Biography
Emma Sventelius
The Swedish mezzo-soprano Emma Sventelius began to study music in 2011 at Vadstena Vocal and Piano Academy. After two years in Vadstena, Emma studied a Bachelor of Voice at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, completing her studies as an Erasmus student at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna 2015-2016. Between 2016 and 2018 Emma studied at The University College of Opera Stockholm as a student of the Swedish tenor Erik Årman.
Emma made her international debut in November 2017 as Suzuki in Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at Deutsche Oper am Rhein. During the following season, she sang the title role in Bizet's Carmen at Malmö Opera on tour, as well as Orlando at Ulriksdals Castle Theatre, Confidencen, produced by the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. Subsequently in September 2019, Emma joined the ensemble at Theater Bonn where she made a critically acclaimed debut as Octavian in "Der Rosenkavalier" by R. Strauss and Cherubino in "Le Nozze di Figaro" by Mozart. As the latter, she also made her debut on the main stage of The Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm in February 2020.
In October 2021, Emma made her Viennese debut at Volksoper Wien where she, once again, made a celebrated portrayal of Octavian. Emma has also been a part of the ensemble at Gärtnerplatztheater in Munich where she performed roles such as Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel), Niclausse (Hoffmanns Erzählungen), Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus), Olga (Eugen Onegin) and 2:nd Lady (Zauberflöte). In the fall of 2022 she was a part of director Amy Lane's acclaimed production of "Roméo et Juliette" at Malmö Opera, where she sang the role of Stéphano and in the spring of 2023 she sang the title role Adriana in the Swedish premiere of Kaija Saariaho's opera "Adriana Mater" at Norrlandsoperan, a role which she also performed at Savonlinna Opera Festival in 2024.
Emma has found a special interest in contemporary art music and has premiered several roles, including Mezzo Soprano 1 in "Stabat Mater - a chamber opera" by F. Bayani Mabalot, Dalkullan Vera in "Det går an" by D. Fjällström at Läckö Castle, Ia in "Aquilegia" by G. Lindström at Sthlm New Opera, Miss Prism in "The Importance of being Earnest" by B T. Andersson at the International Vadstena Academy and Stark in the children's opera "Färden till Arareko" by Karin Rehnqvist. Emma has also premiered several concert pieces; "Chapter one for Mezzosoprano" and "Den sista människans leende" by Ylva Fred and "Salve Regina" by Gustav Lindsten.
Equally at home with oratorio and concert repertoar, Emma has sung with several major Symphony orchestras; The Stockholm Royal Symphony Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, The Faroe Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Kristisansand Symphony Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra among others. She has performed the alto/mezzo-soprano solos in the Verdi "Requiem", Mozart "Requiem", "High Mass" by S-D. Sandström, "Stabat Mater" by G. Pergolesi, the "Matthäuspassion", "B minor mass" and "Weihnachtsoratorium" by J. S. Bach, Beethoven's 9:th Symphony and "Missa Solemnis", "Den heliga natten" by H. Rosenberg, "Stabat Mater" by A. Scarlatti, "Oratorio de Noël" by C. Saent-Saëns and "Messe pour deux voix" by C. Chaminade. With a great love for the lieder, Emma has received great praise when performing Alma Mahler's "7 Lieder" with the Norrlandsoperan Symphony Orchestra as well as Malmö Symphony Orchestra and "Gullebarns vaggsånger" by W. Peterson-Berger.
Emma Sventelius has had the great honour of being awarded several esteemed awards and scholarships over the years. Among them The Birgit Nilsson Scholarship (2020), the The Barbro Salén Scholarship at the Royal Swedish Opera (2019) and the Anders Wall Foundation's Giresta scholarship as well as The Vitaby scholarship from the OVIS foundation (2018).