About
Born in Fribourg, Switzerland, mezzo-soprano Marie-Claude Chappuis first studied voice in her home town and then at the Mozarteum Salzburg. Marie-Claude Chappuis was an ensemble member of the Landestheater in Innsbruck from 1999 to 2003 led by Brigitte Fassbaender. During the early years of her career, she interpreted a range of roles that included Sesto in Mozart’s LA CLEMENZA DI TITO, the title role of CARMEN, Charlotte in Massenet’s WERTHER, Armindo in Handel’s PARTENOPE, and Hänsel in Humperdinck’s HÄNSEL UND GRETEL.
Meanwhile, Marie-Claude Chappuis can regularly be seen on Europe’s most prestigious operatic stages (including Berlin State Opera, Salzburg Festival, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Zurich Opera, and the Theater an der Wien) under the baton of renowned conductors such as Giovanni Antonini, Riccardo Chailly, Charles Dutoit, Sir Colin Davis, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, René Jacobs, Riccardo Muti, Sir Roger Norrington, and Christophe Rousset.
Marie-Claude Chappuis is a protégée of René Jacobs, under whose direction she performed Proserpina and Messagiera in Monteverdi’s ORFEO at the Berlin State Opera and in Aix-en- Provence, Ottavia in L’INCORONATIONE DI POPPEA at the Berlin State Opera and the Monnaie in Brussels, Annio in LA CLEMENZA DI TITO in Paris and Lisbon, Don Ramiro in LA FINTA GIARDINIERA at the Theater an der Wien, at the Teatro Real in Madrid and in Lisbon, and Bach’s B MINOR MASS in Zurich, Cologne, Seoul, and Leipzig.
Chappuis sang the roles of Sesto/ LA CLEMENZA DI TITO with Zurich Opera under Adam Fischer, Lazuli in Chabrier’s ETOILE under Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Dorabella/ COSÌ FAN TUTTE, and Idamante in Mozart’s IDOMENEO under Nikolaus Harnoncourt, a part in which she excelled also at the styriarte festival in Graz and the Mozartwoche in Salzburg, again under Harnoncourt’s direction. Additional highlights of her career are Contessa di Sarzana/ IL MATRIMONIO INASPETTATO by Paisiello under the artistic direction of Riccardo Muti at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival, in Ravenna, and in Piacenza; as well as Diana in Cavalli’s LA CALISTO at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées under the direction of Christophe Rousset, Dryade in Strauss’ ARIADNE AUF NAXOS at Salzburg Festival under Daniel Harding, where she reappeared last summer in the role of Dorabella/COSÌ FAN TUTTE with the Vienna Philharmonic and Christoph Eschenbach.
Marie-Claude Chappuis is also a much sought after concert soloist. Recent appearances include Haydn’s ARIANNA A NAXOS under Trevor Pinnock at the Gewandhaus Leipzig, Ulisse, in concert performances of Handel’s DEIDAMIA in Braunschweig and at the Theater an der Wien. In Salzburg, she also appeared with Mozart’s CH’IO MI SCORDI DI TE with the Camerata Salzburg under the baton of András Schiff, followed by Bach’s ST MATTEW’S PASSION in Lausanne, Bach’s CHRISTMAS ORATORIO in Zurich, Berlioz’ DAMNATION DE FAUST in Leipzig, Handel’s JUDAS MACCABÄUS in Hamburg and Halle, and Bach CANTATAS at the Vienna Konzerthaus.
The 2013/14 season includes productions such as DIE FLEDERMAUS in Geneva, LA FINTA GIARDINIERA with Emanuelle Haïm in Lille and Dijon, the reopening of Cavalieri’s LA RAPPRESENTATIONE DI ANIMA ET DI CORPO/ Anima under the direction of René Jacobs in Berlin as well as Franz Schubert’s FIERRABRAS at the Salzburg Festival. On the concert stage, Marie- Claude Chappuis appears in Beethoven’s IXth SYMPHONIE under Neeme Järvi in Geneva, LES NUITS D’ÉTÉ in St. Gallen, ST. MATTHEW PASSION in Lisbon, and she further sings a duo recital with Julia Kleiter in Limburg and a solo recital together with lutenist Luca Pianca at the Internationale Barocktage Stift Melk.
Marie-Claude Chappuis is also a passionate interpreter of the Lied and mélodie française genres. In 2001 she became founder and artistic director of the biennial FESTIVAL DU LIED in Fribourg, Switzerland, its most recent edition having taken place in June 2013.
Chappuis’ recordings encompass ST MATTHEW PASSION under the direction of Riccardo Chailly for Decca, Annio/ LA CLEMENZA DI TITO conducted by René Jacobs (Harmonia Mundi / Grammy Nomination), and the BROCKES-PASSION by Telemann (Prix du Midem 2009). On DVD (Arthaus), she plays the lead role in the music film Conversations à Rechlin, directed by François Dupeyron. The recording of Mozart’s LA FINTA GIARDINIERA/Don Ramiro under René Jacobs (Harmonia Mundi), released in fall 2012 was highly acclaimed. New CD releases in 2013 include LE MIROIR DE JÉSUS by André Caplet (Mirare), and Mozart’s REQUIEM (Sony).