KRISTĪNE OPOLAIS was born in Latvia in 1979. She studied voice at the Latvian Academy of Music and with Margaret Honig in Amsterdam.
Mrs. Opolais is a regular at such opera houses as Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opernhaus Zürich, Teatro alla Scala and Royal Opera House Covent Garden, working with such conductors as Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Chailly, Daniel Harding, Louis Langrée, Andris Nelsons, Gianandrea Noseda, Fabio Luisi and Kazushi Ono. In the 2010/2011 season, she was an overnight sensation at Bayerische Staatsoper, as the title role in "Rusalka", and at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, playing "Madama Butterfly". Her performances at both houses had an enormous impact, earning her extremely high critical praise.
In the 2012-13 season, she made sensational debut at New York’s Metropolitan Operaas Magda in Puccini’s “La Rondine”. In the same season she sings Mimi in Puccini’s ''La Boheme'' at Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and Wiener Staatsoper, title roles in Janacek’s ‘’Jenufa’’ at Opernhaus Zürich and Puccini’s ''Tosca'' at Covent Garden, as well as concert performances in the same season include role of Amelia in Verdi’s ''Simon Boccanegra'' at Wiener Konzerthaus with Wiener Symphoniker and Recital in Munich with Münchner Symphoniker.
After her spectacular Metropolitan debut Mrs. Opolais returns to New York’s Metropolitan Operaas Mimi in Puccini’s ''La Boheme''.
The future plans include debut at Hamburgische Staatsoper, which will also be her role debut in the part of Desdemona in "Otello", the title role in Dvořák’s ''Rusalka'', Tatyana in Tchaikovsky’s ‘’Eugene Onegin’’ and Vitellia in the new production of Mozart’s opera ‘’La clemenza di Tito’’ at Bayerische Staatsoper, to Opernhaus Zürich she will return as Lisa in the new production of Tchaikovsky’s opera ‘’The Queen of Spades’’.
In recent seasons, Opolais' concert performances have included appearances at Salzburg Festival (performing in Shostakovich Symphony No. 14), Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, the Royal Danish Orchestra in Copenhagen, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln and she is a regular guest with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, with whom she appears on tour. She makes her debut with Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in summer 2012 at their Odeonsplatz concert and also appears for the first time with Wiener Symphoniker in spring 2013 for concerts and a recording project. She returns to Munich later in the season, to appear for the first time on the prestigious 'Vocalissimo' concert series.
Recent DVD recordings have included Deutsche Staatsoper’s production of Prokofiev's "The Gambler", in which Mrs. Opolais sang the role of Polina under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, "Rusalka" from the Bayerische Staatsoper production, which was released last season to high critical praise, and Tchaikovsky’s ‘Eugene Onegin’ from the 2011 production at Palau de les Arts ‘Reina Sofia’ Valencia, released this season. A CD recording with WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln of Puccini's "Suor Angelica" has released with Orfeo International.
Mrs. Opolais was a soloist of the Latvian National Opera from 2003 until 2007. She won the Paul Sakss Singers' Award in 2004, the Latvian Annual Theatre Award for Best Opera Artist and the Latvian Cultural Foundation Award in 2005. She was also awarded the Latvian Great Music Award in 2006 and 2007 for her role as Lisa in "Pique Dame".
