ZANDA ŠVĒDE

B i o g r a p h y

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Latvian mezzo-soprano Zanda Švēde has been praised for her “lush timber” (Münchener Merkur) and “full-bodied, sensuous voice and arresting presence” (Post Gazette).

She starts her 2024/2025 season with returning to roles of Sonjetka in Lady Macbeth of Mcensk and Maddalena in Rigoletto at her home company Oper Frankfurt. There she will also present a Recital in Holzfoyer with a title Soirée en mer. Later in the season Zanda will make her role debuts as Eduige in Handel's Rodelinda and Pythia in Rheiman's Melusine. This season will also include return to Latvian National Symphony to perform Beethowen's Missa Solemnis.

 

Her 2023/2024 season included a role debut as Cornelia in Giulio Cesare at Oper Frankfurt, performing Mahler’s 2nd Symphony with Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and returning to Tiroler Festspiele Erl for a full Ring Cycle in the summer, directed by Brigitte Fassbaender.

 

Zanda’s 2022/2023 season included role debut as Clairon in Capriccio, Nenila in Tschaikovsky’s The Enchantress, the title role of Handel's Orlando in a new production and roles Forester's wife and Owl in The Cunning Little Vixen at her home company Oper Frankfurt. Further engagements included role debuts as Erda in Siegfried and Waltraute in Göterdammerung at Tiroler Festspiele, and a return to Latvian National Opera in title role of Carmen.

 

Carmen has become one of Zanda's signature roles, which she debuted at Lyric Opera of Kansas City and has performed with Oper Frankfurt in two revivals of Barry Kosky’s production, Seattle Opera, Latvian National Opera and Pittsburgh Opera, earning stellar reviews.