Anna Nekhames

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Igorevna and the family name is Nekhames.
Anna Nekhames
Анна Нехамес
Born1995 (age 29–30)
Russia
Education
OccupationOperatic soprano
OrganizationsOper Frankfurt

Anna Igorevna Nekhames (Russian: Анна Игоревна Нехамес, born 1995) is a Russian operatic soprano who has made an international career. She has been based since 2022 at the Oper Frankfurt, where she performed the coloratura soprano roles of the Queen of the Night in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and the exceptionally difficult dual role of Venus and Chief of the Gepopo in Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre.

Early life and education

Nekhames was born in Russia in 1995.[1] As a child she performed in the Bolshoi Theatre's children's chorus in Moscow from 2004. She studied voice first in Moscow, beginning in 2010 at the Galina Vishnevskaya College [ru] and then for four years at the Gnessin State Musical College. In 2018 she began further studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.[1][2] She achieved prizes at competitions in Russia and Italy; in 2019 she won the first prize of the 11th International Hilde Zadek Competition [de] in Vienna.[1][2] In 2021, she won the 3rd International Haydn Competition.[3]

Career

Nekhames joined the studio of the Vienna State Opera in 2020, performing roles such as Musetta in Puccini's La Bohème, Madame Herz in Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor, and Olympia in Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann.[2]

She performed at the Vienna State Opera the world premiere of three songs from a song cycle by Andri Joel Harison, Die Weisen einer Liebenden on 5 March 2022, accompanied by the composer at the Mahler-Saal.[4]

Since the 2022/23 season, Nekhames has been a member of the ensemble of the Oper Frankfurt. Her first role at the house was the Queen of the Night in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. In November 2023, She appeared in the "fiercely demanding"[5] dual role of Venus and Gepopo in Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre, conducted by Thomas Guggeis.[6][7] A reviewer described her "coloratura acrobatics" as almost unbelievable,[7] while another wrote: "Anna Nekhames in a double role almost seems to go beyond the vocal limits."[8] A critic from Musik Heute mentioned her among the "most exciting singers" of the performances, noting that she broke all limits.[9] She appeared as Fauno in Mozart's early work Ascanio in Alba at the Bockenheimer Depot in December 2023.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sopranistin Anna Nekhames gewinnt Hilde Zadek Gesangswettbewerb 2019". Klassik (in German). 30 April 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Anna Nekhames". Vienna State Opera. 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Ensemble". Oper Frankfurt. 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ^ Cupak, Isolde (8 March 2023). "Mahler-Saal: "Die Weisen einer Liebenden" – Uraufführung dreier Lieder aus dem Zyklus von Andri Joel Harison, gesungen von Anna Nekhames". Online Merker (in German). Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  5. ^ Kosman, Joshua (1 November 2004). "Opera crackles and leaps with vibrant, madcap and totally unpredictable 'Macabre'". SFGATE. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  6. ^ Jacobi, Martina (6 November 2023). "Apokalypse live! / György Ligeti: Le Grand Macabre". Die Deutsche Bühne (in German). Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  7. ^ a b Feyerbacher, Renate (6 November 2023). "Der Weltuntergang wieder verschoben". Feuilleton Frankfurt (in German). Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  8. ^ Sabin, Stefana (6 November 2023). "Der Weltuntergang findet nicht statt". faustkultur.de (in German). Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  9. ^ ""Le Grand Macabre" in Frankfurt: Orgien der Apokalypse". Musik Heute (in German). 6 November 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  10. ^ Molke, Thomas (17 December 2023). "Ascanio in Alba". Online Musik Magazin (in German). Retrieved 3 January 2023.