ZANDA ŠVĒDE

Biography

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Latvian mezzo-soprano Zanda Švēde has been praised for her “lush timbre” (Münchener Merkur) and her “full-bodied, sensuous voice and arresting presence” (Post-Gazette). Since 2018, she has been a member of the Oper Frankfurt ensemble. In 2025, she was awarded the Grand Latvian Music Prize in recognition of her outstanding artistic achievements and exceptional performances throughout the year.

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Highlights of the 2026/2027 season include performances of Brahms's Alto Rhapsody and the world premiere of Eric Montalbetti's Fragments pour une messe at the Festival La Chaise-Dieu in France with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. On the concert stage, she also performs Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester under the baton of Thomas Guggeis and Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde with the Tiroler Symphonieorchester Innsbruck.

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On the operatic stage, Zanda returns to the Latvian National Opera and Ballet in the title role of Carmen and as Herodias in Salome, while making her role debut as Amneris in Aida. At her home company, Oper Frankfurt, she makes role debuts as Zarin in Rimsky-Korsakov's The Night Before Christmas, Sabina in Respighi's La fiamma, and the Mother of the Murder Victim in the world premiere of Lucia Ronchetti's Battaglia. She also returns to the roles of Erda in Rheingold and Herodias in Salome at Oper Frankfurt. In addition, she reprises the recital Bright Night with pianist Reinis Zariņš at Foundation Ola.