BIOGRAPHY

Sven Hjörleifsson is an Icelandic jugendlicher Charaktertenor whose career spans leading opera houses, concert halls and contemporary performance. Equally at home in music, acting and spoken dialogue, he is known for his bright, versatile voice, strong stage presence, comic instinct and distinctive character work.

Sven made his stage debut as Ferrando in Così fan tutte at the Icelandic Opera in 2008. Following a guest appearance in the same role at the Landestheater Linz, he joined the theatre's ensemble in the 2011/12 season. His repertoire in Linz included Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Alfred and Dr. Blind (Die Fledermaus), Count de Rosillon (Die lustige Witwe), Remendado (Carmen), Boni (Die Csárdásfürstin) and Ulrich (Harmonie der Welt).

In 2017, Sven became a member of the ensemble at Oper Leipzig, where his repertoire has included Tamino, Steuermann (Der fliegende Holländer), Wenzel (Die verkaufte Braut), Narraboth (Salome), Pong (Turandot), Froh (Das Rheingold), Cassio (Otello), Boles (Peter Grimes), the Witch (Hänsel und Gretel), Veit (Undine) and Lord Bothwell (Mary Queen of Scots). At the Musikalische Komödie Leipzig, he has also appeared as Alfred in Die Fledermaus and Georg in Der Waffenschmied.

His guest engagements have taken him to Oper Frankfurt, Semperoper Dresden, Malmö Opera, Den Jyske Opera, Landestheater Vorarlberg and Oper Bologna, among other European stages. At Oper Frankfurt, his roles have included the Lawyer in Punch and Judy and Pang in Turandot, with the First Jew in Salome among his further engagements.

Alongside his opera work, Sven has an extensive concert repertoire. His performances include Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Christus am Ölberg, Handel's Messiah, Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Dvořák's Stabat Mater and Schubert's Mass in F. He has appeared at the Wiener Konzerthaus and Musikverein Wien, and has collaborated with orchestras including the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Norrköpings Symfoniorkester and Jönköping Sinfonietta.

Lied and recital work form another important part of his artistic activity. His programmes include Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin and Schumann's Dichterliebe, performed in Austria, Germany and Iceland. His work in Lied also connects with his interest in performance and contemporary forms, including his own projects surrounding Die schöne Müllerin.

Contemporary music and new work are an important part of Sven's artistic profile. He has appeared in premieres including Bernard Lang's Mondparsifal ALPHA 1–8 at the Wiener Festwochen and Berliner Festspiele, Bruno Strobl's Hemma at the Carinthischer Sommer, and Moritz Eggert's Terra Nova at the Landestheater Linz, as well as several new works with Sirene Operntheater in Vienna.

Sven received his musical and vocal training in Reykjavík and at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.