LEE ABRAHMSEN 

Recently described by critics as “Melbourne’s favourite soprano” and hailed as “a rising star” by Limelight Magazine (July 2018), Australian soprano Lee Abrahmsen is a multi-award-winning soprano both on the operatic stage and concert platform.

Lee has appeared as principal artist throughout Australia in over 40 roles including: Isolde in Tristan und Isolde, Sieglinde in Die Walküre, Brünnhilde in Siegfried, Senta in Der Fliegende Holländer, Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier, Elisabeth in Tannhäuser, Freia in Das Rheingold, Leonora in Fidelio, CioCioSan in Madama Butterfly, Mimi in La Bohème, Konstanze in Die Entführung, Marguerite in Faust, Micaëla in Carmen and Valencienne in The Merry Widow (all for Melbourne Opera); Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera Australia), Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (Opera Queensland), title role in Tosca (Australian Discovery Orchestra), Violetta in La Traviata (CoOpera), Anita in Jonny spielt auf! (IOpera), Fifth Maid in Elektra (Sydney Symphony), Olympia in Erwin und Elmire (Iopera), and the title role in the Australian Premier of Stella by Marshall-Hall (Lyric Opera of Melbourne).

Her numerous Australian Awards include the 86th Herald Sun Aria, MOST Opera Awards Royal Over-Seas League Prize, MOST Opera Awards Performance Prize, and the Acclaim Awards Italian Fellowship Award. Lee received the Opera Chaser’s Outstanding Female in a Lead Role for Isolde in Tristan und Isolde in 2018, and was nominated for Greenroom Awards for her performances as Senta in Der Fliegende Holländer, Die Marschallin in Richard Strauss Der Rosenkavalier, Valencienne in Lehar’s Merry Widow and most recently for Brunnhilde in Siegfried. She has regularly sung in performances recorded by ABC Classic FM, appeared on Qantas In-Flight Entertainment singing Richard Strauss Four Last Songs with Omega Ensemble and has sung the National Anthem for Cricket Australia at the Melbourne and Sydney Ashes Tests.

Recent Concert engagements in Australia include: Soprano soloist in Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Richard Strauss Vier Letzte Lieder with Queensland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eivind Aadland, Recital with Omega Ensemble at the Sydney Opera House, Recitals at the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and Peninsula Summer Music Festival with pianist Caroline Almonte, soprano soloist in Mahler Fourth Symphony with Corpus Medicorum, Strauss Vier Letzte Lieder (Chamber version by James Ledger) with Omega Ensemble at City Recital Hall, Richard Strauss Elektra singing Fifth Maid with Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House conducted by David Robertson, Mahler Fourth Symphony (chamber version by Klaus Simon) with Omega Ensemble at City Recital Hall, Berlioz Les Nuits D’ètè and Exultate, Jubilate! with Melbourne Sinfonia, and Verdi Requiem with the Camerata Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Heywood. 

Concert engagements overseas include: Recitals at St Martin in the Fields (London), recitals for the Edinburgh International Festival (Scotland), a recital tour spanning numerous cities in China, and a recital in Tokyo for the International Double Reed Society Conference.

Lee’s previous concert and oratorio engagements include: Bach St John Passion and Wachet Auf, Berlioz Les Nuits D’ètè , Dvorák Requiem and Mass in D Minor, Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Fauré Requiem, Handel Messiah and Samson, Haydn Nelson Mass, Paukenmesse and The Creation, a world premier of Mark Isaac Chamber Symphony, Mendelssohn Elijah, Mozart Exultate Jubilate!, Coronation Mass, Sparrow Mass and Requiem, Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle, Saint-Saëns Requiem, Schubert Salve Regina, Paul Stanhope Songs of the Shadowland, Verdi Requiem and Four Sacred Pieces, Vivaldi Gloria.