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Olivia Boen

Soprano

  • American soprano Olivia Boen is quickly gaining momentum for the “sun-streaked top of her register” (Chicago Tribune) and “full-bodied, sparkling tone” (Cleveland Classical) on operatic, concert, and recital stages alike.


    A member of the Opernstudio at the Staatsoper Hamburg since the 2022/23 season, Olivia’s first season included role debuts as Gretel in Humperdink Hänsel und Gretel, Musetta in Puccini La bohème and Anna in Nabucco, working with conductors including Kent Nagano, Mark Wigglesworth, Giampaolo Bisanti and Paolo Arrivabeni. In the 23/24 season, Olivia returned to Hamburg State Opera as Musetta in Puccini La bohème, in addition to creating the roles of Xenia in Frank Castorf’s new production of Mussorgsky Boris Godunov and Inez in Immo Karamon’s new production of Verdi Il Trovatore.

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  • Highlights of the 2024/25 season include house and role debuts as Alice in Verdi Falstaff at Opéra national de Paris and Annina in Verdi La Traviata with Le cercle de l’Harmonie at the Philharmonie de Paris. Boen will make a trio of role debuts for the Staatsoper Hamburg, as Servilla in Mozart La clemenza di Tito, Pamina in Mozart Die Zauberflöte and Sifare in Mozart Mitridate, re di Ponto. On the concert platform, Boen will give the UK premiere of Hans Abrahamsen’s Two Inger Christensen Songs with The Philharmonia Orchestra, performs Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem at the Hauptkirche St. Jacobi Hamburgmakes her debut with  Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León in Britten Les Illuminations


    Previous highlights on the concert platform include debuts at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg in the title role of Schumann Das Paradies und die Peri with the musicians of St. Michaelis Musik, and with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra as Gretel in a concert performance of Humperdink Hänsel und Gretel at the Bridgewater Hall cond. Sir Andrew Davis. Other notable concert appearances include Beethoven ‘Ah, Perfido!’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra cond. Christoph Altstaedt, Dvorak Stabat Mater with the Grant Park Music Festival & Vier letzte Lieder with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican.


    In 2019, Olivia made her European debut at the Verbier Festival under the baton of Valery Gergiev as Die Stimme des Falken in Strauss Die Frau Ohne Schatten and as Erste Dame in Mozart Die Zauberflöte with Stanislav Kochanovsky. Other roles include Countess Susanna in Wolf-Ferrari Il Segreto di Susanna, Queen Mother in Jonathan Dove The Little Green Swallow, the title roles in Handel Alcina and Serse & Poulenc Les Mamelles de Tirésias, Lauretta in Puccini Gianni Schicchi and has covered Donna Anna in Mozart Don Giovanni.


    A keen recitalist, Olivia has given recitals at Wigmore Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the London Song Festival, Opera Holland Park, the Verbier Festival, LSO St. Luke’s, the Dame Myra Hess Recital Series, the Ravinia Festival and toured with the Oxford International Song Festival. Olivia has collaborated on outreach projects with the London Symphony Orchestra and Opera Holland Park, was a member of the Wigmore Hall French Song Exchange led by Dame Felicity Lott and François le Roux, was a Samling Artist, a 2021 City Music Foundation Artist and a Steans Music Institute vocal fellow at the Ravinia Festival.


    Olivia was awarded the English Song Prize from the London Song Festival in 2019, first place (Lynne Cooper Harvey Foundation Award) of the Musicians Club of Women Competition in 2018, a grant from the Frank Huntington Beebe Fund for Musicians in 2018, and first place at the Tuesday Musical Competition in 2017.


    Olivia trained at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she was a 2021 Gold Medal finalist, and has completed additional training at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Verbier Festival, Internationale Meistersinger Akademie and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute.

    2024/25 season / 611 words. Not to be altered without permission.

Performances

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Opera roles

Vixen, Cunning Little Vixen
Marguerite, Faust
Micaela, Carmen
Governess, Turn of the Screw
Helena, Midsummer Night's Dream
Iolanta, Iolanta
Fiordiligi, Così
Countess, Nozze
Donna Anna, Don Giovanni
Alcina, Alcina
Armida, Rinaldo
Angelica, Orlando
Rodelinda, Rodelinda
Ginevra, Ariodante

'The Xenia of Olivia Boen stands out...the phrasing being nevertheless paved with expressive and resplendent lines in the high notes.'

Olyrix

'Soprano Olivia Boen was most brilliant at the sun-streaked top of her register.'

Chicago Tribune

'Boen sang with youthful tone and dedication, soaring over the ensemble thrillingly at the climax of the opening movement.'

Chicago Classical Review

Intermusica represents Olivia Boen worldwide.

Natasha Worsley
Associate Director, Vocal & Opera
+44 (0) 7870 979 794
nworsley@intermusica.com

Billie Allin
Assistant Artist Manager, Vocal & Opera
+44 20 7608 9903
ballin@intermusica.com

All artists

Chansonnier

HK Gruber

Counter-tenor

Tim Mead

Harpsichord

Richard Egarr

Piano accompanist

Roger Vignoles

Saxophone

Jess Gillam

Contralto

Avery Amereau