 Karen Vermeiren, soprano, holds a Master of Arts in Music with highest distinction (2015) and had further vocal education with distinguished opera singers and coaches, such as Tom Krause, Montserrat Caballé, Helmut Deutsch, Peter Kooij, Rudolf Jansen, Catherine Foster, Irwin Gage, Myron Yusypovych, Neill Semer, Maurizio Barbacini, Rudolf Jansen, Maciej Pikulski, Erkki Korhonen, Steve Davislim, Giuseppe Morino (belcanto technique – school of Rodolfo Celetti) and Louis Langrée, amongst others.
Her vocal qualities have been rewarded several times: in 2019, Karen was one of the four nominees at the Meistersinger Award in Vienna, a distinction reserved to singers who throughout their careers have achieved outstanding interpretations of the works by Gustav Mahler, Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi. She received high praise from the international press for her outstanding voice quality and intriguing theatrical skills.
Aside this prestigious nomination she was a finalist at the Andrea Chenier Competition in Italy (2016), was awarded the honorary certificate “for beautiful voice quality” at the finals of the international competition of lyrical singing in Bevagna and received the first prize (excellence level) at the competition “Leopold Bellan” in Paris. She has been rewarded the diploma d’onnore at the tornamente internazionale di musica and was nominated as one of the best students at the international summer academy “Mozarteum” in Salzburg in 2008.
Season 2023/2024. Currently Karen Vermeiren sings Gerhilde in Die Walküre, in a complete new production of Richard Wagner's Ring at the Royal Opera House La Monnaie. A production led by Maestro Alain Altonoglu and for which the House engaged the globally renowned director Romeo Castellucci.
Later on this season, Karen will return to the Flanders Opera House where she will take part as Rychtarka in the revival of Janacek's lavish praised production of Jenufa directed by Robert Carsen. Noteworthy was Karen's appearance at the live-concert-event by the flemish classical radio KLARA in Bruges and her participation some time later in the radio's tribute to Maria Callas.
Previously the artist had made her house debut at the Monnaie as Prima sorella cercatrice in Suor Angelica and Nella in Gianni Schicchi in a new production of Puccini's Trittico. For the latter role Karen Vermeiren was also invited by Summer Opera Festival Alden-Biesen (Belgium).
During the current Puccini anniversary year Karen Vermeiren will take part in various productions, including also recitals and semi-staged productions dedicated to the composer.
Past performance highlights of the artist include the title roles in La Clemenza di Tito (Vitellia), Die Walküre (Gerhilde), Rusalka (Foreign Princess), Don Giovanni (Donna Anna and Donna Elvira), Die Zauberflöte (Erste Dame) and Tosca in an adapted score for a hybrid performance. Roles Karen performs regularly in opera, concerts and Lied recitals in Belgium and abroad (Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Koningin Elisabethzaal, Midsummer Mozartiade Brussels, Trondheim opera (Norway), Izmir State Orchestra, Lviv national opera house, the Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos in Lisbon, Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg, Sala Mozart in Zaragoza (where she was invited by Montserrat Caballé to perform at the prestigious concert “voces”. Opera magazine “Opera actual” was lyrical about her performance).
Her concert repertoire includes the soprano solo part in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, Mahler's Rückert Lieder and Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder.
cv-update season 2023/2024. Please contact the agency to get the most recent update of the artist's biographical details.
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