CORA BURGGRAAF

Cora Burggraaf

Cora Burggraaf is a versatile mezzo-soprano; she enjoys both singing and acting, and she is accomplished in various genres. The English press calls her a star, “the most impressive soprano of the past 10 years.” (Musters 2005, BN/De Stem) Her highly promising talent is recognized in the Netherlands, too. Burggraaf ...
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mezzosopraan

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2013   Nederlands Jeugd Strijk Orkest

Biography Cora Burggraaf

Cora Burggraaf is a versatile mezzo-soprano; she enjoys both singing and acting, and she is accomplished in various genres. The English press calls her a star, “the most impressive soprano of the past 10 years.” (Musters 2005, BN/De Stem) Her highly promising talent is recognized in the Netherlands, too. Burggraaf has performed with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra and The London Mozart Players, among others, in such prominent concert halls as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall in London, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, as well as the Tanglewood festival in the United States. What she would like to do most is combine jazz and classical singing, but that is apparently not an option at a conservatory: “I came into contact with the music of Kurt Weill when I was at the conservatory. That was a turning point for me. Weill sits at the border between jazz, light music and classical. I immediately fell in love with his music, and I still love to sing it. I needed a good technique to be able to optimally sing Weill. That's why I opted for the classical training.” (Nagan 2010, ww.operadagenrotterdam.nl)

1977

Cora Burggraaf is born in Oosterhout. Her singing career gets started with De Oosterhoutse Nachtegalen [The Oosterhout Nightingales], which she joins at age 12. She also takes singing lessons in Geertruidenberg. At 17, she enrols in the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and studies singing with Maria Acda. She is interested in jazz as well as classical music. She participates in master classes with Elizabeth Söderström, Margo Garrett, Thomas Quasthoff, Roger Vignoles, Thomas Hampson and Sir Thomas Allen. She also receives coaching from Magreet Honig.

2002

Burggraaf graduates cum laude from the Royal Conservatory. She goes to London to study opera with Lillian Watson at the Royal College of Music.

2003

She is awarded the Maggie Teyte Prize and the Miriam Licette Scholarship.

2004

Burggraaf completes her studies at the National Opera Studio. She wins second place at the International Vocal Competition 's-Hertogenbosch.

2005

She makes her debut at Covent Garden in the role of Bella in Michael Tippet's opera 'Midsummer Marriage'. The Observer proclaims her “the most promising newcomer of the year.”

2006

Burggraaf makes her debut with De Nederlandse Opera as Zerlina in Mozart's 'Don Giovanni'. On November 25, she is awarded the Elisabeth Everts Prize.

2007

She switches from singing soprano to mezzo-soprano, which she believes will better suit her voice. Because of this, she must again repeatedly audition and her career is briefly halted.

2008

Burggraaf makes her acting debut with the Artemis youth theatre troupe. For two years she takes acting lessons with the actor Bert Luppes and on his advice becomes more deeply involved with theatre.

2009

Burggraaf wants to sing and act in a solo production and develops the idea of the “solo opera,” a modern variation on the classical lieder recital. For her 'Ophelia' production, she collects the Ophelia songs of Hector Berlioz, Johannes Brahms, Ernest Chausson and Richard Strauss. The stage text, by the well-known author J. Bernlef, helps unify the piece. Burggraaf is selected for the Rising Star Award by ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation). She is introduced to European audiences during the 2009/2010 season. In November she receives the VCSD Klassieke Muziekprijs in the new generation of musicians category.

Audio/Video Cora Burggraaf