This week, the Staatsoper Hamburg is set to revive its production of “Falstaff” with a starry cast of acclaimed singers including Simon Keenlyside, Danielle De Niese, and Christopher Purves. It also includes rising stars like Olivia Warburton, who is making her role debut as Nannetta.

The soprano, who made her Staatsoper Hamburg debut in 2023, has joined the company in its ensemble for the 2024-25 season performing in productions of “Hänsel und Gretel, “Ariadne auf Naxos,” and “Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank.” The soprano, who has been praised for her “clarity and beautifully floated top notes,” has also performed at the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar, Festival d’Aix en Provence, The Grange Festival, and Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, to name a few.

In anticipation of her debut, Warburton told OperaWire a little bit about her preparation for the role in a short interview.

OperaWire: What does it feel like to debut the role of Nannetta in Hamburg, and what are some of the challenging moments in this piece?

Olivia Warburton: I made my debut at Staatsoper Hamburg in 2023 — I was welcomed so warmly by both colleagues and audiences, and it has since become a very special house for me. I’m incredibly excited to be making my role debut here as Nannetta. The role is as challenging as it is rewarding. Musically, there are lots of fast, text driven ensembles that have taken time to really polish; Verdi also writes long, lyrical romantic lines for both Nannetta and Fenton, which are gorgeous, but they too come with their technical challenges. I think the combination of these things is what makes “Falstaff” the masterpiece that it is.

OW: What have you learned from working with your cast?

Olivia Warburton: As a student in London for many years, I grew up watching Sir Simon Keenlyside, Christopher Purves, and Danielle De Niese on stage, so it has truly been a dream to work with them. But honestly, I’ve learnt so much from all of my brilliant cast members on this production — we haven’t had so much rehearsal time, but the work in the studio has been extremely focussed, thoughtful, and collaborative. Throughout the process, I’ve been reminded that with this profession the exploring never stops. Having the confidence to keep asking the questions, to keep finding logic in the narrative and to bring your own unique ideas to the rehearsal room is essential.

OW: What is your favourite part of Verdi’s score?

Olivia Warburton: I love the first scene in Act one with the ladies; it’s such great fun as they come together to plot Falstaff’s downfall, and musically, it is a real rush when it all clicks into place. Nannetta’s aria is also a highlight, of course — it changes the mood so suddenly and is so evocative of the wood, fairies, and the supernatural. And of course it’s a great melody which I get to sing! But the whole piece is truly amazing, it’s like an encyclopedia of every possible combination of voices and instruments and almost an encyclopaedia of all the different structures of nineteenth-century Italian opera. You can tell that for Verdi, it really is the summation of a life’s work in a single piece.

Recordings

For more on Warburton, here she is debut as Pamina at Nevill Holt Festival and “Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank” at Staatsoper Hamburg.