ABOUT LINDA
Biography
Artist biography
From South Africa
The South African soprano initially studied psychology and English to become a teacher in her home country.
She was already working as a secondary school teacher when she discovered her soprano voice and began vocal training with Emma Renzi in 2007.
In September 2010, she won the national singing competition „ATKV Muziqanto Classical Singing Competition“ in South Africa.
This milestone marked the beginning of her singing career.
To Germany
In January 2011, Linda van Coppenhagen came to Germany and made her opera debut in the role of Dalinda in Handel’s Ariodante with the baroque ensemble „Cosi facciamo“, directed by Kobie van Rensburg.
In the same year, she completed a postgraduate course in „Baroque Vocal“ at the Mainz University of Music with Prof. Claudia Eder, Ralf Otto, Wolfgang Katschner, Michael Hofstetter and Ton Koopman.
She’s a prize winner at the „22nd International Singing Competition Schloss Rheinsberg (2012)“ and was one of 11 finalists at the „7th International Singing Competition Festspielstadt Passau (2011)“.
First engagements
She had her first permanent engagement from 2012 to 2015 at the Theater Vorpommern. There she appeared as Gilda in Rigoletto (Verdi), Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte (Mozart), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Mozart), Ännchen in Der Freischütz (Weber), Laura in Der Bettelstudent (Millöcker), Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdink), and many more.
In 2015 she moved to the Halle Opera and sang, amongst others, the roles of the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte (Mozart), Frasquita in Carmen (Bizet), Gretel, Najade(Ariadne auf Naxos), Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring (Britten), Helena in A Midsummernight’s Dream (Britten), Rapunzel in Into the Woods (Sondheim).
Concerts
In the concert field Linda sang the soprano parts in, among others Saul / Merab (Handel),
Magnificat (C.P.E. Bach),
The Messiah (Handel),
Carmina Burana (Orff),
Nelson Mass and
Stabat Mater (Haydn),
Stabat Mater (Pergolesi), Exsultate Jubilate, C minor mass (Mozart), Spring Waltz (J. Strauss), Bruckner’s Te Deum.
She also sang several sacred and secular cantatas by J.S. Bach, G.F. Händel, G.P. Telemann, C.H. Graun, A. Vivaldi, C. Monteverdi and others.
The orchestras she has performed with include: Staatskapelle Halle, Batzdorfer Hofkapelle, Münchner Symphoniker, members of the BR Symphony Orchestra, members of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Orchestra of the Theater Vormpommern, Neumeyer Consort and others.
Recordings
Linda van Coppenhagen’s live recordings include: G.F. Handel’s Messiah Choirs, (2012, Oehms Classics, conducted by Michael Hofstetter and
Saul (G.F. Händel) in 2019 with the Batzdorfer Hofkapelle, conducted by Christiane Büttig.
In 2023, Linda qualified for a scholarship from the German Music Council (Neustart Kultur) to record an album of German and South African art songs.
The album HEIMWEE will be released in 2024 under the German classical label Monarda Music in Germany and South Africa.
Mother & Painter
The versatility of Linda van Coppenhagen
As a counterpoint to her musical work, Linda also devotes herself to painting time and again.
Linda von was already painting and selling portraits of animals at the age of 12, and she is still very passionate about this activity today.
In addition to charcoal, graphite, acrylic and oil, she mainly uses pastel.
Linda paints commissioned artworks.
Her artistic style is realism and she specializes in the depiction of animals, wildlife and human portraits.
Linda is married to the German tenor Robert Sellier.
They are happy and proud parents of a wonderful 6-year-old daughter.
Since her pregnancy, Linda van Coppenhagen has been working as a freelance singer & painter.
Linda van Coppenhagen has the following academic qualifications:
„BA Psychology“ (University of South Africa, 2004), „Post Graduate Certificate in Education“ (University of South Africa, 2006) and „Grade 8 Voice Practical“ (University of South Africa, 2009), Qualifi Level 5 – Certificate in Teaching English as Foreign Language (The TEFL Academy).
Experience Linda live!
Book tickets now for Linda van Coppenhagen’s upcoming events.