Camilla Nylund

Camilla Nylund, born in Vaasa, Finland, is a highly acclaimed soprano, recognized especially for her interpretations of Richard Wagner's operas. A graduate of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, she has performed at prestigious venues such as the Vienna State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and La Scala, among others.

Nylund’s Wagner roles, including Elisabeth, Elsa, Sieglinde, Senta, Isolde, and Brünnhilde, have established her as a leading artist in this repertoire.

Her longstanding association with the Bayreuth Festival began in 2011 with her debut as Elisabeth in Tannhäuser. She has since portrayed Sieglinde (*Die Walküre*), Eva (*Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg*), and Elsa (*Lohengrin*). In 2024, she will star in a new production of *Tristan und Isolde* at Bayreuth, under the direction of Semyon Bychkov. Nylund's recent seasons include debuting as Isolde and Brünnhilde at Zurich Opera and taking on the Empress in *Die Frau ohne Schatten* at Dresden's Semperoper. Her diverse accomplishments have earned her numerous awards, including the Lotte Lehmann Memorial Ring and the European Culture Prize.

Camilla Nylund at Bayreuth

2011 Tannhäuser (Elisabeth)
2012 Tannhäuser (Elisabeth)
2013 Tannhäuser (Elisabeth)
2014 Tannhäuser (Elisabeth)
2017 Die Walküre (Sieglinde)
2019 Lohengrin (Elsa)
2019 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Eva)
2021 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Eva)
2022 Lohengrin (Elsa)
2024 Tristan und Isolde (Isolde)

Selected Biographies

Social Media

One of the finest monuments in sound ever to have been raised to the everlasting glory of music. (Claude Debussy on Parsifal)

"The thing about Wagner is that there can be no true success in any production of his operas, only degrees of failure. There is so much in these bloody pieces, all you can do is try to live up to them." (Keith Warner, The Guardian)

"I have never come across an audience with so much hatred, so much anger, such a thirst for revenge. They take everything personally. It makes you a little bit scared, and it's really quite terrifying." (Lance Ryan on the audiences at Bayreuth)

"People sometimes complain that Wagner operas are too long, that they get stiff and sore about 10.30 because they have rushed in to hear one of his works straight from work and are not properly prepared for listening to his music. The audience, as much as the artists, must be prepared for a performance."
(Benjamin Britten to Alan Blyth, Gramophone)

"I was bowled over. It was the year after Wieland Wagner had died; to be able to see his productions was a total knock-out. These bare stagings, where everything was done with lighting. The light changed with the music, and the shadows and patterns seemed as archetypal as the music itself. Nobody had done that on the stage before. I thought it was extraordinary and wonderful."
(Patrick Carnegy to The Guardian)

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