Chiara Skerath

Soprano

Biography

Praised by Opera Magazine for her “brilliant technique” and her “velvety timbre,” young Swiss soprano Chiara Skerath has now recently made acclaimed debuts as Ilione at the Berliner Staatsoper, Mélisande at the Opéra National de Bordeaux, as well as in several productions at the Opéra National de Paris.

The 2022/23 season marks her return to the Opernhaus Zurich as Eurydice in Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice and to the Opéra de Rouen as Servilia in La clemenza di Tito. She also sings Zerlina in Don Giovanni at the Ravenna Festival and gives a concert at the Wigmore Hall with Ian Page and The Mozartists.

Her recent engagements include singing Ilione in Campra’s Idoménée at the Opéra de Lille, Clorinda (La Cenerentola) and the First Lady (Die Zauberflöte) at the Opéra National de Paris, Ännchen (Der Freischütz) with Insula Orchestra, Antigone in Enesco’s Œdipe at the Salzburg Festival, Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande) at the Opéra National de Bordeaux as well as her debut in the role of Micaela (Carmen) at the Opéra National de Bordeaux.

Chiara has been a winner at several international competitions, including the Audience Prize at the 2014 Queen Elisabeth Competition, the Grand Prix de Duo Chant-Piano at the 2013 International Nadia et Lili Boulanger Competition and the Emmerich Smola Förderpreis in 2012.

Chiara has built a strong Mozartian repertoire, including Ilia (Idomeneo) at the Opéra d’Avignon, Zerlina in Don Giovanni at Opéra de Versailles and at the Drottningholm Festival in Sweden; Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte at Oper Frankfurt and Stadtheater Bern; Servila in La Clemenza di Tito at the Opéra du Rhin and at the Opéra de Rouen; Ninetta in La finta Semplice at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London; Cinna in Lucio Silla at the Theater an der Wien and at La Seine Musicale in Paris, the Opéra de Versailles and the Philharmonie de Paris; Susanna in the Operklosterneuburg Festival; and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at the Opéra de Saint-Etienne.

Skerath’s eclectic repertoire also comprises of acclaimed performances as Eurydice et Amour in Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice; Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore; Norina in Don Pasquale; Rosalinde in J. Strauss’ Die Fledermaus; the Italian Singer in R. Strauss’ Capriccio, and Eliza Doolittle in the musical comedy My Fair Lady.

She has performed under the batons of eminent conductors, including but not limited to Christian Thielemann, Marc Minkowski, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Emmanuelle Haïm, Ben Glassberg, and Laurence Equilbey.

Chiara is particularly renowned for her performances of German Lied and French Mélodie which she studied at the Fondation Royaumont with the late Ruben Lifschitz and regularly gives recitals across Europe.

She previously studied under Glenn Chambers at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and continues to work with Annick Massis. Chiara Skerath is also a lyrical singing teacher at the Conservatoire de Marly-le-Roi

Season 2022/23

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Reviews

“Skerath’s ability to deliver and mould every word of the accompanied recitative was remarkable, as was the aria ‘Barbari … ah non ferite’ (‘Barbarians … don not wound me’), dramatic, certainly, and with Skerath in total command of the wide range demanded by Jommelli.”

Skerath again here, and how poignantly the strings set up the atmosphere, hushed, whispered almost, but with an underlying unrest. Jommelli’s harmonic workings in the aria (‘Io resto sempre e piangere’ / ‘I shall remain and weep forever’) are a thing of beauty, a gentle lilt accompanying the vocal line. Skerath was, again, infinitely touching and convincing, her golden legato remarkable.”

“In performance terms, frankly I could listen to Skerath’s recitatives all day; the expansive lines of the aria were delivered with a beautifully open voice – and how accurate the semiquavers and leaps. A cadenza flourish was particularly relishable.”

Colin Clarke

Seen and Heard International

“Sung by Chiara Skerath, we had a rather touching recitative with a luscious accompaniment followed by an aria that was full of notes indeed, Skerath gave a bravura performance, making all the passagework very engaging.”

Planet Hugill

More Reviews

Idoménée de Campra, Opéra de Lille

Chiara Skerath (Illione) est toute dignité et intensité, elle montre un investissement indéniable dans sa caractérisation, musicalement sans défaut, le timbre toujours beau.

Classiquenews

Cueillie à froid, la voix de Chiara Skerath (Ilione) nous paraît d’abord tendue, mais les accents de cette lionne blessée nous font bien vite tressaillir. L’incarnation subjuguera tout du long, au gré des émotions qui taraudent ce personnage complexe: dépit, amertume, rancœur et jubilation haineuse, remords, angoisse et même l’abandon amoureux, fugace, mais désarmant lorsqu’Idoménée renonce à son trône et à un amour impossible. Ses adieux à la vie, ultimes paroles de l’opéra, nous prennent à la gorge ( « Pour le punir, laissez-le vivre, C’est à moi seule de mourir »). Chapeau bas !

ForumOpera

Carmen, Opéra National de Bordeaux

Chiara Skerath, qui prend le rôle de Micaëla, se démarque avec une tessiture de soprano bien dessinée, son vibrato subtil lui permet de faire retentir des aigus cristallins et de réaliser des nuances exceptionnelles, notamment lors de son aria “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante” dont l’invocation au Seigneur fait tressaillir.

Ôlyrix

Opéra de Lille, Le retour d’Idoménée

”Chiara Skerath qui brosse d’Ilione un portrait suprêmement émouvant et subtil, avec une mise en valeur supérieure du mot et de l’affect, en une géniale palette de couleurs, de dynamiques et d’ornements.”

Opéra Magazine