Markella Hatziano ( el, Μαρκέλλα Χατζιάνο, link=no) is an operatic

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

born in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

, Greece.

Early life, education and debut

Hatziano entered the Greek National Conservatoire at the age of 12 as a scholarship student. She studied with Georgia Georgilopoulou, graduating

summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...

at the age of 17. She studied repertoire and interpretation with the legendary baritone

Tito Gobbi Tito Gobbi (24 October 19135 March 1984) was an Italian operatic baritone with an international reputation. He made his operatic debut in Gubbio in 1935 as Count Rodolfo in Bellini's ''La sonnambula'' and quickly appeared in Italy's major opera ...

for three years. She came to international attention as the second place finalist in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition and the winner of the first Tito Gobbi International Competition. Hatziano short after graduation made her very early professional debut with the Oxford Symphony Orchestra at the

Odeon of Herodes Atticus The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Greek: Ωδείο Ηρώδου του Αττικού; also called Herodeion or Herodion; Greek: Ηρώδειο) is a stone Roman theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. Th ...

in Athens. Her operatic debut took place at the

Greek National Opera The Greek National Opera ( el, Εθνική Λυρική Σκηνή, ''Ethniki Lyriki Skini'') is the country's state lyric opera company, located in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center at the south suburb of Athens, Kallithea. It is a ...

at the age of 23 performing ''Princess Eboli'' in "Don Carlos" by Giuseppe Verdi.

International career

She debuted on the international stage with the

Opera Company of Boston The Opera Company of Boston was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts, that was active from the late 1950s through the 1980s. The company was founded by American conductor Sarah Caldwell in 1958 under the name Boston Opera Gr ...

under Sarah Caldwell as ''Suzuki'' in "

Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story "Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Luther ...

" by

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long li ...

, ''Neris'' in "

Médée ''Médée'' is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Pierre Corneille in 1635. Summary The heroine of the play is the sorceress Médée. After Médée gives Jason twin boys, Jason leaves her for Creusa. Médée exa ...

" by

Luigi Cherubini Luigi Cherubini ( ; ; 8 or 14 SeptemberWillis, in Sadie (Ed.), p. 833 1760 – 15 March 1842) was an Italian Classical and Romantic composer. His most significant compositions are operas and sacred music. Beethoven regarded Cherubini as the gre ...

, ''Amneris'' in " Aida", soloist in

Messa da Requiem The ''Messa da Requiem'' is a musical setting of the Catholic funeral mass ( Requiem) for four soloists, double choir and orchestra by Giuseppe Verdi. It was composed in memory of Alessandro Manzoni, whom Verdi admired. The first performance, at ...

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

and at the Sofia Opera as ''Azucena'' in " Il Trovatore". She gained great international recognition in December 1993 when she performed on short notice the role of ''Didon'' in "

Les Troyens ''Les Troyens'' (; in English: ''The Trojans'') is a French grand opera in five acts by Hector Berlioz. The libretto was written by Berlioz himself from Virgil's epic poem the ''Aeneid''; the score was composed between 1856 and 1858. ''Les Tro ...

" by

Hector Berlioz In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

in highly praised concert performances at the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhi ...

with the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

under

Colin Davis Sir Colin Rex Davis (25 September 1927 – 14 April 2013) was an English conductor, known for his association with the London Symphony Orchestra, having first conducted it in 1959. His repertoire was broad, but among the composers with whom h ...

. She has performed the roles of ''Dalila'' (" Samson et Dalila" by

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...

), ''Amneris'' (" Aida" by

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

), ''Eboli'' ("

Don Carlos ''Don Carlos'' is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the dramatic play '' Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien'' (''Don Carlos, Infante of Spain'') by Friedri ...

" by

), ''Azucena'' (" Il Trovatore" by

), ''Didon'' ("

" by

), ''Marguerite'' (" La damnation de Faust" by

), ''Charlotte'' ("

Werther ''Werther'' is an opera (''drame lyrique'') in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann (who used the pseudonym Henri Grémont). It is loosely based on Goethe's epistolary novel ''The S ...

" by

Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are '' Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther' ...

), ''Santuzza'' (" Cavalleria rusticana" by Pietro Mascagni) and ''Judith'' (" Bluebeard's Castle" by

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as H ...

) at many of the world's most prestigious opera houses and festivals including for example the Royal Opera House, Teatro alla Scala, Liceu, Teatro Real, San Francisco Opera, Staatsoper Berlin, Teatro Colón, Musikverein Wien, Royal Albert Hall, Tanglewood Music Festival, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Salzburg Festival and the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. She has appeared with many of the world's top symphony orchestras including for example the Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Royal Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Berlin, Oslo Philharmonic, RAI National Symphony Orchestra, as well as the two Greek state orchestras, i.e., the Athens State Orchestra and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, performing works by Verdi, Chausson, Ravel, Berlioz, Beethoven and Mahler. She has collaborated with many world-renowned opera singers, such as José Carreras, Jessye Norman, Montserrat Caballé, Shirley Verrett, José Cura, Josephine Barstow, Gwyneth Jones, Robert Hale, Simon Estes, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, stage directors Robert Wilson and Franco Zeffirelli, conductors Daniel Barenboim, Christoph von Dohnányi, Zubin Mehta, Bernard Haitink, Michel Plasson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Seiji Ozawa, Kent Nagano, Mariss Jansons, among others, and the Greek composers Mikis Theodorakis,

Vangelis Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou ( el, Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; el, Βαγγέλης, links=no ), was a Greek composer and arranger of ...

and Eleni Karaindrou.

Recordings

Manolis Kalomiris Manolis Kalomiris ( el, Μανώλης Καλομοίρης; December 14, 1883, Smyrna – April 3, 1962, Athens) was a Greek classical composer. He was the founder of the Greek National School of Music. Biography Born in Smyrna, he attended sch ...

: Symphony No. 2 "Of the Good and Simple People" , Soloist: Markella Hatziano, mezzo-soprano , The Orchestra & Choir of the Bulgarian Radio & Television conducted by

Byron Fidetzis Byron Fidetzis ( el, Βύρων Φιδετζής) is a Greek cello, cellist and conductor, who has been a major figure for decades in the musical life of his native Greece. He has championed Greek classical music and has premiered a wide range of ...

(Label: Concert Athens, 1986) *Manolis Kalomiris: "Evening Legends" Song Cycles A & B , Markella Hatziano (mezzo-soprano),

Danae Kara Danae Kara (; born on 27 July 1953) is a Greek classical concert pianist, Music artist (occupation), recording artist, and Education, educator, best known for her interpretations of 20th century List of Greek composers, Greek modernist composers. ...

(piano) (Label: Concert Athens, 1987) *Manolis Kalomiris: "Oblivion" , Markella Hatziano (mezzo-soprano) , Aris Garoufalis (piano), Tatsis Apostolidis (violin), Ersi Kaguelari (violin), Yannis Vatikiotis (viola), Telis Katsikakis (cello) (Label: Concert Athens, 1987) *

: Messa da Requiem ,

Michèle Crider Michèle Crider (born 1959, Quincy, Illinois) is an American lirico spinto operatic soprano. She has appeared in many of the great opera house in the world including the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, San Fr ...

(soprano), Markella Hatziano (mezzo-soprano), Gabriel Sadé (tenor),

Robert Lloyd (bass) Robert Andrew Lloyd (born 2 March 1940) is an English operatic bass. Early life and education Born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, Lloyd was educated at Keble College, Oxford, and studied in London with the baritone Otakar Kraus. Career He made ...

and Chorus conducted by Richard Hickox (Label:

Chandos Records Chandos Records is a British independent classical music recording company based in Colchester. It was founded in 1979 by Brian Couzens.Ernest Bloch Ernest Bloch (July 24, 1880 – July 15, 1959) was a Swiss-born American composer. Bloch was a preeminent artist in his day, and left a lasting legacy. He is recognized as one of the greatest Swiss composers in history. As well as producing music ...

: "

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

" , Jean-Philippe Lafont, baritone (Macbeth) and Markella Hatziano, mezzo-soprano (Lady Macbeth) , Orchestre Philharmonique de Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon & Choeur de la Radio Lettone conducted by

Friedemann Layer Friedemann Layer (30 October 1941 – 3 November 2019) was an Austrian conductor. He was assistant to Herbert von Karajan in Ulm and to Karl Böhm. In 1989, he conducted a film version of ''Der Schauspieldirektor'', with Zdzisława Donat and Chri ...

(Live recording, 26 July 1999 – Festival de Radio France et Montpellier – label: Actes Sud, 1999. This was awarded the Grand Prix de l' Académie Charles Cros) *Hatziano sings Liszt (13 songs by

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

) , Markella Hatziano (mezzo-soprano), Steve Larson (piano) (Label: Classical Masterworks, 2010) Guest artist in *

: ''

Direct Direct may refer to: Mathematics * Directed set, in order theory * Direct limit of (pre), sheaves * Direct sum of modules, a construction in abstract algebra which combines several vector spaces Computing * Direct access (disambiguation), a ...

'' (track: "Glorianna (Hymn a la Femme)" performed by Markella Hatziano, mezzo-soprano (Labels:

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

, 1988 –

Esoteric Recordings Esoteric Recordings is a UK independent record label specialising in 1970s progressive rock, folk, psychedelic, and jazz-rock reissues as part of Cherry Red Records. Its releases include both catalogue reissues and new works from artists who s ...

, 2013) * Eleni Karaindrou: Music and Songs for the Theatre (Label: Mikri Arktos, 2015)

Visual artist

Hatziano is also a

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

. The use of colors in multiple levels on large scale wooden surfaces is the distinctive style of her

artwork A work of art, artwork, art piece, piece of art or art object is an artistic creation of aesthetic value. Except for "work of art", which may be used of any work regarded as art in its widest sense, including works from literature ...

References

External links

*
Markella Hatziano's discography
at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hatziano, Markella Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Singers from Athens Greek mezzo-sopranos 20th-century Greek women opera singers 21st-century Greek women opera singers