KRISTINA HAMMARSTRÖM, mezzosoprano

Kristina Hammarström has lately become one of Sweden’s leading singers with a flourishing international career. Her impeccable musicianship, due to an earlier career as a violinist, and striking stage persona has earned her accolades wherever she has appeared. She has been engaged by the Bastille Opera in Paris, Wiener Kammeroper, as well as the opera houses in Lausanne, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Strasbourg and Lübeck. In the spring of 2004 she made her debut as Penelope in “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria” at La Monnaie in Brussels, and then on tour to Caen, Luxemburg and New York. This summer she appeared in “Cecilia and the Monkey King” at The Drottningholm Court Theatre, where she also appeared as Irene in the critically acclaimed production of “Tamerlano”, conducted by Christophe Rousset in 2000 and 2002. During the 2003 season Kristina Hammarström appeared with René Jacobs in Luxemburg as Diana in Cavalli’s “La Calisto”, Nerone in ”Agrippina” at The Chicago Opera Theater with Emanuelle Haïm and Octavian in “Der Rosenkavalier” at the Gothenburg Opera. Other operatic roles in later seasons have been: Teseo in Händel’s “Arianna in Creta” with Christophe Rousset, Rosina in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” at the Royal Opera in Stockholm and the title-role in Mozart’s “Ascanio in Alba” in Mannheim with Adam Fischer. Kristina Hammarström has performed the alto parts in most of Bach’s and Mozart’s oratorios with conductors as Manfred Honeck, Philippe Herreweghe and John Nelson. In 2003 she appeared as Marguerite in Berlioz’ “La Damnation de Faust” alongside José van Dam in Düsseldorf. Recent engagements include Minerva in “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria” with René Jacobs at the Staatsoper in Berlin, Elgar’s “The Dream of Gerontius” in Düsseldorf, Cleofe in Händel’s “La Resurrezione” with Andrew Manze in Berlin, Matilde in “Lotario” with Basel Chamber Orchestra, Mozart’s Mass in C-minor with Herbert Blomstedt and the Tonhalle-Orchestra, Charlotte in Massenet’s “Werther” at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, Nerone in ”Agrippina” in Frankfurt and Cornelia in Händel’s “Giulio Cesare” with René Jacobs in Vienna.

Kristina Hammarström participates in the recordings of Mitridate, Lucio Silla and Idomeneo with Adam Fischer and the Danish Radio Sinfonietta.