ABOUT

Often praised for her rich and luscious timbre, South African-born Freya Apffelstaedt represents a generation of promising young contraltos. Following her participation in the prestigious Young Singers Project of the Salzburger Festspiele in the summer of 2021, she joined the International Opera Studio of Opernhaus Zürich. During her tenure, she performed roles such as Grimgerde (Die Walküre), Sœur Mathilde (Dialogues des Carmélites), and Amastre (Serse).

In the 2024/25 season, Ms. Apffelstaedt’s engagements include Mrs. Quickly (Falstaff) at Theater Bielefeld, Schwertleite (Die Walküre) at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and 2nd Norn and Flosshilde (Götterdämmerung) at Bühnen Bern. She also returned to the Salzburg Festival for a concert in 2024, further solidifying her status as a sought-after artist on the international stage.

During her studies, her engagements included Hippolyta (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) at the Prinzregententheater München and a lead role in the newly composed pasticcio liminal space, presented at the Munich Biennale for New Music.

In addition to her operatic achievements, Ms. Apffelstaedt is a highly regarded soloist in concert repertoire. She has performed works ranging from Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Johannespassion to 20th-century masterpieces such as Duruflé’s Requiem. Her extensive repertoire includes well-known oratorios as well as rarities such as Händel’s The Triumph of Time and Truth and Giovanni Simone Mayr’s sacred compositions. She collaborates frequently with Dr. Franz Hauk and the period ensemble Concerto de Bassus, appearing as an alto soloist in concerts and CD recordings in cooperation with NAXOS.

Ms. Apffelstaedt is a laureate of numerous singing competitions, including the DEBUT International Singing Competition 2020 (Special Award) and the Federal Singing Competition of Germany 2020 (3rd Prize). In 2023, she was a finalist in the Tenor Viñas Contest in Barcelona. Her exceptional talent has been recognized with scholarships from the German State and the Richard Wagner Society of Bayreuth, among others.

She holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Voice Performance from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, where she studied under the guidance of acclaimed singers Prof. Lars Woldt and Prof. Daniela Sindram.

Last updated: 01/2025