Sony Classical is delighted to announce the signing of Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak to the label. The singer is admired for her seductive and energetic stage presence as much as for her shining, flexible voice - the critic of The Guardian once even described her performance in London as the man-eating heroine of Rossini’s Il turco in Italia as ‘looking like a young Gina Lollobrigida’ – and the combination of her vocal and dramatic talents makes her one of the most sought-after performers of our time.

Kurzak has performed at many of the world’s greatest opera houses, including The Royal Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and the Vienna State Opera. Roles have included Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Gilda (Rigoletto), Adina (L’elisir d’amore) and Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor). Few who were privileged to be present when she took on the astonishingly difficult tragi-comic role of Matilde in Rossini’s Matilde di Shabran at Covent Garden will never forget the sparkling roulades of sound she produced, nor the delicate pathos of her performance.

In addition to her triumphs in the lyric and bel canto repertoire, Kurzak has begun recently to add vocally heavier roles to her portfolio, and has received superb reviews for her performances as Rachel in La juive and Nedda in Pagliacci. Most recently she sang the latter role at the Metropolitan Opera opposite her husband Roberto Alagna, and Operawire hailed the event as ‘a triumphant night to remember with two incredible singers.’ Future role debuts will include Luisa (Luisa Miller) and Elisabetta (Don Carlo). 

Kurzak began her musical education at the age of 7, initially studying violin and piano, but was soon encouraged to develop her obvious vocal talents. Her professional debut came at the age of just 21, when she appeared as Susanna at the Wroclaw State Opera. 

Between 2001 and 2007 Kurzak was a member of the Hamburg State Opera, where she concentrated principally on coloratura and bel canto roles, such as the Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Marie (La fille du régiment) and Adèle (Die Fledermaus). She also made her debuts at the Royal Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in 2004, and has returned regularly to both houses since then. 

In addition to her work as a performer, Kurzak has also maintained an academic interest in music, and was awarded a PhD in the same subject in 2009.

Kurzak is as well known for her infectious energy off stage as on it, and enjoys recounting an extraordinary story as an example of it. In 2010 she was preparing to fly from Poland to London to appear at the Royal Opera, when a series of volcanic eruptions in Iceland scuppered her plans. Undaunted, she took a taxi for the gruelling thousand-mile journey, and arrived at the theatre with just moments to spare. She rushed into her costume, and gave the performance of her life.

A beautiful voice, energy, dynamism, fun, and an exciting new relationship with Sony Classical… the rise and rise of Aleksandra Kurzak shows no sign of stopping.

Kurzak’s first album for Sony Classical, due for release in the fall of 2018, will be a duet album with star tenor and husband Roberto Alagna. Her first solo album for Sony Classical will be released in 2019.