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The Austrian mezzo-soprano, Monika Schwabegger, graduated from the Adalbert Stifter Gymnasium Linz and was honorary award winner of the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, where she received lessons from Professor Helena Lazarska, Professor Kurt Widmer and Professor Ingrid Doll and completed numerous master-classes, such as with Kammersängerin Christa Ludwig.
"The Fabulous Actress" (Neuer Merker) made people sit up and take notice in several opera productions. At the Festival Retz 2022, for example, Monika Schwabegger was certified for the double role of Black Angel/Queen in Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah that she managed to "create a vocal and acting density of compelling emotionality" (NÖN). Also worth mentioning is the much-discussed world premiere, where her "confidently performed mezzo" as Maria von Nazareth in Wolfram Wagner's Maria Magdalena "convinced in numerous dramatic performances" (Die Presse). The role of Lisinga in Gluck's Le Chinesi at Styriarte brought in equally good reviews. She was also the 2. Dame in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at Oper Gars, as Storge in George Frideric Handel's Jephta at the Festival Retz, where she was described as the "discovery of the evening" in the Neuer Merker. In addition, she was under contract for Jelinek's Die Schutzbefohlenen as The Singer at the Wiener Burgtheater.
Monika Schwabegger performs regularly in large concert and oratorio roles at the Goldenen Saal des Wiener Musikvereins (J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248); G.F. Handel's Messiah; Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria; F. Mendelssohn's Paulus), at the Vienna Konzerthaus (J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245), Mass in B minor (BWV 232)), at the Graz Stefaniensaal (L.v. Beethoven's Symphony No. 9; Bruckner's F minor Mass) or at the Linz Brucknerhaus (Bruckner's Te deum; F. Mendelssohn's Paulus) and made her debut in 2019 at the Prague Rudolfinum with Bruckner's F minor Mass.
Monika Schwabegger was engaged at numerous festivals and thus consolidated her position as a recognized contralto - Styriarte, Nordlysfestivalen, Allegro Vivo, Klangfrühling, Festival Lockenhaus, Musica Sacra, Salzburger Festspiele and made music with the Capella Savaria, Wiener Bachsolisten, the Salzburger Konzertgesellschaft and gave concerts, among others with the Modus21, RecreationBAROCK, Lukas-Barockensemble Stuttgart as well as with the Philharmonie Salzburg.
As a soloist in Austrian cathedral churches, especially Stephansdoms in Vienna, she has developed an extensive repertoire from early polyphony to world premieres and has performed in many radio and ORF TV broadcasts. |
