Biography
Sonja Maria Westermann follows passionately her way into the dramatic repertoire.
Born in Eberbach nearby Heidelberg (Germany) she studied with Prof. Ingrid Haubold (Conservatoire Karlsruhe, Germany), Prof. Leandra Overmann (Conservatoire Würzburg, Germany) as well as with Beatrice Bianco (Accademia Musica Festival) in Bologna. She continuously perfected her singing skills taking masterclasses with famous Prof. Cheryl Studer (Germany), Laurence Dale (France), Alfonso Leoz (Spain), Maris Skuja (Austria), Gianluca Zampieri (Italy) and Beatrice Benzi (Scala di Milano, Italy).
The participation in the final of the international singing competition 2011 in the festival city of Passau crowned her previous trainings.
Her opera debut in 2013 she made as an imposing Fiordiligi in COSÌ FAN TUTTE as a member of the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar at Rudolstadt theatre (Germany) — followed by Rosalinde in THE BAT at the Zwingenberg Castle Festival.
She trained her skills with roles like: LUISA MILLER, Countess Almaviva in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Empress Marie in the operetta THE BIRD SELLER, Marguerite in Gounod’s FAUST, Madame Pompadour, Lilli Vanessi in KISS ME KATE, permanently employed at the Plauen-Zwickau theatre (Germany) from 2014 to 2016. In addition she played various roles of the lyric and lyric dramatic repertoire in several theaters and festivals: Rosalinde at the Dresden State Operetta (Germany), Desdemona in Verdis OTELLO in concert in Rom (Italy), Sina in DIE VERLOBUNG IM TRAUM (Cover) at the Karlsruhe state theatre (Germany).
„We had the beautiful impression that your voice at the same time forms the centerpiece
Belvedere Singing Competition
of your character.“
Being on stage as Helmwige and Gerhilde in THE VALKYRIE at the Tirolean Festival Erl (Austria) and as third of the Three Norns and Woglinde in TWILIGHT OF THE GODS at the Wagner Festival Leipzig (Germany) she stepped into the challenging world of Wagner.
Due to her promising dramatic voice she was chosen 2017 as semi-finalist in the prestigious Elizabeth Connell Prize for aspiring Dramatic Sopranos, sponsored by the Joan Sutherland/Richard Bonynge Foundation.
In the same year she received a scholarship of the Richard Wagner Association Venice (Italy) to attend the Bayreuth Festival.
was also chosen as a semi-finalist in the prestigious Elizabeth Connell Prize for Dramatic Sopranos, sponsored by the Joan Sutherland/Richard Bonynge Foundation.
She broadened her repertoire and experience with a brilliant debut as Amelia in Verdi’s UN BALLO IN MASCHERA at the Neustrelitz theatre (Germany), as Empress Marie in THE BIRD SELLER at the Halberstadt theatre and as Countess Almaviva in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO at the Dresden State Operetta and at the Zwingenberg Castle Festival (Germany) in season 2018/19.
Her voice quality to sing Richard Strauss she proved, singing his Four Last Songs in acclaimed concerts in Regensburg (Germany).
The highlight of her operatic career so far has been the 2019/20 season, namely her outstanding debut as Leonore in Ludwig van Beethoven’s opera FIDELIO at the Freiberg theatre.
Besides she debuted as the first of the Three Ladies in Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE and performed it at the State Operetta Dresden as well as at the Chemnitz theatre (Germany).
Furthermore she compiled lovely but seldom heard art songs for soprano and string quartet by Henri Marteau and Robert Schumann as concerts under the title IN DEM GARTEN MEINER SEELE and performed them celebrated by the audience. Her concert repertoire includes also sacred music, for example from Bach, Dvorak, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Pergolesi or Rossini. She sang Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at the Gewandhaus Leipzig, the well known Verdi Requiem in the famous St. Thomas Church Leipzig in 2014 and at the Altenberg Dome in 2019.
Despite the restrictions due to the corona pandemic, Sonja Maria Westermann will again be heard as the first of the Three Ladies in Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE at the State Operetta Dresden in autumn 2020 and spring 2021. She will go on a Christmas concert tour with the Elbland Philharmonie Sachsen.
What else the season will bring is uncertain and changeable. Current dates can always be found under Kalender.