Christine
Knorren

Mezzo-soprano Christine Knorren was born in Aachen and received her vocal training at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, where she studied Lied and Oratorio under Judith Beckmann. Her exceptional talent was recognised early, earning her several prizes including the Hamburg Mozart Prize and first prize at the international Jaume Aragall Competition in Spain.

Already during her studies she was accepted into the renowned Opera Studio of the Zurich Opera House, where she made her debut in Verdi's Rigoletto and Lortzing's Der Wildschütz. Since then, engagements have taken her to numerous stages across Europe and beyond.

At the Festival de Radio France in Montpellier she sang under Enrique Mazzola in Pizzetti's Fedra (CD recording) and René Koering's Penthesilea under Alain Altinoglu (CD). Further highlights of her career include Debussy's Le martyre de Saint Sébastien with the Orchestre National de France under Daniele Gatti (CD), Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand also under Daniele Gatti, Mendelssohn's Walpurgisnacht with the New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur at Avery Fisher Hall, Korngold's Orchestral Songs op. 14 under Ralf Weikert in Palermo, and the role of Cecilio in Lucio Silla at the Opéra de Nice.

Christine Knorren is a regular guest with the Berliner Operngruppe, where she has impressed audiences in, among others, Verdi's Oberto (Leonora), Donizetti's Maria di Rohan (Gondi) and Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda (Agnese di Maino). In Italy she has been heard as Carmen (La Spezia), Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica (Mantova), Eboli in Don Carlo (Bergamo), as Wellgunde in Graham Vick's new production of Das Rheingold at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, to which she returned as Wellgunde and Second Norn in Götterdämmerung. In Palermo she also sang Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte and Elsbeth in Richard Strauss's Feuersnot. In Naples she sang the Third Maid in Elektra under Juraj Valčuha.

Christine Knorren sang Smeton in Anna Bolena (St. Moritz) and Ulrica in Solothurn. In Greece she sang Azucena (Il Trovatore) in the ancient amphitheatre of Livadia. She was recently seen as Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus in Cagliari.

Her extensive concert repertoire includes a broad range of Lieder as well as Bach's Passions, Mozart's C minor Mass and Requiem, Brahms's Alto Rhapsody, Rossini's Petite messe solennelle and Stabat Mater, Verdi's Requiem, and many works by Mahler, including Das Lied von der Erde, the Rückert-Lieder, Symphonies Nos. 2, 3 and 8, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, and Berg's Seven Early Songs.

Christine Knorren has established herself as an outstanding singer in the mezzo-soprano and Zwischenfach repertoire, distinguished by her musical expressiveness, stylistic versatility and stage presence.