Estonian soprano Mirjam Mesak is currently a member of the Bayerische Staatsoper ensemble where she has left an indelible impression in roles from Iolanta to Musetta. Her appearances in Munich this season are heralded by the world premiere of Axel Ranisch’s opera film – Orphea in Love – in which Mirjam plays the principal role. On stage she makes her debut as Oscar in Johannes Erath’s new production of Un ballo in maschera under Ivan Repušic, as well as joining new productions of The Bartered Bride as Esmerelda under Gábor Káli and as Ännchen in Der Freischütz conducted by Lothar Koenigs. Mirjam also sings Tebaldo (Don Carlo) under Andrea Battistoni, Anna (Nabucco) conducted by Daniele Rustioni, 1st Sprite (Rusalka) under Henrik Nánási, and returns to her roles in The Cunning Little Vixen under Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and Musetta in La bohème conducted by Juraj Valcuha. 

 

Despite the challenges of the last season, Mirjam appeared in an all-star cast of La bohème conducted by Asher Fisch, streamed internationally by the Bayerische Staatsoper, where her portrayal of Musetta was praised for its “beauty and elegance” (Opera Wire). She also appeared as Juliette in Simon Stone’s landmark production of Die tote Stadt under Kirill Petrenko, since released on DVD. Her portrayal of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta at the Cuvilliés Theater earned her unanimous critical acclaim for her ability to bring an ​‘unbelievable amount of depth’ to the character (Bachtrack) and can also be found on DVD. 

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In Estonia, Mirjam appears regularly with the Estonian National Opera, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra, collaborating most recently with Arvo Volmer, Risto Joost and Olari Elts. This season she returns to Tallinn to reprise her critically acclaimed Norina in Don Pasquale. Highlights elsewhere have included her role and company debut at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago as Lisette in La rondine, Nella in Gianni Schicchi for Oper Frankfurt, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No.14 with Oslo Philharmonic under Klaus Mäkelä. A keen recitalist, this season Mirjam presents programmes at the Usedomer Musikfestival and with Eesti Kontsert featuring Rachmaninov, Chopin, and Estonian composers Ester Mägi and Eduard Tubin. 

 

A former member of Munich’s Opernstudio, Mirjam has made a tremendous impression in numerous titles including the title-role of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta conducted by Alevtina Ioffe at the Cuvilliés Theater, soon to be released on DVD. Other highlights have included Freia (Das Rheingold), Nella (Gianni Schicchi) conducted by Daniele Rustioni, and Dew Fairy in Richard Jones’ Hänsel und Gretel under Patrick Lange. Elsewhere Mirjam made a critically acclaimed debut as Norina in Don Pasquale with the Estonian National Opera conducted by Arvo Volmer, a role she reprises with them this season in addition to Iolanta in concert.

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Mirjam Mesak is a graduate of Guildhall School of Music & Drama (First Class Honours) where she studied under the tutelage of Prof. Rudolf Piernay. She has performed as a soloist in several of London’s renowned concert halls such as the Barbican Hall, Milton Court Concert Hall (including as part of the LSO’s ​‘This is Rattle’ festival), and Wigmore Hall. 

 

In 2019 she was awarded with the Bavarian Art Prize in the section Performing Arts (Bayerische Kunstdörderpreis in Der Sparte Darstellende Kunst).