Prizewinning Danish coloratura soprano Nina Clausen just made her role debut as Aida in Verdi’s Aida February 2nd 2024 at Barclays Arena, Hamburg, created by FKP Showcreations.
Nina is a frequent soloist at The Royal Opera in her native Copenhagen, where she has recently performed Queen of the Night (2020) in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Other roles in this house include modern opera such as Janine in P. Ruders: The Handmaid’s Tale (2022) and The Breadseller in Shostakovich: The Nose (2022). In 2018 Nina did a jump-in as the leading soprano in the rare romantic opera by Kuhlau: Lulu Og Den Magiske Fløjte and established her relation to The Royal Opera as a soloist.
In 2016 she received a “Præmiering” – a prize of outstanding artistry from the State Arts Foundation. In 2020 she received 2 Prizes of Honor from two different Danish foundations, awarded for her beautiful vocal interpretations and strong stage presence. In 2015 Nina was a finalist in Fulham Opera Verdi Prize London.
Nina studied for years the pure Italian vocal technique at Bel Canto Vocal Studio London and by Madam A. Furmansky in Berlin. She graduated from the Danish National Academy of Music with a Soloist Diploma in 2012. Nina’s operatic career began at Fynske Opera and at Jyske Opera with smaller roles, and her German debut was with Berliner Operngruppe as Dhia/una Geisha in Mascagni: Iris 2020. At Copehagen Opera Festival Nina has sung Queen of the Night (2019) and the principal soprano in world premiere: 3 Små H.C.Andersen Operaer (2021) by Th. Clausen.
Apart from classic opera, Nina has so far been part of 5 experimental productions, where physical theatre and modern dance were mixed with opera and song: Every time with Nina as the primary singer. One premiered in Seoul, Korea (Moving Stories) and one premiered in Pietrasanta, Italy (One Day You Will Die). EUROPA took place in a circus tent, The Foxcave was site-specific at an old firestation, and with STØV/DUST
Nina Clausen has performed professionally in Japan, Korea, Italy, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Estonia, England, Norway, Sweden and all over Denmark.
RECENT PRODUCTIONS
2024 Aida Verdi: Aida Barclays Arena, Hamburg, created by FKP Showcreations https://aida-opera.live/de/
2023 Principal soloist in RITUAL – Rejsekammeraten (World Premiere) by independent Theatre: Sew Flunk Fury Wit. Composer: Rune Risager. https://kglteater.dk/det-sker/sason-20222023/andre-oplevelser/ritual-rejsekammeraten
2023 The Witch (principal soloist) in Hexetestamentet (World Premiere) composer: Tin Soheili. Passagefestival, Helsingør https://www.helsingor-teater.dk/hexetestamentet/
2023 Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte (19 shows) with Jyske Opera/The National Opera DK
2022 Janine in Ruders: The Handmaid’s Tale, The Royal Danish Opera.
2022 The Breadseller in Shostakovich: The Nose at The Royal Danish Opera.
2021 – Principal soloist in Th. Clausen: 3 Små H.C. Andersen Operaer at CPH Operafestival (World Premiere)
2021 – Principal soloist in P. Kyed: The Foxcave at Passage Festival/ Sew Flunk Fury Wit
2020 – Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte (7 shows) at The Royal Danish Opera
2020 – Dhia, una Geisha in Mascagni: Iris, with Berliner Operngruppe, Konzerthaus Berlin.
OTHER PREVIOUS ROLES
2022 Dorabella (cover) in Matias Vestergård: Lisbon Floor, CPH Opera Festival
2019 Aase in Heise: Drot & Marsk (only cover) The Royal Danish Opera
2019 principal soloist (Various composers) Moving Stories with KoDe7480 at Uijeongbu Music Theatre Festival – Seoul, Korea.
2018 Sidi in Kuhlau: Lulu og Den Magiske Fløjte (lead role cover jump in) The Royal Danish Opera
2018 6 shows as Königin der Nacht in TRYL (Die Zauberflöte) at Copenhagen Opera Festival
2018 Europa in Iza Mortag: EUROPA, Mute Comp Physical Theatre, Copenhagen
2017 Assistant 1 in Azarova: Momo (World Premiere) at The Royal Danish Opera
2016 The Moon Kohlmetz-Møller: STØV by Sew Flunk Fury Wit/Helsingør Teater DK (+ touring Japan, Estonia, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Denmark & Sweden)
2016 one of the 6 Mädchen in Weill: Mahagonny at Royal Danish Opera
2015 Jano the shepherd boy in Janacek: Jenúfa, Jyske Opera/The National Opera
2014 Ånd in H.W. Florin: 13 Oder til Maria, Teater Solaris
2012 Alcina in Händel: Alcina, Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts Southern Denmark
2011 Zerlina in Mozart: Don Giovanni, Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts Southern Denmark
2011 Soprano Soloist in Orff: Carmina Burana, Odense Symfoniorkester
2010 Vivian + Claudia in Dyrst: Elleve Minutter; Den Fynske Opera
PRIZES OF HONOR
Wilhelm-Hansen Foundation 2020
Kammersanger Bruusgaards Legat 2020
Danish State Arts Foundation 2016 (Præmiering)
Solveig Andersen Memorial Fund 2015
ERMA Foundation 2012
COMPETITION – Nina was a finalist in Fulham Opera Verdi Prize Competition in London, 2015
At age 21 she recived the Jury’s Talent Prize in the competition Unge Spiller Klassisk, DK.
EDUCATION
Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts Southern Denmark: Bachelor 2008, Cand. Musicæ 2010, Postgraduate Soloist Diploma 2012.
Private studies at Bel Canto Vocal Studio London 2014 – present day, and by A. Fumansky Berlin 2010-14.
Private lessons in acting and contemporary dance.
Written Bio
Danish Coloratura Soprano Nina Clausen performed Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute 7 times at The Royal Opera in Copenhagen September-October 2020. She also sang “Der Hölle Rache” at the Theater’s Summer Gala June 7th 2020. Can be seen under the tab “video”.
In 2020 she received two prizes of honor: a big one from Wilhelm Hansen Foundation and a smaller one from Kammersanger H. Bruusgaards Legat.
Nina was scheduled to sing Janine in Ruders: The Handmaid’s Tale also at the Royal Opera in May 2020 but that got postponed due to corona pandemic.
In February 2020 she had her Debut in Germany singing Dhia, una Geisha in Mascagni’s Iris with Berliner Operngruppe at Konzerthaus Berlin. A recording of this will be released on CD and Spotify March 2021
Nina was awarded a Prize of outstanding artistry (Præmiering) from the State Art Counsel in 2016 for her interpretation of leading role The Moon in world premiere STØV (DUST). She has since performed the dystopian puppet-opera more than 50 times in countries like Japan, Greece, Estonia, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark – and more to come.
In 2019 Nina was invited to Korea to sing the lead in the music theatre production “Moving Stories” with Seoul_based theatre group Sansuyu playing at Uijeongbu festival, Korea, and at Stage Festival Copenhagen.
In March-June 2019 Nina was the cover of large lyric role Aase in Heise: Drot og Marsk – a romantic Danish classic.
February 2018 Nina jumped in, being the cover of the leading female role Sidi in an early romantic Danish Opera by Kuhlau: Lulu at the Royal Opera of Copenhagen.
In 2018 she sang her first Queen of the Night in Mozart: The Magic Flute at the Copenhagen Opera Festival and the same year at Helsingør Kammer-opera. She also sang the title role in EUROPA , a World Premiere by Mute Comp Physical Theatre at Refshaleøen, Copenhagen.
In the same house Nina has previously sung Assistant One in World Premiere of MOMO by S. Azarova in November 2017 and one of the 6 Mädchen in Weill: Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny in 2016.
In 2015 Nina had her mainstage debut at The National Opera in Aarhus (DK) as Jano in Jenufa.
She was headhunted during her studies to her debut at the Funen Opera in contemporary music theatre “Elleve Minutter” by Dyrst/Nordestgaard in 2010. The year after she sang the soprano solo in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the regional Symphony Orchestra of Odense, and in 2012 again with Symphony Orchestra of Southern Jutland.
During studies she appeared on stage in the roles Alcina, Valencienne, Zerlina, Mabel and Proserpina in student productions with orchestra.
Nina studied singing in Berlin (by Abbie Furmansky from Staatsoper Opernstudio), London (by Ken Querns from Bel Canto Vocal Studio London) and in Odense (DK). In 2012 she got her Post-Graduate Soloist Diploma from the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts Southern Denmark.
Nina was selected to the finals of Fulham Opera Verdi Prize 2015. She has recieved prizes of honor for promising, young musicians from ERMA fund and Solveig Andersen’s Memorial fund. Aged 21 she recieved the jury’s talent prize in the competition “Unge Spiller Klassisk”.
Head of Covent Garden Kasper Bech Holten once heard Nina at a masterclass in 2011 and said afterwards:
“Nina, I’m a little in love with you as a singer. You are a stage-animal”.
Reviews and testimonials
“Nina Sveistrup Clausen represents the exquisite balance of both technique and theatricality. Her beautiful and carefully crafted voice displays every colour in sensuous detail. Her versatile and expressive voice is equally suitable for Mozart, Bellini, Verdi and so many other composers. Her superb ability to interpret repertoire is complex and deeply emotional while maintaining impeccable intonation, clarity of voice and expression. Aside from her immaculate highly-charged coloratura and phrasing, Nina is capable of summoning absolutely world-class pianissimi which cannot be compared.” – Ken Querns Langley, Bel Canto Vocal Studio, London 2015.
“This blonde beauty is sitting crouched in her tower, where she reveals the dark sound of her soprano voice – a sound of pain and savagery that matches perfectly with the pounding anger of the music. She sings strongest in the song Comfort, where she tells about being trafficked and being locked up and raped by soldiers. Can this kind of abuse become beautiful poetry, one might ask. But yes. It can. When Nina Sveistrup Clausen sings ”Comfort they called it comfort, I gave them comfort” her voice is so painfully gloomy that beauty is sputtering sparks in the darkness.” – From review of STØV by Anne Middelboe Christensen, Information March 2016
”Expect to be haunted by Nina Sveistrup Clausens hypnoticly beautiful requiem before going to sleep, but expect also to want to hear her sing this fascinating part again.” – From review of STØV CPH culture, March 2016
”… miss Clausen’s voice is lifting us out of this world when she kicks in with her opera power, but is even sneaking into our bodies with the resigned song “Comfort”, about the abused woman Beauty, and especially in the Mother’s deeply beautiful and lachrymatory end-song with the chorus ”Today may be a nigtmare, but tomorrow may be darker still”. – From review of STØV by critic Anne Liisberg, Teater 1, March 2016.