Elisabeth Teige

Elisabeth Teige as Senta in Dmitri Tcherniakov’s production of Der fliegende Holländer

Elisabeth Teige as Senta in Dmitri Tcherniakov’s production of Der fliegende Holländer at the Bayreuth Festival 2024. (Photo: Enrico Nawrath / Bayreuther Festspiele)

Elisabeth Teige has swiftly risen to prominence as one of the most compelling dramatic sopranos of her generation. Renowned for her warm, beautiful timbre, intuitive musicality, and captivating stage presence, she has become a distinguished figure in the operatic world, particularly in Wagner roles such as Senta (Der fliegende Holländer), Sieglinde (Die Walküre), and Elisabeth (Tannhäuser).

Her breakthrough came in the summer of 2022 when she made her debut at the Bayreuther Festspiele as Senta in Dmitri Tcherniakov’s production of Der fliegende Holländer. This critically acclaimed performance solidified her reputation on the international stage. In the 2024 Festival, Teige further showcased her versatility, performing both Elisabeth in Tobias Kratzer’s production and reprising her role as Senta.

Teige’s schedule is filled with engagements at some of the world’s leading opera houses. Audiences can look forward to her performances at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Bayreuther Festspiele, Teatro di San Carlo, Semperoper Dresden, The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, in roles such as Isolde (Tristan und Isolde), Chrysothemis (Elektra), Elsa (Lohengrin), Venus/Elisabeth (Tannhäuser), Tosca, and Turandot. Her continued presence at these prestigious venues underscores her growing influence and the recognition she has earned as a dramatic soprano of exceptional talent.

Elisabeth Teige at the Bayreuth Festival

2022	Senta (Der fliegende Holländer, Dmitri Tcherniakov production) Freia (Das Rheingold, Valentin Schwarz production) Gutrune (Götterdämmerung, Valentin Schwarz production)
2023	Senta (Der fliegende Holländer, Dmitri Tcherniakov production) Sieglinde (Die Walküre, Valentin Schwarz production) Elisabeth (Tannhäuser, Tobias Kratzer production)
2024	Senta (Der fliegende Holländer, Dmitri Tcherniakov production) Elisabeth (Tannhäuser, Tobias Kratzer production)

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Selected Biographies

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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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