Claudia Mahnke
Oper Frankfurt – Guercoeur
Claudia Mahnke measures the spectrum between lyricism and drama for Guercoeur's widow Giselle.
Die-deutsche-buehne.de (February 3, 2025)Zurich Opera – Walküre
Claudia Mahnke celebrates a personal triumph as Fricka with an equally elegant and intense embodiment.
onlinemerker.com (May 21, 2024)
Season 25/26 and Highlights
BERLIN STATE OPERA
Wagner - Rheingold - Fricka
Sep 27, Oct 5
Wagner - Walküre - Fricka
Sep 28, Oct 7
OPER FRANKFURT
Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov - Schankwirtin
Nov 2/6/8/14/21/23/26
Wagner - Tristan and Isolde - Brangäne
March 22/28, April 3/6/11
Fortner - Bluthochzeit - Mother
PREMIERE May 10
May 15/24/31, June 6/15
YOMIURI NIPPON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Pfitzner - Von deutscher Seele - Mezzo
Jan 20
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BAVARIAN STATE OPERA MUNICH
Strauss - Salome - Herodias
Feb 23/26, March 1/5
Wagner - Walküre - Waltraute
PREMIERE June 25
June 28, July 1/4/8
Biography
Claudia Mahnke has established herself as one of the most important mezzo-sopranos, captivating audiences at international opera houses and concert halls with her warm, versatile voice.
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In the 2025/26 season, Claudia Mahnke will once again take on the role of Fricka in Tcherniakov's Ring at the Berlin State Opera. Her hometown, the Oper Frankfurt , presents the artist in the new production of Boris Godunov , as Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde , and in the new production of Fortner's Bluthochzeit . The Bavarian State Opera in Munich has engaged Claudia Mahnke as Herodias in Salome and as Waltraute in the new production of Die Walküre . The mezzo-soprano is expected at the Vienna Musikverein for a concert with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, performing works by Nadia Boulanger.
Recent highlights have included her role debut as Countess Geschwitz in the new production of Lulu and Giselle in Magnard’s Guercoeur , both at the Oper Frankfurt , her MET debut with Magdalene ( Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg ) under Antonio Pappano, Herodias ( Salome ) at the Vienna State Opera and the Hamburg State Opera, Fricka at the Berlin State Opera under the conductors Christian Thielemann, Guggeis and Philippe Jordan as well as her role debuts as Amneris ( Aida ) and Mere Marie in the new Frankfurt production of Dialogues des Carmélites by Poulenc.
Claudia Mahnke is a Kammersängerin of the city of Frankfurt, where she has been an ensemble member since 2006/07. Here, she recently performed Herodias in Salome (Director: Barrie Kosky, Conductor: Joana Mallwitz), the Foreign Princess (Rusalka), Marie (Wozzeck), Selika in Meyerbeer's Afrikanerin (Director: Tobias Kratzer), Charlotte (Werther), Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia), Dido (Les Troyens), Conception (L’heure espagnole), Judith (Bluebeard's Castle), Marguerite (La Damnation de Faust), Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde), Waltraute and 2nd Norn (Götterdämmerung), Composer (Ariadne auf Naxos), Kundry (Parsifal), and the Mother in Hänsel und Gretel.
At the Bavarian State Opera, she has appeared as Auntie (Peter Grimes), Magdalene (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) under Kirill Petrenko, Silla in Palestrina and Frugola in Il Tabarro. The Hamburg State Opera invited the highly sought-after artist as Kundry, Waltraute and Brangäne. At the Theater an der Wien, she was a guest as La Grande Vestale under the direction of Bertrand de Billy in Spontini's La Vestale. In San Francisco, she has appeared as Dorabella, Cherubino and Zerlina. She also performed her signature role of Judith at LA Opera. She celebrated a great success as Iokaste in Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex at the Semperoper in Dresden. Her Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) was enthusiastically received in Cologne, among other places, where she was also celebrated as Brangäne. As Adriano in Rienzi, she attracted attention at the Teatro Real in Madrid.
Claudia Mahnke made her debut at the Bayreuth Festival in 2013 as Fricka, Waltraute and 2nd Norn in the new Ring under Kirill Petrenko. She also sang Brangäne with Petrenko at the Ruhrtriennale.
From 1996 to 2006 , Claudia Mahnke was a member of the ensemble at the Stuttgart State Opera, where she was repeatedly named “Singer of the Year” in the magazine Opernwelt In August 2006, Claudia Mahnke was appointed Kammersängerin of the Stuttgart State Opera.
Claudia Mahnke's broad concert repertoire ranges from Bach's Mass in B minor , Beethoven's 9th Symphony and Missa solemnis , Schumann's Paradies und die Peri , to Berg's Altenberglieder , Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder , and Penderecki's Credo . A major focus is on the symphonies and songs of Gustav Mahler, including most recently Das Lied von der Erde under Sylvain Cambeling in Berlin and Mahler II under Lorenzo Viotti in Cologne.
Claudia Mahnke received her vocal training from Prof. Heidi Petzold at the Dresden University of Music.
2025/26
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