INTRODUCTION

Erika Grimaldi has a rich, mellow and round voice of quality and attractive timbre in good balance and of pure intonation. Her warm, flowery soprano voice stands out with impressive depth and steadiness unifying a personal musical expression with a captivating stage presence.

The artist is one of the most sought for lyric sopranos in Europe today, having delivered critically acclaimed performances in nearly a dozen roles at the prestigious Teatro Regio di Torino. Erika Grimaldi is equally at home at such major opera houses as Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Deutsche Oper in Berlin, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, and Opéra National de Montpellier.

She works regularly with Artistic Teams such as Noseda, Chailly, Luisotti, Allemandi, Penderecki, Santi, Lanzilotta, Rustioni, Sagripanti, Montanaro, Lopez-Cobos, Abbado, Bieito, Loy, Poda, Ollé, Sagi, etc.

RECENT AND FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

Erika Grimaldi’s future projects include:

  • a role debut as Amelia/Un ballo in maschera with Noseda and Homoki in Zürich, and at Teatre Principal de Maó in Menorca;
  • a house debut as Contessa/Le nozze di Figaro at the Welsh National Opera;
  • a house debut as Alice Ford/Falstaff at Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova;
  • a role debut as Abigaille/Nabucco at Theater Bonn;
  • Desdemona/Otello at Ópera de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria;
  • Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and role debuts as Giorgietta/Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Nella/Gianni Schicchi in Il Trittico w. the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington and Maestro G. Noseda at the Kennedy Center;
  • a role debut as Cio Cio San/Madama Butterfly at Opera Nacional de Chile in Santiago;
  • Verdi’s Requiem at Opéra National de Lorraine de Nancy;
  • a Galà concert at Opera i Rebild w. the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Bellincampi.

Among her most recent highlights are:

  • Contessa/Le Nozze di Figaro at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre;
  • Mimì/La Bohème, the title role in Aida and the title role in Manon Lescaut at Teatro Regio di Torino;
  • a role debut as Tosca at Ópera de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and a jump-in at Teatro Regio di Parma;
  • Lady Macbeth/Macbeth at Korea National Opera in Seoul;
  • a house debut as Maddalena/Andrea Chénier (concert version, w. M. Armiliato) at Zürich Opera House;
  • Desdemona/Otello and Stabat Mater w. the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington and Maestro G. Noseda at the Kennedy Center Washington;
  • Verdi’s Requiem w. Auckland Philharmonic, in Milan with Claus Peter Flor, in Georgia with Maestro Noseda, and w. Czech Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Marcello Rota in Prague;
  • Leonora/Il Trovatore (concert version) w. Auckland Philharmonic;
  • Maddalena/Andrea Chénier (a role debut), Leonora/La Forza Del Destino, the title role in Manon Lescaut and a soprano soloist in Mahler’s 4 Symphony at Teatro Comunale di Bologna;
  • Liù/Turandot at Teatro Regio di Torino and the Teatro Verdi di Padova;
  • Alice Ford/Falstaff at the Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari;
  • Nedda/Pagliacci in Trapani and Deutsche Oper Berlin;
  • the title role in Tosca at the Puccini Festival on the 100th anniversary year of the death of Giacomo Puccini;
  • Mozart’s Requiem at the Granada Festival in Spain;
  • Stabat Mater by Rossini w. Maestro Abbado at Teatro Filarmonico in Verona;
  • Symphony no. 8 Lieder der Vergänglichkeit, conducted by renowned Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki at Bucarest Enescu Festival;
  • Puccini 100 (an anniversary Galà concert) in Malta;
  • Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Orquesta ADDA Sinfónica and Orfeón Donostiarra in Spain;
  • Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in Padova, Riva del Garda, and Bassano del Grappa;
  • a Verdi recital at the Festival des Nuits Romantiques in Aix-Les-Bains, France;
  • a recital at Festival Torroella in Spain in memory of Victoria De Los Angeles;
  • a Gala Concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Italian Embassy in Copenhagen.

BIOGRAPHY

Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for the “expansive warmth” and “expressive vigor” of her interpretation of Mimì in La bohème, as well as by the New York Times, which described her performance of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem as “strong and impressive”, Erika Grimaldi is widely considered as one of the most established and requested sopranos of her generations in theaters and festivals such as the Teatro alla Scala Milan, Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, San Francisco Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Arena of Verona, as well as the Teatro Regio Turin.

Born in Asti, Erika Grimaldi developed her passion for music in her early childhood, first learning to play the piano and subsequently approaching the art of singing at the age of 16. She obtained her diploma in both disciplines (Piano and Voice) at the Conservatoire “Giuseppe Verdi” in Turin, making her stage debut at the very young age of 18 as Serpina in La serva padrona. In the following years, she won several prestigious competitions such as the “Concorso Lirico Internazionale” in Orvieto, and was cast as Carolina in Il matrimonio segreto, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Nannetta in Falstaff and Zerlina in Don Giovanni.

Recent Past Seasons

2018-2019

Highlights of 2018/2019 season were Verdi’s Requiem at Gulbenkian Foundation Lisbon, conducted by Michel Corboz and the role of Donna Anna/Don Giovanni at Teatro Regio in Turin. Erika has been on tour with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda singing Rossini’s Stabat Mater in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa. Then she played Nedda/Pagliacci at Berlin’s Deutsche Oper,  Liù in a Stefano Poda’s new production of Puccini’s Turandot in Turin and the role of Countess in Le nozze di Figaro at Moscow’s Bolshoi Teather. The last engagement of the year was Rossini’s Stabat Mater in Toulouse with Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse.

2017-2018

During season 2017/2018 Erika Grimaldi appeared at 70°th Edinburgh International Festival playing Mimí/La Bohème and singing Verdi’s Requiem, followed by her debut in the role of Mrs Alice in Verdi’s Falstaff, conducted by D. Renzetti in Turin. Then she was again Mimí in La Bohème at War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. She performed Mathilde in Rossini’s Guglielmo Tell at Bayerische Staatsoper in Münich and Nedda in a new production of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, conducted by Nicola Luisotti with the direction of Gabriele Lavia. In the summer she sang Beethoven’s IX Symphony at Arena in Verona, conducted by Daniel Oren. In autumn she sang Verdi’s Requiem in Konzerthaus of Dortmund and in Alte Oper of Frankfurt, both conducted by Andrés Orozco-Estrada.

2015-2016

The 2015/2016 season marks a very important Grimaldi’s debut as Giovanna d’Arco at Teatro alla Scala in Milan under the baton of Riccardo Chailly, directed by Moshe Leiser. Then she performed again Mimí/La Bohème at Oviedo’s Teatro Campoamor with the direction of Emilio Sagi and sang Verdi’s Requiem at the Philharmonie de Paris. In Hong Kong Cultural Centre she appeared as Maria/Simon Boccanegra (conducted by Roberto Abbado for HKAF 2016) and again in Verdi’s Requiem. Then she played Armilla/La donna serpente in Turin, Micaela/Carmen at War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, Mimí/La Bohème at Savonlinna Opera Festival. She distinguished herself again in Verdi’s Requiem on tour with London Symphony Orchestra conducted by G.Noseda (Barbican Centre in London, Lincoln Center in New York, Palau de la Musica in Barcellona). Finally, she played Alice Ford/Falstaff, conducted at Verbier Festival and Cousinier in Le Rossignol by  I. Stravinskyij at Stresa Festival.

EDUCATION & AWARDS

Graduated with distinction in singing and piano at Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Turin, in 2008 Erika Grimaldi won the Adriano Belli competition at the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale in Spoleto and after that her engagements kept rising over 2009 and the soprano found herself in major venues both at home and abroad.

In concerts, Erika Grimaldi exclusively performs in creations by fashion designer Eleonora Lastrucci.

OPERA    

                                                                                                                                                                       

Bellini, V. Norma Norma*
Bizet, G. Carmen Micaela
Casella, A. La donna serpente Armilla
Donizetti, G. Anna Bolena Anna*
Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia*
Roberto Devereux Elisabetta*
Giordano, U. Andrea Chénier Maddalena
Giordano, U. Fedora Fedora*
Leoncavallo, R. Pagliacci Nedda
Mascagni, P. Cavalleria Rusticana Santuzza*
Iris Iris*
Mozart, W.A. Così fan tutte Fiordiligi
Don Giovanni Donna Elvira*
Idomeneo Elettra*
Le nozze di Figaro Contessa
Ponchielli, A. La Gioconda La Gioconda*
Puccini, G. Edgar Fidelia*
Gianni Schicchi Nella*
Il tabarro Giorgetta*
La Bohème Mimì
La Rondine Magda*
Madama Butterfly Cio Cio San
Manon Lescaut Manon Lescaut
Suor Angelica Suor Angelica*
Tosca Tosca
Turandot Liù
Rossini, G. Gugliemo Tell Matilde
Moise et Pharaon Anai
Verdi, G. Aida Aida
Don Carlo Elisabetta*
Ernani Elvira*
Falstaff Alice Ford
Giovanna d’Arco Giovanna
Il Corsaro Medora*
Il trovatore Leonora
I vespri siciliani Elena*
La forza del destino Leonora*
Luisa Miller Luisa
Macbeth Lady Macbeth
Nabucco Abigaille
Otello Desdemona
Simon Boccanegra Amelia Grimaldi
Un ballo in maschera Amelia

 

CONCERT

 

Beethoven, L.v. Symphony no. 9
Mozart, W.A. Requiem
Rossini, G. Petite messe solenelle
Stabat mater
Verdi, G. Requiem

 

*in preparation

AUDIO & VIDEO

Erika Grimaldi – Manon Lescaut by G. Puccini – ‘L’ora o Tirsi’ – Teatro Regio Torino (Oct. 2024)

Erika Grimaldi – Manon Lescaut by G. Puccini – ‘In quelle trine morbide’ – Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Jan. 2024)

Erika Grimaldi – La forza del destino by G. Verdi – ‘Pace, pace mio Dio’ – Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Jun. 2023)

Erika Grimaldi – Aida by G. Verdi – ‘Ritorna vincitor’ – Teatro Regio Torino (Mar. 2023)

Erika Grimaldi – La bohème by G. Puccini – ‘Sì, mi chiamano Mimì’ – Teatro Regio di Torino (Oct. 2023)

Erika Grimaldi – Tosca by G. Puccini – ‘Vissi d’arte’ – Ópera de Las Palmas (Feb. 2024)

Erika Grimaldi – Macbeth by G. Verdi – ‘Vieni t’affretta … Or tutti sorgete’ – Korea National Opera (Apr. 2023)

Erika Grimaldi – Aida by G. Verdi – ‘Qui Radamès verrà… O Patria Mia’ – Teatro Regio Torino (Mar. 2023)

Erika Grimaldi – Andrea Chénier by U.Giordano – ‘La Mamma Morta’ – Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Oct. 2022)

Erika Grimaldi – Andrea Chénier by U.Giordano – ‘Vicino a te s’acqueta’ w. G. Kunde – Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Oct. 2022)

REVIEWS

Un ballo in maschera by G. Verdi – Zürich Opera House, Dec. 2024

“Soprano Erika Grimaldi is the discovery of the evening

And Amelia – she is irresistible. Soprano Erika Grimaldi triumphs in the role of the woman torn between Renato and Riccardo: in the aria “Morrò, ma prima in grazia”, she explores her sad fate down to the finest nuances, reducing her voice to a delicate vibrato, without giving up the inner tension of the melody; now and then she reveals a burning passion in the top notes.

(…) What a role debut for the Italian soprano!”

– Simon Bordier, Thuner Tagblatt / Tager Anzeiger / Landbote / Basler Zeitung / Zürcher Unterländer / Zürichsee-Zeitung / Der Bund

“The crown of the evening belongs to Erika Grimaldi. Her Amelia is touching in her hopeless love and she confidently sings her way into bel canto heaven with her radiant, luminous soprano.”

– Joseph Auchter, Südkurier

“An excellent debut …”

“Soprano Erika Grimaldi made her debut as Amelia, and she passed with flying colors. Her voice was warm and powerful, with round, beautiful high notes (…) The demanding recitative and aria at the end of Act One, “Ecco l’orrido campo/Ma dall’arido stelo divulsa,” would challenge any soprano, but Grimaldi approached it with confidence and strength. She demonstrated excellent breath control, beautiful legato, and strong, commanding high notes. In her second aria, “Morrò, ma prima in grazia,” she navigated Maestro Noseda’s extremely slow tempo with ease, her breath supporting her beautifully. (…) her interpretation of Amelia was undeniably successful.”

– Laura Servidei, OperaWire

Manon Lescaut by G. Puccini – Teatro Regio Torino, Oct. 2024

“Arnaud Bernard continues his Manon trilogy with Puccini’s masterpiece, ignited by Renato Palumbo’s musical direction and Erika Grimaldi in the title role. Summits of intensity Erika Grimaldi is the Manon who alternates between Michèle Morgan, Arletty and Cécile Aubry. With her admirable acting talent, the soprano combines perfectly homogenous registers, carnal reflections, nuanced melodic design and an extremely easy top. And when the terrible moment comes (“Sola, perduta, abbandonata”), her impersonation flares up and vacillates, and the art of singing reaches heights of intensity that are truly astounding.”

– Emmanuel Dupuy, Diapason Magazine

“All the more so as the interpreter of Puccini’s Manon is admirable, without doubt, the most beautiful voice of the three Manons I heard: Erika Grimaldi possesses the silky timbre of a great lyric voice and the heart-rending fire of a spinto, the length of breath and the infinite resource of colors, the ardent involvement that culminates in tragedy, a great singer, a great lady.”

– Alain Dualt, Opera Online

Andrea Chénier by U. Giordano – Opernhaus Zürich, Jul. 2024

“As Maddalena, Erika Grimaldi makes her promising debut at the Zurich Opera House,
with a beautiful timbre and a flexible, immaculately controlled soprano voice.”

– Torbjörn Bergflödt, Südkurier

“The Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi sang for the first time at the Zurich Opera House, and it was a great debut. Her portrayal of the role was convincing at every moment, which brought the entire emotional world of Maddalena di Coigny to the ears with a wonderfully flowing voice full of nuances. It is fortunate for the Zurich audience that Erika Grimaldi will
be heard again in this house in the coming season.”

– Marco Stücklin, Das Opernmagazin

Otello (opera in concert) by G. Verdi with the National Symphony Orchestra and G. Noseda – Kennedy Center, Jun. 2024

“Soprano Erika Grimaldi’s Desdemona came alive as doom prevailed in the opera’s second half. A stunning “Piangea cantando nell’erma landa” showcased her diamond clarity; the “Ave Maria” that followed, her dramatic ease. Noseda’s gentle introduction of the Des-heavy fourth act — a beautiful passage of oboe, flute, piccolo and horn — had the impact of a full-on set change.”

 

– Michael Andor Brodeur, The Washington Post

Tosca by G. Puccini – Teatro Regio di Parma, May 2024

“Che è una Erika Grimaldi chiamata quasi all’ultimo a sostituire la primadonna annunciata: la sua è una Tosca fortemente interiorizzata, forte di una sapiente ricerca espressiva e di un fraseggio ovunque sfumato, quindi pienamente convincente anche per quella sua voce dolce e delicata, omogenea in tutti i registri, ben sostenuta nell’arco melodico.”

– Fabio Larovere, connessiallopera.it

Manon Lescaut by G. Puccini – Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Jan. 2024

“Without ever losing sight of the stage, where an excellent group of soloists did the rest. Beginning with the lead pair, Erika Grimaldi’s Manon (an artist the Comunale is building up loyalty to; her third engagement in little more than a year), from the heartfelt beginning of ‘In quelle trine morbide’ and then onward in a continuous crescendo to the fearsome and poignant ‘Sola… perduta…abbandonata’ which closes the opera making her queen of the stage.”

– Ansa

“Soprano Erika Grimaldi, debuting in the title role, needs only a few gestures to convey Manon’s volatile character, torn between her love for Des Grieux and her fascination with luxury: vocally, the beautiful dark color of her voice and the ability to know how to dose it even In ”In quelle trine morbide” and, with even more remarkable results, in the nuances of “Sola… perduta… abbandonata.”

– Giulia Vannoni, Il Ponte

Turandot – Teatro Regio di Torino, 2018

“Liù è Erika Grimaldi, che porta sulla scena un personaggio particolarmente accurato, e che in questa edizione risulta preminente rispetto a Turandot. Il soprano astigiano utilizza uno strumento vocale caldo e omogeneo nell’emissione, dotato di particolare espressività nei filati, godibile e ricco di colori su tutta la linea. L’insieme di queste buone premesse si concretizza nell’esecuzione di un “Signore ascolta” da manuale.”

– Salvatore Blasco, Connessi all’Opera

Giovanna d’Arco – Teatro alla Scala, Milan – 2016

“Erika Grimaldi ha impersonato la Giovanna dei fraseggi belcantistici e dell’ampia tessitura con voce chiara e melodiosa, il suo timbro più accomodante nei duetti, nei terzetti e nei concertati col coro ha svelato tutta l’intimità del personaggio: al suo debutto scaligero la Grimaldi ha retto assai bene.”

– Marco Nebuloni, Fermata Spettacolo

NEWS

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