About
Dutch Mezzosoprano Leonie van Rheden was an ensemblemember of the Aalto Theater in Essen, where she sang the roles of Smeraldine (L’amour des trois Oranges), Zweite Elfe und Küchenjunge (Rusalka), Flora Bervoix (La Traviata), Dritte Magd (Elektra) and Un Pastore (Tosca). At the Richard Strauss Festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen she also sang the role of Dritte Magd in Elektra.
Leonie made her debut at the Dutch Touring Opera as Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos, where she also covered the role of Komponist. Other roles she performed are Dido (Dido & Aeneas), Bianca (The Rape of Lucretia), Miss Jessel (The Turn of the Screw) and Zweite Dame (Die Zauberflöte).
Upcoming roles are Miss Proctor (The Boy who grew too fast) at Dutch National Opera, 5. Mädchen (Kurt Weill’s Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny) at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and Olga (Eugene Onegin) at the Dutch Touring Opera.
Leonie studied at the Utrechts Conservatorium with Henny Diemer where she passed her exam with distinction. She participated in masterclasses with among others: Rudolf Jansen, Roland Hermann, Ed Spanjaard, Roberta Alexander, Jard van Nes and Barbara Hannigan.
Leonie worked with conductors as Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Antonino Fogliani, Marcus Merkel, Tomáš Netopil, Yannis Pouspourikas, Giuseppe Finzi, Georg Fritzsch, Gerrit Prieβnitz, Giuliano Carella, Jules van Hessen and Antonello Manacorda.
In concert and oratorio Leonie sang 1. Alt and Mulier Samaritana in Mahler’s Symphonie der Tausend, Alto soloist in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, Händel’s Messiah and Bach’s Matthäuspassion.