Maria Weiss
“Her voice is tremendous, and the continued suspense of her stage presence is breathtaking“, “a marvelous mezzo-soprano with organ-like depths” or“a vocal and acting synthesis of arts” are excerpts of reviews about the Austrian mezzo-soprano Maria Weiss. With a repertory focusing on early and contemporary music, she is dedicated in particular to premiering (forgotten) early music and contemporary compositions.

After receiving a diploma in cultural history studies at the University of Sorbonne (Paris), she studied voice at the national conservatory “Luigi Cherubini” in Florence and concluded her studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz under the guidance of Kammersängerin Joanna Borowska. Master Classes with Angelika Kirchschlager, Teresa Berganza und Jorge Sirena followed. Since then, Maria Weiss has worked and studied with the mezzo-soprano Glenys Linos.

With an emphasis on Baroque repertoire, she has sung, amongst others, the roles of Bradamante or Gismonda  Händel), Megalce (Vivaldi), Lisinga (Gluck), contemporary music as the opera by W. Rihms  ”Jakob Lenz” (Voice) or Baiana in the European premiere of the Brasilian opera “Pedro Malazarte” of Mozart C. Guarnieri. Examples of premieres of rediscovered works in the Baroque repertoire are Palante in the Austrian premiere of “La Guerra de los Gigantes”, Júpiter in “El imposible mayor en amor le vence Amor” (S. Durón) or Aurora in the European premiere of “L’Oracolo del Fato” (F. Gasparini).

Her opera spectrum includes not only the most important Mozart pieces, and extends from the rarely performed Renaissance and Baroque repertoire until Jacques Offenbach’s operettas.

She has worked with stage directors such as Frank Castorf, Philippe Arlaud, John Lloyd Davies or the Baroque-Gesture-Specialist Sigrid T’Hooft. Musical cooperation with directors and musicians such as Stefan Asbury, Domingo Hindoyan, David Levi, Rubén Dubrovsky, Luca Pianca, Gérard Korsten, Rogério Gonçalves, Jörg Zwicker, Thomas Platzgummer, Wolfgang Mitterer, James Pearson or Franco Pavan and musical partners such as Bach Consort Wien, Klangforum Wien,  Ensemble Claudiana, Harmony of Nations Baroque Orchestra, Il Concerto Tivoli, Camerata Argentea, A Corte Musical, Capella Leopoldina, Grazer Symphonikern or Vorarlberger Symphonieorchester.

Further engagements saw Maria Weiss perform, amongst others, at Wiener Festwochen, Konzerthaus Wien, Opernhaus Graz, “trigonale. festival für alte musik”, Bregenzer Festspielhaus, Feldkirch Festival, Festspielhaus Dornbirn, Kammeroper Graz, Klagenfurter Konzerthaus, Donaufestwochen im Strudengau, BOV Opera Festival to the Teatru Manoel in Valetta (Malta) or Ateneu Barcelonés in Spain.

With regard to her lied repertoire, Maria Weiss, under the guidance of Teresa Berganza and Isabel Aragón, has specialized on Spanish and Latin American repertoire (especially songs of De Falla, Granados, Guridi, Montsalvatge, Rodrigo, Leon und Villa-Lobos).

Her stage presence has been described, amongst others, as that of a “gifted singer-actress” (in a review by the Kritisches Journal für Alte Musik).  Maria Weiss also studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Film  & Theatre Institute in New York (US). She can frequently bee seen in short films and feature films. Her most recent feature film “Spanien” by Anja Salomonitz was premiered at the Berlinale 2012. Her most recent award-winning CD, the first recording of the Baroque opera “La Guerra de los Gigantes” b S. Durón (Label Panclassics) with ensemble “A Corte Musical”, has received excellent reviews.