Tora Augestad, soprano
„In any case, Tora Augestad is much more than an academically trained singer; she lives and suffers in her songs with a maximum of vocal and acting possibilities.” Mitteldeutsche Zeitung
Tora Augestad’s versatility inspires composers, conductors and directors. Always in search of new challenges, she commissions new works and is keen on artistic exchanges with various ensembles that she herself has founded. She skillfully employs her vocal abilities, which defy classification in established categories, and is convincing as an actress.
Born in Bergen in 1979, she studied both classical music and jazz and devoted herself in particular to the 20th and 21st century repertoire. Study visits to Berlin and Munich helped her to acquaint herself better with German music before she graduated in her main subject „Cabaret Song” at the Norway Academy of Music in Oslo. Besides her participation over many years in the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir and the vocal group Pitsj, she performed in cabaret and opera productions such as Mozart’s „Magic Flute” and the contemporary opera „Inside Your Mouth, Sucking the Sun” by Niels Rønsholdt. She also appeared with the Ensemble Cikada (Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2005), with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra.
In 2006, Tora Augestad premièred four works that were written especially for her, among them „September Song” by Eivind Buene. This was followed by appearances at the ULTIMA Festival and the Chamber Music Festival Oslo, where she created her much celebrated version of Schönberg’s „Pierrot Lunair” with the Oslo Sinfonietta. In 2007 she sang the part of Jenny in „Threepenny Opera” at the Norwegian Reichstheater and in 2008, with Ensemble Modern conducted by HK Gruber, in Athens. Also with Ensemble Modern she gives many performances of Benedict Mason’s opera „Charlie Chaplin”, most recently at the Dresdner Tage für zeitgenössische Musik, at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, at the Salzburg Biennale and in September 2011 at the Festival Musica in Strasbourg.
On stage she performed in the opera „The Witches” (Heksene) by Marcus and Ole Paus and as Eboli in a modernized version of Verdi’s „Don Carlos”. In 2009 she gave guest appearances at Den Norske Opera Oslo and at the Biennale Venice (with „Eine Bitte” by Christian Eggen with Oslo Sinfonietta), at the Theatre Basle, at Maerz Musik Berlin and the Wiener Festwochen (with „Wüstenbuch” by Beat Furrer with Klangforum Wien). In 2010 she celebrated her successful debut with Ensemble Contrechamps with „No Thanks” by Evan Garner. For her recording of Beat Furrer’s „Lotofágos I” with Double Bass player Uli Fussenegger for the label Kairos she got rave reviews.
Ever since the world première of Beat Furrer’s opera „Wüstenbuch“, Tora Augestad has forged a close artistic collaboration with the Swiss director Christoph Marthaler. In 2010/11 she appeared at the Theatre in Basle in the outstandingly successful production of „Meine faire Dame” – Marthaler’s own version of „My Fair Lady”. Due to the audience’s enthusiastic reception, the production is still in repertoire in the current season. In November, Tora Augestad takes on a main role in Marthaler’s piece „Lo Stimolatore Cardiaco”, a humorous stab at the topic of Italian opera.
Further highlights of the current season include Grisey’s „Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil” with Klangforum Wien, conducted by Sylvain Cambreling at the Konzerthaus Wien, a work that the singer has already performed to great acclaim with the BIT20 Ensemble at the Bergen Festival. Furthermore, she will participate in 2012 in the world première of Enno Poppe’s new opera at the Schwetzinger SWR Festival and will make her debut appearance at the Salzburg Festival with Berio’s „Folksongs” with Klangforum Wien.
Tora Augestad’s versatility inspires composers, conductors and directors. Always in search of new challenges, she commissions new works and is keen on artistic exchanges with various ensembles that she herself has founded. She skillfully employs her vocal abilities, which defy classification in established categories, and is convincing as an actress.
Born in Bergen in 1979, she studied both classical music and jazz and devoted herself in particular to the 20th and 21st century repertoire. Study visits to Berlin and Munich helped her to acquaint herself better with German music before she graduated in her main subject „Cabaret Song” at the Norway Academy of Music in Oslo. Besides her participation over many years in the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir and the vocal group Pitsj, she performed in cabaret and opera productions such as Mozart’s „Magic Flute” and the contemporary opera „Inside Your Mouth, Sucking the Sun” by Niels Rønsholdt. She also appeared with the Ensemble Cikada (Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2005), with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra.
In 2006, Tora Augestad premièred four works that were written especially for her, among them „September Song” by Eivind Buene. This was followed by appearances at the ULTIMA Festival and the Chamber Music Festival Oslo, where she created her much celebrated version of Schönberg’s „Pierrot Lunair” with the Oslo Sinfonietta. In 2007 she sang the part of Jenny in „Threepenny Opera” at the Norwegian Reichstheater and in 2008, with Ensemble Modern conducted by HK Gruber, in Athens. Also with Ensemble Modern she gives many performances of Benedict Mason’s opera „Charlie Chaplin”, most recently at the Dresdner Tage für zeitgenössische Musik, at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, at the Salzburg Biennale and in September 2011 at the Festival Musica in Strasbourg.
On stage she performed in the opera „The Witches” (Heksene) by Marcus and Ole Paus and as Eboli in a modernized version of Verdi’s „Don Carlos”. In 2009 she gave guest appearances at Den Norske Opera Oslo and at the Biennale Venice (with „Eine Bitte” by Christian Eggen with Oslo Sinfonietta), at the Theatre Basle, at Maerz Musik Berlin and the Wiener Festwochen (with „Wüstenbuch” by Beat Furrer with Klangforum Wien). In 2010 she celebrated her successful debut with Ensemble Contrechamps with „No Thanks” by Evan Garner. For her recording of Beat Furrer’s „Lotofágos I” with Double Bass player Uli Fussenegger for the label Kairos she got rave reviews.
Ever since the world première of Beat Furrer’s opera „Wüstenbuch“, Tora Augestad has forged a close artistic collaboration with the Swiss director Christoph Marthaler. In 2010/11 she appeared at the Theatre in Basle in the outstandingly successful production of „Meine faire Dame” – Marthaler’s own version of „My Fair Lady”. Due to the audience’s enthusiastic reception, the production is still in repertoire in the current season. In November, Tora Augestad takes on a main role in Marthaler’s piece „Lo Stimolatore Cardiaco”, a humorous stab at the topic of Italian opera.
Further highlights of the current season include Grisey’s „Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil” with Klangforum Wien, conducted by Sylvain Cambreling at the Konzerthaus Wien, a work that the singer has already performed to great acclaim with the BIT20 Ensemble at the Bergen Festival. Furthermore, she will participate in 2012 in the world première of Enno Poppe’s new opera at the Schwetzinger SWR Festival and will make her debut appearance at the Salzburg Festival with Berio’s „Folksongs” with Klangforum Wien.