Zofia Hanna, mezzo-soprano, is an alumna of the Dutch National Opera Academy where she sung roles like Donna Elvira in Mozart's Don Giovanni, the title role of Massenet’s Cendrillon, the leading role Clara in the modern opera The Mother of Black-Winged Dreams by Hanna Kulenty and Gertrud in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. Besides this she had the opportunity to explore other roles like Mozart’s Cherubino and Dorabella, Massenet’s Charlotte, and other in concerts for The Concertgebouw and Dutch National Opera, where she was also invited to sing the role of Madrigalist in Puccini's Manon Lescaut.
In October 2017, Zofia was awarded first prize at the 3rd International “Toscanini” Competition in Brescia, Italy. That’s same year she was invited back at Opera Vlaanderen to sing Blumenmädchen in Parsifal, a revival which was awarded by Opernwelt as best production.
She performed Mercédes (2019) in a Carmen production of Musichall in various halls in Belgium and the Netherlands as well as Lady Macbeth in a rewritten version of Verdi’s Macbeth, by M. Coppens in a special children’s production for Opera Vlaanderen. In London she joined the Alvarez Young Artist program of Garsington Opera where she worked with conductors Jac van Steen, Justin Doyle, Laurence Cummings and directors Paul Curran and Martin Duncan. Other roles in the UK have been Wellgunde (2020) with Tarnhelm opera, Alisa (2022) in Lucia di Lammermoor , Flora (2024) in La Traviata and La Frugola (2024) in Il Tabarro with Instant Opera.
Zofia performed Second wood sprite (2020) in an exciting new production by Alan Lucien Øyen in Opera Vlaanderen, recently awarded "Best Opera Company" and the roles of Marthe, Schuld and Maria Aegyptiaca (2023) under the baton of Philippe Herreweghe in Schumann's Faust.
She sang the role of Karolka (2024) in the renowned Robert Carsen production of Jenufa for which she received great recognition in international press.
Zofia has been touring in a new theatre production "Vake Poes", singing excerpts of Bach's Johannes Passion, in various cities (o.a. Opera Ghent, Opera de Lille, ITA, Théatre de la Ville Paris) in Europe.
Upcoming Zofia will record a new song cycle written by Mathias Coppens, which is part of a recital program "A Few Words on the Soul" that she performs together with Mathias in various cities in Europe.
PRESS
“In the same way, Zofia Hanna, happily embodies Karolka, Steva's fiancée, with a confident and projected voice. With a laughing timbre, she knows how to play with effective colors the variety of postures of the character, in love, but lucid, then outraged by the information received on this very weak fiancé." Olyrix, June 2024
"Visually and theatrically, Carsen's Jenufa still stands unshakeable, but it is above all a new generation of vocal and instrumental performers who are blowing like a breath of fresh air over the countryside.” De Standaard, June 2024
"The secondary roles are excellent, the luminous Zofia Hanna (respectively the fiancée)…" Forum Opera, 6 June 2024
"Zofia Hanna sang with commanding sonority as Flora....." Opera Magazine, 7 October 2023
“Bach's beautiful St. John Passion and the aria ‘Erbarme dich’ from his St. Matthew Passion is tenderly performed by Zofia Hanna.” Knack, 13 February 2023
"Bach's Erbarme dich resounds... a deeply moving moment" E-TCETERA, 12 February 2023
"Zofia Hanna, as Marthe, manages to convey in brief moments the deviousness in the tone of her voice, a kind of complicity with Mephisto." Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 25 June 2022
“They are surrounded by Lore Binon, Sara Jo Benoot and Zofia Hanna who sing their smaller but difficult parts with conviction.” Pzazz, 22 June 2022
“From the second act, when the madness really sets in, she switches to the authentic Verdi phrases (with the famous ‘Una macchia è qui tuttora’),… and transports into a lyrical, unreachable and mysterious world – that of the soul.” E-TCETERA, 20 March 2019
“In terms of ensemble singing, the quintet 'Nous avons en tête une affaire!' between Valérie Vervoort, Zofia Hanna, Hans Peter Janssens, Fabrice Pillet, and Ahlima Mhahmadi is a gem“ Concertnews.be, 15 September 2018
“Special acknowledgement to the Flower Girls (the charming Anat Edri, Britt Truyts, Lies Vandewege, An De Ridder, Hanne Roos et Zofia Hanna) bring the Spring on stage, invigorating and cheering the gloomy atmosphere of despair and resignation of the second act.” Classicagenda.fr, 27 March 2018
© Guy Kokken Photography