Praised for 'exuding power in every detail of her body language and voice' in the 2026/27 season mezzo-soprano Elissa Pfaender makes her Polish National Opera debut as Tetyana Borysova in the world stage debut of Kolomiiets’ new documentary opera The Mothers of Kherson. She makes her Metropolitan Opera debut as 2nd Knappe in Parsifal, and joins the ensemble at Theater Heidelberg for the Baba the Turk in The Rake’s Progress, Waitress in Innocence, the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, and sings Hans Gál’s oratorio De profundis, Op. 50 with the Orchester Heidelberg. Last season she made her Palm Beach Opera debut as Maddalena in Rigoletto, joined Deutsche Oper Berlin for Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro, returned to Wolf Trap Opera for Olga in Eugene Onegin, and joinsed the Bayerische Staatsoper to cover Jane Kennedy and Female Consort in the world premiere of Brett Dean’s Of One Blood.
Ms Pfaender recently returned to Deutsche Oper Berlin for Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte and Second Secretary in Nixon in China, and made her Teatro Real debut as Anna Kennedy in Maria Stuarda. She also joined Wolf Trap Opera for the title role in Carmen and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro. She joined the Deutsche Oper Berlin ensemble for Waltraute in Die Walküre and the Secretary in Nixon in China, and also joined the ensemble of Teatro Real where she was responsible for Maddalena in Rigoletto, Zofia in Halka, Medoro in Orlando, and Neris in Médée. She also recently joined Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Mrs McLean in Susannah, joined Opera North in her role debut as Carmen, sang Zulma and covered the title role in L’Italiana in Algeri with Tulsa Opera, sang Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor with New York City Opera, and was a Vocal Fellow at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, under the direction of Kevin Murphy, which concluded with a solo performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in their ‘Tchaikovsky Spectacular’ under the baton of George Stelluto. As an Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Gerdine Young Artist, she created the role of Dr Landau in the world premiere of Tobias Picker’s Awakenings, where she was praised for her ‘mellifluous mezzo…and chest tones of chilling power’ (Operatoday.com). Additionally, she sang Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, and covered the title role of Carmen. With New York City Opera, she covered the roles of Mama and Signora Olga in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Garden of the Finzi-Continis and also frequently performs with the company as a featured soloist in concerts in Bryant Park and Central Park.
Ms Pfaender was recently named a winner of the Opera Foundation. She was a young artist with the Savannah Voice Festival, under the direction of Sherrill Milnes, Manchester Music Festival, Sarasota Opera, The National Endowment for the Arts YoungArts Foundation. During her tenure with Sarasota Opera, Ms Pfaender was awarded the prestigious Anne J. O’Donnell Outstanding Apprentice Artist Award by the Sarasota Opera Guild for her talent, skills and musicianship. Ms Pfaender’s has been the recipient of many awards from The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, The Gerda Lissner Foundation, The Opera Foundation, The NEA YoungArts Foundation, The National Opera Association, and The Orpheus National Music Competition. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and her Master of Music from Westminster Choir College.
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