Lilly Jørstad

INTRODUCTION

Lilly Jørstad is a Norwegian mezzo-soprano recognized for her warm timbre, dramatic presence, and stylistic versatility across bel canto, French repertoire, and contemporary opera.

RECENT AND FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

Recent highlights include Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Esther in the world premiere of Detlev Glanert’s Die Jüdin von Toledo at the Semperoper Dresden. She has also sung the title role in Rossini’s La Cenerentola at the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Dorabella in Così fan tutte at Teatro Verdi di Pisa and Teatro Comunale di Modena, and Lisette Soer in Kris Defoort’s The Time of Our Singing at La Monnaie in Brussels, as well as the alto part in Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle.

In the 2025/2026 season, she appeared as Dorabella in Così fan tutte at the Opéra-Théâtre de Metz Métropole and as Rosina at the Opéra de Nice Côte d’Azur, before returning to the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in 2026 as Rosina.

Upcoming engagements include Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia at Staatsoper Hamburg, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, concerts with I Solisti Veneti, the title role in Bizet’s Carmen at Nordfjord Opera, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Ultima Thule Chamber Choir in Tromsø.

BIOGRAPHY

A descendant of the Kolanordmenn, Lilly Jørstad grew up in a family of musicians and developed a strong artistic foundation from an early age through the study of singing, piano, classical dance and stage performance. She graduated with highest honours from both the University of Tromsø and the “Luigi Cherubini” Conservatory in Florence, before continuing her advanced training at the Accademia Rossiniana of the Rossini Opera Festival, the Academy of the Mariinsky Theatre and the Academy of Teatro alla Scala.

She made her debut at Teatro alla Scala as Rosina in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s celebrated production alongside Leo Nucci and Ruggero Raimondi, receiving critical acclaim for her musical intelligence and charismatic stage presence.

She has established an international operatic and concert career, appearing at leading opera houses and concert venues, including Teatro alla Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper, Semperoper Dresden, Opernhaus Zürich, Staatsoper Hamburg, Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Teatro La Fenice, Arena di Verona, Den Norske Opera & Ballett, Opéra de Nice Côte d’Azur, Opéra-Théâtre de Metz Métropole, Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon, NCPA Beijing, and Kioi Hall Tokyo, as well as international festivals such as the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Granada Festival and Taormina Summer Festival, among many others.

Her repertoire ranges from Baroque to contemporary music, with a particular affinity for bel canto. Her roles include Carmen, Angelina (La Cenerentola), Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Tancredi, Adalgisa (Norma), Sara (Roberto Devereux), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), and Olga (Eugene Onegin), alongside a wide range of other roles and an extensive concert repertoire.

A prizewinner of the International Singing Competition of Portofino and a finalist at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and the Paris Opera Competition, she has received the Arctic Talent Prize and the Mikael Bråtbost Talentpris.