ABOUT
Canadian soprano Emma Fekete is praised for “her distinctive voice, well-mastered vocal technique, presence imbued with simplicity and truth, and radiant personality...”. Recently featured in Opera Canada as Artist of the Week, Emma is the 2024 South Carolina District Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and a 2024 winner of the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation Award. This summer, Emma makes her French debut at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence as Yniold in Katie Mitchell’s highly anticipated revival of Pelléas et Mélisande, conducted by Susanna Mälkki.
Next season (2024-2025), Emma sings Adina in an adaptation for children of L’elisir d’amore (Un Elixir d’amour) with Opéra National de Bordeaux, Opéra de Reims and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, as well as Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Opéra du Royaume. Emma was selected to compete at the 73rd ARD International Music Competition in Munich and to take part in L'Académie de la Voix at La Fondation des Treilles with acclaimed soprano Nelly Miricioiu in the fall of 2024.
Emma was an artist-in-residence at the Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal between 2022 and 2024. During this time, she made her company debut as Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro. Her performance as Poppea in L'incoronazione di Poppea with the Atelier lyrique was met with critical acclaim. Further performances include La bergère/La pastourelle in L'enfant et les sortilèges with the Atelier lyrique and Orchestre de l’Agora, soprano soloist in Mozart's Requiem with Orchestre classique de Montréal and Frasquita in Carmen with Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières.
“Emma Fekete is an ambitious and charming Poppea” – Le Devoir
“Ilanna Starr (Nerone) and Emma Fekete (Poppea) are impressive. Their ornaments are supple, they are at ease with the style and form a duo with lovely stage presence” - Revue L’Opéra
L'incoronazione di Poppea, November 2023
Prior to her residency in Montréal, Emma worked and studied in Amsterdam for five years. She co-created the role of Cécile de Volanges in Dangerous Liaisons with OPERA2DAY and De Nederlandse Bachvereniging which she reprised with Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn when called upon for a last minute replacement. Further performances include Madeline in The Fall of the House of Usher with OPERA2DAY and West Side Story - Live in Concert with the Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest. As a member of the young talent program Jonge Grote Zangers, Emma has performed at the Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ.
Emma has been awarded bursaries from the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation, Fondation Jeunesses Musicales du Canada, Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, Les Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec and Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. Emma graduated cum laude from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam where she obtained her Master of Music in 2021 and her Bachelor of Music in 2019.
Le nozze di Figaro, October 2023