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The German-born Austrian soprano, Maria Erlacher, gained musical experience in numerous fields, such as violin and saxophone playing in pop and Jazz bands, and obtained her music degree in piano, before devoting herself completely to singing. She received her training at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich and at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna with Professor. Karlheinz Hanser, Professor Rotraud Hansmann and in Professor Edith Mathis’s classes in Lied and Oratorio (1st class Master’s degree). In addition, she attended master-classes with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Brigitte Fassbaender, Emma Kirkby, Lars Ulrik Mortensen and the Hilliard Ensemble. In 2005 she won the special prize at Austria’s greatest singing competition, Gradus ad Parnassum.
Due to her clear radiant voice Maria Erlacher is much in demand as a soloist. Her concerts have already taken her to Finland, Bulgaria, Japan, Greece, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Great Britain, Germany, to mention but a few. She regularly works with renowned ensembles such as Accentus Austria, Ars Antiqua Austria, L'Orfeo Barockorchester (Director: Michi Gaigg), Münchner Philharmoniker, Göttinger Barockorchester, Orlando di Lasso Ensemble, Neue Hofkapelle München, Weimarer Barockorchester, Marini Consort, Mozarteum Ensemble Salzburg and Tiroler Sinfonieorchester.
In addition to numerous CD and radio recordings, Maria Erlacher was also successful on the opera stage. She played the parts of Sarah Brown in the musical Guys and Dolls at the Innsbruck Kammerspiele, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, the hen in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen and took part in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis. Among other parts she sang the leading part in a Baroque opera based on the theme of Ariadne on Naxos in the European city of culture Patras in Greece, in Gluck’s Orpheus and Euridice in Bratislava and in February 2007 the title role in Reinhard Keiser’s Fredegunda in the Prince Regent Theatre in Munich and at the Handel Festival in Karlsruhe.
In November 2006 she was engaged to sing in W.A. Mozart’s Requiem in Japan and in July 2007 the young soprano was invited to Moscow and St Petersburg for a CD production of Georg Philipp Telemann’s Harmonischer Gottesdienst. In November 2009 she excelled at the Opera Festival in Tirana / Albania. She particularly impresses with her versatility and stylish interpretation. Her repertoire ranges from early Renaissance to modern works.
Maria Erlacher is a member of the successful Ensemble Amarena, which she founded together with the counter-tenor Markus Forster.
Since the fall of 2011 Maria Erlacher directs a solo singing class at the Tyrolean State Conservatory. |
