Biography
The operatic newcomer award winner at France’s Victoires de la Musique Classique 2017, the Franco-Italian mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre also won the HSBC prize at the Festival of Aix-en-Provence in 2016. Having trained in Paris, then in Venice, with Sara Mingardo, she was also a ballet dancer for 12 years. At the young age of 20, she was the winner of the prestigious Jardin des Voix of William Christie with whom she set off on a world tour: Alice Tully Hall, Sydney Opera House, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, KKL Luzern, Philharmonie de Paris. After embodying Dorabella in the premiere of Nicolas Bacri’s Cosi fanciulli at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in 2014, she first appeared at the Shanghai Symphony Hall in the works of Handel, as Sesto (Giulio Cesare) and Ruggiero (Alcina) conducted by David Stern, then at the Theater an der Wien with Raphael Pichon as Céphie in Rameau’s Zoroastre. In April 2017 the mezzo-soprano debuted at the Opéra Comique, Paris in the title role of Marin Marais‘ Alcyone conducted by Jordi Savall. She has also stood out in the role of Messaggiera in Monteverdi’s Orfeo at the Musikverein Wien, in Madrid and at the Philharmonie de Paris, as well as the Festival d’Aix in Provence as Flerida in Cavalli‘s Erismena. The fall of 2017 is American: she will be Purcell’s Dido with William Christie at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, then revive the role of Messaggiera (Orfeo) with Sir John Eliot Gardiner at the Harris Theater Chicago & Alice Tully Hall; all of which will occur after a Monteverdi tour in Washington and NY with the Opera Lafayette conducted by Thomas Dunford. In 2017/2018 season Lea Desandre will debut in Salzburg at the Easter Festival in Offenbach’s La Périchole (Offenbach) as well as the Summer Festival in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea. In February 2018 she will appear at the Opéra Comique in the title role of Et in Arcadia ego, an opera ballet based on Rameau. Deeply attached to chamber music, Lea Desandre also gives recitals with the lutist Thomas Dunford (Konzerthaus Wien, Opéra de Bordeaux, Salle Cortot) or French songs with the pianist Sarah Ristorcelli.
2017/2018 Season
Photo Christine Ledroit Perrin