Biography

The German-British soprano Claire Elizabeth Craig was born in Ulm, Germany and was a pre-college singing student of Maria de Francesca-Cavazza at the University of Music and Drama, Munich.

After her A-Levels she began with her studies in Voice, Opera and Lied at the University Mozarteum Salzburg, Austria, with Barbara Bonney.

As part of the Young Singers Project of the Salzburger Festspiele Claire was cast as an Elf in Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummernight’s Dream”. She performed the role of Bubikopf in Ullmann’s “Der Kaiser von Atlantis” at the Landestheater Innsbruck, then appeared as Marzelline in a production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio” in Vienna.

Since completing her Master of Arts degree with distinction she has been invited as a soloist to renowned festivals such as the Salzburger Festspiele, Mozartwoche, Anima Mundi Festival, Dialoge Salzburg, Jeunesse Vienna and the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Opera and concert projects have led Claire to Italy, China, Cuba and Colombia.

In 2016 Claire was the first to perform the newly rediscovered Mozart song “Per  la  Ricuperata  Salute  di  Ofelia” KV 477a (accompanied by Florian Birsak on Mozart’s original fortepiano) and recorded it with DECCA for the New Complete Edition “Mozart 225”.

She won the 2nd and a Special Prize at the 23rd International Brahms Competition in Pörtschach, Austria and was a finalist at the 1st International Haydn Competition in Rohrau in 2018.

In March 2018 Claire was invited to Switzerland to sing arias and duets with Rolando Villazòn accompanied by the Iberacademy orchestra.

In November 2018 Claire received a Special Prize at the International Anton Rubinstein Competition in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

She made her debut in Vienna Musikverein this autumn in Beethoven’s „Fantasie op.80“.

She was invited by Rolando Villazón to sing the opening concert of the Mozartwoche 2020 in Salzburg with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the Arnold Schönberg Choir.

Since autumn 2018 she has been working under the supervision of Voice Coach Eva Lindqvist.

Claire has performed under the baton of conductors such as Ádám Fischer, Sir Ivor Bolton, Markus Poschner, Roberto Gonzalez-Monjas and Kristiina Poska.

She will perform in Wiener Konzerthaus in May and appear in three concerts at Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in August and at the Schubertiade Atzenbrugg , also in August.