Biography
Siv Oda Hagerupsen, mezzo-soprano, is one of Norway's most versatile singers/actresses. This has resulted in her being engaged as a soloist in productions of many different genres. She mainly works with opera and church-music, but is also active as a soloist in musicals, and concerts with folksongs, -especially from the British Isles and the Nordic countries. She was born in the county of Nordland in Northern Norway, began her studies at the Music Conservatory of Northern Norway, and graduated from the National Academy of Operatic Art in Oslo in the summer of 1999. Her vocal teachers have been, among others; Ingrid Bjoner, Svein Bjørkøy, Dorothy Irving and currently Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz. She has also worked with coaches/conductors such as Dante Mazzola from La Scala in Milan, and Sergio Oliva from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.
During her studies she sang parts such as Cherubino and Marcellina in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, the title role in XERXES, Mercédès in CARMEN, 3rd Lady in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Rinaldo in IL FILOSOFO DI CAMPAGNA, and Veronica in LE DOCTEUR MIRACLE.
In 1999 she made her debut at the Norwegian National Opera as 3rd Lady in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE. After the debut her engagements with the company include Marcellina, and more recently Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Nicklausse/The Muse/The Voice in LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN, and Mercédès in CARMEN. She is also one of the soloists at the Norwegian National Opera's CD-recording "Hjem til Jul" ("Home for Christmas"), which was first released in December 2002, and sold to Gold.
Other opera assignments include Carmela in a concert version of LA VIDA BREVE with Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in cooperation with the Spanish National Opera, Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO with Opera Nordfjord, Søster Svart (Sister Black) in the world premiere of the Norwegian composer Bjørn Kruse's opera DEN GRØNE RIDDAREN (THE GREEN KNIGHT) with Opera South (Norway), Manja in GRÄFIN MARIZA with the Opera in Kristiansund, Marthe Schwerdtlein in FAUST with the Ringsaker Opera, Giovanna, and Contessa di Ceprano in RIGOLETTO, and Maria Magdalena in a staged version of Bach's ST. JOHN PASSION at the Nordland Music Festival.
She has worked with conductors such as Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Patrick Fournillier, Gregor Bühl, Roland Böer, Alberto Zedda, Henrik Vagn Christensen, Eivind Aadland, Arild Remmereit, Karsten Andersen, Arvid Engegård, Per Åke Andersson, Per Kristian Skalstad, Kjell Seim, Neill Dodd and Terje Boye Hansen, and stage directors such as Stefan Herheim, Stein Winge, Bentein Baardson, Jay Lesenger, Marco Spada, John La Bouchardière, Daniel Bohr, Hilde Andersen and Ronald Rørvik.
Siv Oda is also in much demand as an oratorio and concert singer, and has been engaged as a soloist with all the leading orchestras throughout Norway. Her concert repertoire include Bach's CHRISTMAS ORATORIO, MASS IN B MINOR, ST. MATTHEW PASSION, ST. JOHN PASSION, MAGNIFICAT and several CANTATAS. Händel's MESSIAH. Mozart's REQUIEM and MASS IN C MINOR. Rossini's PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE. Pergolesi's STABAT MATER. Charpentiér's TE DEUM. Vivaldi's GLORIA IN D MAJOR. Schubert's MAGNIFICAT and MASS IN A FLAT MAJOR. Mendelssohn's DREI GEISTLICHE LIEDER. Several CANTATAS by Telemann, Ludvig Nielsen's TE DEUM, and the young Norwegian composer Dagfinn Rosnes' DE MARIA VIRGINE, which is written especially for Siv Oda and a soprano soloist, a string quintet and organ in 2000.
On the musical stage Siv Oda has sung the parts of Florence in CHESS for the Opera in Kristiansund, Sister Berthe in THE SOUND OF MUSIC directed by Trond Lie at Edderkoppen Theatre in Oslo, and one of Higgins' servants in the Norwegian National Opera's production of MY FAIR LADY.
In the two seasons 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 Siv Oda's engagements have among others included Mercédès in CARMEN at the Norwegian National Opera, Filipjevna in EUGEN ONEGIN with Opera Nordfjord, La Suora Zelatrice and La Badessa in SUOR ANGELICA with Vest Norges Opera in Bergen. In April 2008 she did the role as Sesto in LA CLEMENZA DI TITO in Stavanger, which gave her brilliant critics from the press.
In 1999 she was one of six finalists in the national part of the Queen Sonja International Music Competition, this concert was broadcasted by NRK, and she was also one of Trondheim Symphony Orchestra's selected "Young Talents" in a concert with them in 2000.
Recent assignments include the role as Dorabella in COSÌ FAN TUTTE in a concert version with the Norwegian Wind Ensemble in Halden and Sarpsborg in February, Flora in LA TRAVIATA at Chateau Neuf in Oslo, directed by Einar Bjørge, and conducted by Cathrine Winnes Trevino, and Mercédès in CARMEN with Opera Nordfjord, directed by John La Bouchardière, and conducted by Michael Pavelich. Rossini's PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE in Kongsvinger and Greverud churches, a concert in St. Petersburg, DISET KVÆLD, with newly written songs by the composer Øyvind Lunde, with lyrics from selected poems by Hamsun, and Mendelssohn's PAULUS in Mosjøen.
The engagements in 2010 have included Verdi's REQUIEM with Opera Nordfjord in February, Rossini's PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE in Ski New Church in April, the title role in CARMEN both at the Kirsten Flagstad-Festival in Hamar, directed by Einar Bjørge and conducted by Michael Pavelich, and also in the concert version "Carmen in Concert" in Mo i Rana, conducted by Reid Gilje. At Nordland Music Festival in Bodø and later in Tromsø, she did the role as Mercédès in CARMEN with the Northern-Norwegian Opera and Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christian Lindberg. In November she did the roles as Nicklausse/The Muse/The Voice in LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN at the RingsakerOpera, directed by Ronald Rørvik and conducted by Kjell Seim, and Pergolesi's STABAT MATER in Paulus Church in Oslo in December.
In January 2011 she sang THE MESSIAH in Mo i Rana and Mosjøen, and the concert DISET KVÆLD at Nordland Theatre's "Winterlight-festival" in Mo i Rana in February. In March and April this year, she did the role as Oline in the world premiére of the opera TESKJEKJERRINGA SOM PRINSESSE POMPADOUR (MRS. PEPPERPOT AS PRINCESS POMPADOUR) by Per Arne Glorvigen/Lage Robak in Narvik, Bodø and Tromsø, directed by Stein Winge and conducted by Terje Boye Hansen. From August until the beginning of October, she was a singer at The National Theatre's performance of JEANNE D'ARC in Oslo, and during Oslo Opera Festival in the end of October, she did the role as Hänsel in a modern version of Humperdinck's HÄNSEL UND GRETEL, directed by Einar Bjørge, and she was also engaged as a soloist in several other concerts during the Festival. In November she and the tenor Thomas Ruud had an opera concert in Mo i Rana.
Forthcoming engagements are, among others; a CD-recording with songs by Øyvind Lunde, and texts by Knut Hamsun, the role as Siebel in Gounod's FAUST with the Opera in Kristiansund in February 2012, directed by Ronald Rørvik, and conducted by Kjell Seim, and the role as Tisbe in Rossini's LA CENERENTOLA with Den Nye Opera in Bergen in June 2012, directed by R9land Breand, and conducted by Kjell Seim.
