Heidi Manser – lyric coloratura soprano

Heidi Manser was born in Wolfsberg (Carinthia). She completed a preparatory course for vocal studies at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts under Prof. Helga Wagner, before she began her solo voice training for concert and opera at the Vienna Conservatory. In addition, she trained privately with KS Gottfried Hornik and KS Edith Lienbacher, attended master-classes with KS Gundula Janowitz, KS Ernst Haeflinger and KS Prof. Walter Berry, and was a prizewinner of the 2000 Nico Dostal International Singing Competition.

Operetta has held a special place in the young artist’s repertoire since the beginning of her career, when she toured Europe with Heinz Hellberg and the Operettenbühne Wien, first as Hannerl in Schubert’s “Dreimädler-Haus”, and then as Nené in Kreisler’s “Sissy”. In the course of her career she has sung such diverse roles as Pauline in Offenbach’s “La Vie Parisienne” (Festival Herbsttage Blindenmarkt), Meisterin in “Peter und Paul im Schlaraffenland” by Franz Lehár (Lübecker Komödien-Theater), Sora in Millöcker’s “Gasperone” (Düsseldorfer Operette), Adele (“Die Fledermaus”), Lisa (“Gräfin Mariza”), Christel von der Post (“Der Vogelhändler“) and again Nené, this time at the Stadttheater Baden, where she also appeared in 2008-09 in Fred Raymond’s operetta “Saison in Salzburg“ as Erika. Recently she performed the Gräfin in “Wiener Blut” (City Opera Stettin Poland, Parktheater Augsburg), and the role of Catarina Cornarini in Offenbach’s “Le pont des soupirs”.

“The optimally-trained Heidi Manser with her pliant and creamy soprano… was compelling.” These words were imparted by “Das Opernglas” to Heidi Manser for her portrayal of Lorette in “Der Vampyr” by Peter Joseph von Lindpaintner (Opernbühne Bad Aibling). Further appearances in operatic rarities were the roles of Röschen in “Hieronymus Knicker“ by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Hannchen in Lortzing’s “Die Opernprobe” (both at Opernbühne Bad Aibling), Carolina in Cimarosa’s “Il Matrimonio Segreto” and Sofia in Rossini’s “Signor Bruschino” (both Sommeroper Schärding).

In classical repertory, she has enjoyed numerous successes as Olympia (“Les contes d’Hoffmann”), Anna (“Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor”), Oscar (“Un ballo in maschera”), Marie (“The bartered Bride”), Gretel (“Hänsel und Gretel”), Zerlina (“Don Giovanni”), Königin der Nacht (“Die Zauberflöte“), Susanna (“Le Nozze di Figaro“) and above all, Blondchen (“Die Entführung aus dem Serail”), which she sang at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, among other venues. Also very active in contemporary opera productions, the eclectic artist has been seen in Philippe Boesmans’ “Wintermärchen” (Neue Oper Wien), Anthony Davis’ “Tania” (Musikwerkstatt Wien), and most recently in Gerhard Schedl’s “Triptychon” and Herbert Willi’s “Schlafes Bruder” (both with Neue Oper Wien)

Heidi Manser also has amassed experience on concert stages throughout Europe, including song recitals in venues such as the Schubertiade, and a concert performance of Cherubino (“Le nozze di Figaro“) at the Wiener Konzerthaus. In Germany she appeared in the Musikhalle Hamburg with the KlassikPhilharmonie under Walter Gehlert, and she sang an acclaimed Robert Stolz Gala with the Lübecker Sommeroperette. She has sung in concert with diverse orchestras, such as the Donauphilharmonie Wien, the Junge Philharmonie, the Bochumer Symphoniker, and most recently she was the soprano soloist in Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra.