Anne Wieben is a Vienna-based American soprano celebrated for her “velvety soprano” and captivating stage presence. Critics have lauded her as a “true diva” with a “hint of femme fatale.” She holds a Master’s degree in Opera Performance from the Musik und Kunst Universität der Stadt Wien and a Bachelor of Music in Classical Vocal Performance, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota. Anne is the founder and creative director of Opera on the Lake, a summer opera festival in Minnesota, and the executive director of Really Spicy Opera, a company devoted to creating and performing new works through its “Aria Institute” workshop series.
Upcoming Highlights
- Vienna State Opera debut in Die Götterdämmerung (December 2024), where she will perform in a newly conceived production.
- Anastasia Knapp in Johann Strauss’s Fürstin Ninetta at the Johann Strauss Festival, Vienna (February/March 2025).
- Returning as Sylva Varescu in Die Csárdásfürstin with the Vienna Volksoper Orchestra at the Classionata Festival in Solothurn, Switzerland (April 2025).
Recent Season Highlights (2023/2024)
- Portrayed Magda Nesterval in Das Festbankett with the avant-garde Nesterval Theatre (February 2024).
- Reprised her role as Sylva Varescu in Die Csárdásfürstin with Opera on the Lake, where she was praised for her “silky voice and sultry performance.”
- Featured in Die Namenlosen with Nesterval Theatre in Vienna (May/June 2023), a production nominated for the prestigious Nestroypreis 2023.
- Artist-in-residence in Munich and Hamburg with Really Spicy Opera.
- Concerts with the Volksoper Orchestra in Solothurn, Switzerland as part of the Classionata Festival (Spring 2024).
Notable Past Performances
- Starred and directed Die Lustige Witwe (2022) with Opera on the Lake, earning acclaim for a production described as “better than you’ve ever imagined it before.”
- Rosalinde in OperaRundUm’s innovative virtual production of Die Fledermaus (2020), which followed a jump-in performance as Rosalinde with Musiktheater Vorarlberg (2019).
- Cover for Médée in Cherubini’s opera of the same name at the prestigious Salzburg Festival (2019).
- Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with Teatro Barocco (2017), a role she has reprised in multiple venues across Germany.
- Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with OperaRundUm as part of the Wir Sind Wien Festival (2018), following earlier performances in Munich and Waidhofen an der Ybbs.
Early Career and Recordings
Anne’s early career included notable recordings such as Frau Madaldrut in Siegfried Wagner’s Der Schmied von Marienburg with the Gdansk Philharmonic as well as Diana in Anton Urspruch’s Das Unmöglichste von Allem, the latter of which was recorded for Marco Polo Records and released in 2013. She can also be heard as Frau Schuster-Bellheim in Die Drei Wünsche, a role she recorded for CPO Records in 2013.
Other Acclaimed Performances
- Echo in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos and Dot Robinson in the Austrian premiere of Raymond Yiu’s The Original Chinese Conjuror at the Vienna Musikverein (2013).
- Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro with Teatro Barocco (2016), part of a historically authentic production.
- Numerous performances in contemporary and chamber opera, including the world premiere of Clio Montrey’s Photo Socrates, the world premiere of Hannes Kerschbaumer’s luce nera at the Klangspuren Festival (2012) and leading roles in Mozart’s Mass in C minor and Mendelssohn’s Elijah in Ireland.
- The lead role of Diana in Anton Urpsruch’s opera Das Unmöglichste von Allem in various venues across Germany, with performances revered as ‘captivating’ and ‘radiant’ with a ‘warm-sounding yet clear voice’ (Neue Merker). She also recorded the role for Marco Polo Records (2013).
A full and detailed biography available upon request