Frances Pappas
Mezzo soprano
Frances Pappas is a Greek-Canadian mezzo-soprano with a vast experience in the classical opera and concert repertoire. In addition to her successes in this field she is deeply devoted to contemporary music and Greek and Turkish popular, art and folk song. Her musical and artistic versatility has led to collaborations with a wide variety of artists, including Dave Brubeck, Yehudi Menuhin, Mikis Theodorakis, film director Percy Adlon, and choreographers Daniela Kurz and Otto Pichler.
During her long engagement at the Nuremberg State Opera, she sang all the major roles in her fach. Among them were Mélisande, Carmen, Charlotte (Werther), Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier), Cenerentola and Nicklausse (Les contes d’Hoffmann).
Following this, she was engaged at the Schwetzinger Festspiele, Wiener Festwochen, Festspielhaus Hellerau Dresden, the theaters St. Gallen, Gärtnerplatztheater Munich, Theater Chemnitz, Theater Bielefeld and at the Landestheater Salzburg, where she sang the role of Marie (Wozzeck) (Conductor: Leo Hussein, Director: Amélie Niermeyer). Subsequently, she was also invited to perform this role at the Stuttgart Opera.
Frances Pappas made her debut at the Salzburg Festival in the world premiere of Thomas Adès‘ The Exterminating Angel. In subsequent years she sang in Alban Berg’s ‘Wozzeck’ (Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski, Director: William Kentridge) and Junon in Orphée aux Enfers (Director: Barrie Kosky, Conductor: Enrique Mazzola), together with the Vienna Philharmonic.
On the concert stage, Frances Pappas has been featured at the Münchener Opernfestspielen, Tonhalle Düsseldorf and Wigmore Hall. She has appeared as a soloist at with the Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and the MDR Rundfunkchor. In addition, Frances Pappas has been heard on numerous broadcasts of the Bayrische Rundfunk, BBC Radio, Radio France and CBC Radio.
Ms Pappas is co-founder and co-artistic director of Bridging Arts Salzburg und Nuremberg. Bridging Arts has received several prestigious awards for its work in the music and community art fields.
Together with guitarist Laura Young, they form the highly- acclaimed duo Lagrimosa Beltà.
Frances Pappas holds the title of Bayerische Kammersängerin for her outstanding artistic contributions.