ZORYANA KUSHPLER Mezzo Soprano

Zoryana Kushpler Mezzo-Soprano Ukrainian mezzo soprano Zoryana Kushpler started her musical education at the early age of 5, studying piano with her mother first and violin later. From 1993 she began her singing classes with her father, Prof. Igor Kushpler at the Lviv music academy. Already during her studies she debuted in the Lviv opera house as Rosina (Barber of Seville) and Maddalena (Rigoletto). 1998 Zoryana Kushpler moved to Musikhochschule Hamburg, studying with Judith Beckmann. Master Classes with Teresa Berganza, Renata Scotto and Kurt Moll completed her education which was crowned and rewarded by the first price at one of the most renowned contests, the Munich ARD competition in 2000. This was also the start to her international career. In Prague Opera Zoryana Kushpler debuted as Sesto (La clemenza di Tito) in 2001, at Schleswig-Holsten- Festival as Kuhnik (Rusalka – in concert) under the baton of Christoph Eschenbach 2004, in London Barbican Center as Nerone (L´incoronazione di Poppea – in concert) with René Jacobs also in 2004. She then accepted an invitation from Berne opera to be a member of the ensemble for two seasons, singing there major roles such as Sesto (Giulio Cesare), Masha (Tri Sestry von Peter Etvesh), Marquesa Melibea (Viaggio a Reims), Suzuki (Butterfly) und Preziosilla (La forza des destino). In summer 2006, directly following her Berne engagement Zoryana Kushpler was Aminta (Il re pastore) with Alessandro de Marchi at Innsbrucker Festwochen. Among her partners on stage range famous singers such as Dame Felicity Lott, Peter Schreier, Anne Sofie von Otter,Agnes Baltsa or Thomas Hampson. In concert the artist appeared with Radio Orchestra Saarbrücken (“Songs and dances of death” by Mussorgsky), toured Zürich, Basel and Geneva with Radio Symphony Orchestra Warsaw and sang Haydns “Nelson-Mass” under the baton of Sir Neville Marriner at Schleswig-Holstein Festival. Chamber music being a major interest for her she has sung with Petersen Quartet and pianist Alexander Schmalcz in Venice, Milan, Florence, Ferrara as well as at Schleswig-Holstein-Festival. Also as a recitalist, being accompanied by her twin sister Olena, she has sung in many important concert-series such as at Rheingau Musik Festival, Festival Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Musikhalle-Laeizhalle Hamburg, Konzerthaus Berlin and other places. From 2001 to 2004 Zoryana Kushpler was made a guest professor in her home-town Lviv, Ukraine. Zoryana Kushpler has participated in several radio and TV productions. Her most recent CD release is featuring songs by Dmitri Shostakovich on texts by Marina Zwetajewa. Already in 1996 she sang for the Soundtrack of “La Tregua” (the movie was directed by Francesco Rosi), giving her voice to actress Agnieszka Wagner.From March 2007 Zoryana Kushpler has been a member of the Vienna State Opera Ensemble. In the 2007 season she sung Adelaide (Arabella) Conducted by Franz Welser-Most, Mary (Der fliegende Hollaender) conducted by Seiji Ozawa and Emilia (Otello) Conducted by Daniele Gatti. In the 2007/08 season she will perform Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), Giulietta (Les contes d'Hoffmann), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Fenena (Nabucco), Mary (Der fliegende Hollaender) and Pauline (Pique Dame) at the Vienna State Opera. She will also sing Carmen (Carmen) and Giulietta (Les contes d'Hoffmann) at the Vienna Volks Opera.