Marlis Petersen

Marlis Petersen (born 3 February 1968) is a German operatic coloratura soprano.

Born in Sindelfingen, Baden-Württemberg, Marlis Petersen won six important piano competitions before eventually going to the Stuttgart Conservatory where she studied music education, flute and dance as well as voice.

She made her operatic debut at the Staatstheater Nürnberg as Ännchen in Der Freischütz which led to a contract with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, where she primarily sang in operas by Mozart and Strauss.

On 6 September 2007, Petersen sang the role of Aphrodite in the world premiere of Hans Werner Henze's Phaedra at the Berlin State Opera.

Another world premiere came in May 2008, when she sang the role of Marta in Manfred Trojahn's La Grande Magia at the Dresden Semperoper.

Petersen has also appeared on the stages of Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, London, Paris, Geneva, and Monte Carlo and is also known for her portrayal of the demanding title role in Alban Bergs Lulu in ten productions around the world.

In addition to her operatic roles, Petersen is known for her performances in works by Johann Sebastian Bach with conductors Ton Koopman and Helmuth Rilling and for her Lieder recitals with pianist Jendrik Springer.

Since 2009 she has lived in Athens.

She sang the title role in the premiere of the Aribert Reimann opera Medea at the Vienna State Opera in 2010.

In March 2010 Petersen undertook the role of Ophélie in Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet at the New York Metropolitan Opera.

She spent less than four days preparing for the role, which, a reviewer remarked, "to judge from her beautiful and emotionally vulnerable singing, she clearly relishes."

In March 2021 she premiered in Barrie Kosky's new production of Der Rosenkavalier at the Bavarian State Opera, making role debut as the Marschallin.