“You often set limits for yourself before they exist,” says Elsa Dreisig. This is certainly not true for the French-Danish native, who is rapidly establishing herself as one of today’s most captivating lyric sopranos. Since joining the studio of the Berlin State Opera in 2015 and going on to become an ensemble member, she has made role debuts at leading houses across Europe, from Zurich to London. As an exclusive recording artist with the label Erato, Elsa in January 2022 released her third album, Mozart x 3, featuring arias from Mozart’s three Da Ponte operas and three opere serie.
Elsa’s interpretations stand out through her commitment to continually uncovering new facets in a role. That also means transcending historic constructs so that the performance comes to life in a believable way. For the soprano, no female personality – whether Manon, Violetta or Fiordiligi – should ever be a victim. “It’s the modern blood that flows in my veins and should also flow into my singing,” she explains.
And yet the ultimate goal is to “make the score heard: with a solid technique – that goes without saying – but also a body that can recreate the character in the flesh.” She likens the psychological knowledge required to a kind of inner nourishment that feeds her musical delivery. Upon debuting in the title role in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena at the Grand Théâtre de Genève in 2021, Elsa above all focused on the queen’s emotional state and tried to relate to her on a personal level.
Elsa thrives on participating in what she identifies as exceptional events – even if they involve some risk. In 2017, she jumped in at a day’s notice to sing Haydn’s Creation with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle. This season, after giving concerts with two different orchestras in Copenhagen, the Berlin State Opera called on her to appear as Pamina just a few hours later. “I hope to never rest on my laurels,” she says, “and continue to explore.”
