soprano Makes Her Teatro Real Debut in Signature Role

By Francisco Salazar
(Credit: Cory Weaver/Lyric Opera of Chicago)

Elisabet Strid is considered one of today’s leading dramatic sopranos. She has performed on some of the world’s greatest stages to great acclaim and has specialized in the works of Wagner and Strauss. But there is without a doubt one role that has defined her career up to this point; Sieglinde in Wagner’s “Die Walküre.”

The Swedish soprano began her international career as Sieglinde at the Riga National Opera in 2006 and soon turned the heroine into her signature role, performing the role at such houses as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Leipzig, Gothenburg Opera and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. Critics have raved about her interpretation calling it “impressive,” “luxurious” and “marvelous.” They have also stated that she “sang with radiant, focused sound, and poignant expressive shadings.”

This week Madrid audiences will finally get to hear Strid’s interpretation of the role as she make her Teatro Real debut. She will sing in a new production by Robert Carsen, continuing the Teatro Real’s new Ring Cycle. No doubt Spanish audiences will be in for a treat as Strid continues her exploration of this Wagner role.

And for those not in Madrid, this season Strid will also perform her signature role at the Royal Swedish Opera, the Israeli Opera, and the New National Theatre in Tokyo. She also appears at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo and Deutsche Oper Berlin in productions of “Elektra” and “Tannhauser.”

Recordings

Strid has one recording entitled Leuchtende Liebe featuring arias Beethoven and Wagner.

Here she is singing from “Die Walküre.”

And here she is in the final scene from “Tristan und Isolde.”

Here is a full performance of her critically acclaimed “Salome.”

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