"Opera in top form. Maria Riccarda Wesseling provided plenty of vocal and dramatic power in the title role"
(Wall Street Journal of Europe, Juni 2006; Opéra National de Paris: Première Iphigénie en Tauride)

Maria Riccarda Wesseling was born in Graubuenden (Switzerland). She celebrated her international break-through in 2006 at the Opéra de Paris, where she substituted on short notice for Susan Graham in the title role at the première of Glucks „Iphigenie en Tauride“. „Une découverte“ headlined „Les Echos“.

One year later ,at the premiere of Henzes opera Phaedra at the Staatsoper Berlin, Deutschlandradio Kultur stated that: „Die grandiose Mezzosopranistin Maria Riccarda Wesseling ist eine Idealbesetzung für die rückhaltlos liebende Phaedra“. She also sang this part at the Monnaie in Brussels and at the Barbican Center London.

In 2008 she returned to the Opéra de Paris as Glucks „Orpheus“. This, by Pina Bausch produced and by Thomas Hengelbrock directed, production was transmitted live on arte-tv and appeared on DVD recently (BelAir). At the Opéra de Lyon she sang Hedwig in Offenbach's „Rheinnixen“ (conductor: Minkowski), la Malaspina in Sciarrinos „Luci mie traditrici“, Bianca in Zemlinskys „Tragédie Florentine“, as well as Metella in Offenbach's „La Vie Parisienne“ in the production of Laurent Pelly (Virgin) that also came out on DVD. At the National Opera of Helsinki she embodied the „Pèlerin“ in Kaaia Saariahos opera „L'amour de loin“ (direction: Peter Sellars), at the Grand Théatre de Genève Giulietta in „Les contes d' Hoffmann “ under the direction of Olivier Py (DVD with BelAir). In Bilbao she replaced Sonia Ganassi in the title part of Bizets Carmen, at the DNO Amsterdam she sang Orlofsky in „Die Fledermaus“, on the Ruhrtriennale 2009 Claude Viviers „Wo bist Du Licht“ and at the Opéra de Bordeaux she was Irma in Eötvös's „Le Balcon“.

Her earlier intensive studies of Händel have materialized in a solo CD, several operas and DVDs. Maria Riccarda Wesseling performs a broad concert repertoire in halls such as the Gewandhaus Leipzig (Johannespassion under Riccardo Chailly), the Concertgebouw Amsterdam (interpretation of Songs), Tonhalle Zurich, the Kölner and Essener Philharmonic („Poême de l'amour et de la mer“ under Minkowski), the Bozar Brussels and others.

Future works comprise: Hermione in Gretrys „Andromaque“ at the Schwetzinger Festival (simultaneous with the CD release of the recording of „Andromaque“ at the Theatre of the Champs Élysées Paris), Marie in Berg's „Wozzeck“, title part in „Iphigenie en Tauride“ and Offenbach's „Belle Hélène“, Berlioz' „Marguerite“ as well as Mahlers „Kindertotenlieder“, „Rückertlieder“ and Hartmann's first Symphonie.

There are several solo-CD's, opera-CD's and DVD's of Maria Riccarda Wesseling available.

Maria Riccarda Wesseling was born in Graubünden (Switzerland) and has a love for her native mountain lakes. She studied with Hedwig Vonlanthen, Elisabeth Glauser, Margreet Honig and is currently being coached by Barbara Martig.

On 6 June 2006, the day of the premiere of Iphigénie en Tauride in Paris, the Opéra National decided to have Maria Riccarda Wesseling replace Susan Graham in the title role(Krzysztof Warlikowski/Marc Minkowski production). After her outstanding performance, media and public acknowledge: „une decouverte“ – a discovery (Les Echos). Yet on the premiere night the mezzo-soprano was re-engaged for the consecutive Gluck production at the Paris National Opera: Orphée with Thomas Hengelbrock and Pina Bausch. The performance on 16 February was broadcasted live by Arte TV, the first time Pina Bausch permitted one of her productions to be televised live (DVD release will follow). Additional performances brought the production to the Athens Festival at the ancient amphitheatre in Epidaurus in July 2008 and were followed by the artist's role debut Eurydice in the Paris version with Jérémy Rhorer at the Festival de Beaune the same month. Maria Riccarda Wesseling received equal attention with her interpretation of title role Phaedra on occasion of the world creation of Henze’s latest composition at the Staatsoper Berlin in co-production with the Théâtre National de la Monnaie in September 2007: "The great mezzo-soprano Maria Riccarda Wesseling is an ideal cast." (Deutschlandradio Kultur).

Meanwhile an appreciated interpreter of Gluck (Iphigénie en Tauride, Orpheus, Eurydice) Maria Riccarda Wesseling especially performs Carmen (at the Opera Bilbao in February 2009), Octavian, Idamante, and Sextus in La clemenza di Tito, Cenerentola, Rosina, Fenena, Berlioz’ Marguerite, Offenbach’s Hedwig in Die Rheinnixen (with Marc Minkowski at the Opéra National de Lyon) and Giulietta in Les Contes d’Hoffmann as well as Prinz Orlowsky in Die Fledermaus. Her interpretation of Offenbach’s Metella in La Vie Parisienne (Laurent Pelly production) in December 2007 has been released by Virgin Records and was broadcasted on television and radio throughout Europe. At the same time Metella was the artist’s fourth principal role at the Opéra National de Lyon in only two years. There, also in 2007, she performed von Zemlinsky’s Bianca in Eine florentinische Tragödie, a role that brought her to the Oper Frankfurt three weeks after the premiere in Lyon and to the Festival de Ópera de Tenerife later that same year.

Next to the late 18th to early 20th century music, Ms Wesseling’s repertoire includes Purcell’s Dido and Händel roles such as Rodrigo, Rinaldo, Amadigi, Giulio Cesare + Sestus, Dejanira in Hercules and Medea in Teseo (on DVD at Arthaus) and stretches to contemporary music including the dramatic coloratura role Kassandra in Aribert Reimann’s Troades, Le Pèlerin in Kaija Saariaho’s L’amour de loin (Peter Sellars' production at the Finnish National Opera Helsinki), Olga in Peter Eötvös’ Tri Sestri and Duchessa di Malaspina in Sciarrino’s Luci mie traditrici.

In the vocal-symphonic field Maria Riccarda Wesseling sings Berlioz’ Les Nuits d’été and La mort de Cleopatre, Ravel’s Shéhérezade, Respighi’s Il Tramonto, Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et de la mer, Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder + Les Adieux de Marie Stuart + Meine Ruh' ist hin (released in a chamber orchestra version by Coviello), orchestra songs of Schönberg, Zemlinsky, Berg, Mahler and Strauss (CD release by Claves), plus a variety of sacred music/oratorio. Lied is the artist’s hobby-horse. In a staged recital she performed a selection of Alma Mahler’s compositions, combined with Lieder of Gustav Mahler and von Zemlinsky, at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam in April 2008. A similar program, with additionally Lieder of Clara Schumann and Lily Boulanger, has been released by Claves – Ms Wesseling’s 3rd solo CD with this label; and 7th CD release in total.

The artist performs at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées Paris, Opéra National de Paris, Opéra National de Lyon, Théâtre National de la Monnaie Bruxelles, Grand Théâtre de Genève, ABAO Opera Bilbao, Finnish National Opera Helsinki, Staatsoper Berlin, Semperoper Dresden, Oper Frankfurt, De Nederlandse Opera Amsterdam, Philharmonie-Essen, Philharmonie-Köln, Tonhalle-Zürich, Palau de la Musica-Barcelona, Concertgebouw Amsterdam as well as the festivals in amongst others Montpellier (Radio France), Beaune, Bremen (Musikfest), Halle, Schwetzingen and Zurich (Zürcher Festwochen). She works with conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Peter Eötvös, Vladimir Fedosejev, Thomas Hengelbrock, Philippe Herreweghe, Christopher Hogwood, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Susanna Mälkki, Marc Minkowski, Jérémie Rhorer, Jean-Christophe Spinozi, Alberto Zedda; and stage directors like Pina Bausch, Peter Mussbach, Laurent Pelly, Peter Sellars and Krzysztof Warlikowski.

Her solo CDs Wien 1900, Handel Heroines and Sous l’eau du songe (songs by Alma Mahler, Lily Boulanger and Clara Schumann) appeared at Claves, at Naïve/Ambroisie there is Amadigi (title role) and Rodrigo (also title role). On DVD: Medea in Teseo at Arthaus, as well as Metella in La Vie Parisienne in the Laurent Pelly/Opéra National de Lyon production (Virgin Records). Coviello has released the CD recording of a Wagner program in a chamber orchestra version. Upcoming release: Gluck’s title role Orpheus in the Pina Bausch at the Opéra National de Paris production by DVD.

Current and future Highlights include: title role Carmen at the Opera Bilbao, 3 x Rückert Lieder (Festival Davos, Orchestre de Mulhouse, Orquestra Nacional de Porto), 2 productions with mit Jérémy Rhorer (Mozart Requiem at the Athens Festival + a concert tour through Spain, Italy and France), 2 productions at the Festival de Beaune (Sesto in Giulio Cesare + a Mozart-Gluck-Händel-recital) and Irma in Eötvös' Le Balcon at the Opéra National de Bordeaux