Hailing from Switzerland, Yvonne Naef is one of the most demanded mezzosopranos among concert and opera vocalists, which is justly proved by her latest roles: Marguerite in La damnation de Faust by Berlioz during a tour with Boston Symphony Orchestra directed by James Levine and Kundry under Bernard Haitink in Zurich on the one hand, and her performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 with Philadelphia Orchestra and Christoph Eschenbach and Kindertotenlieder at Parisian Opéra Bastille on the other.
Although Yvonne Naef sings mostly mezzosoprano parts in Verdi’s operas (MET, The Royal Opera House, Staatsoper w Wiedniu, Opéra de Paris), she performs a broad French and Russian repertoire, with a special fondness for Russian operas, and works by Richard Wagner. She is dedicated to Mahler’s songs and symphonic works, and has performed the composer’s Symphonies Nos 2, 3 and 8, Kindertotenlieder, Rückert Lieder, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, and Lieder aus des Knaben Wunderhorn with conductors whose number includes Boulez, Levine, Eschenbach, Bychkov, Welser-Möst, Cambreling, Frühbeck de Burgos, Nagano, and Nott. Besides operatic appearances, Naef performs recitals.
The roles and projects planned for the nearest future include Cassandre (Les Troyens) with James Levine and Boston Symphony Orchestra, Princess Eboli (Don Carlos) with Opéra Bastille and Judith (Bluebeard’s Castle) with Christoph von Dohnányi in Hamburg, and appearances in Poèmes pour Mi by Messiaen in Paris, Tolouse and Freiburg, and in Verdi’s Requiem in Baden-Baden.
Major recordings with Yvonne Naef include Il Trovatore, and Symphony No. 2 by Mahler, The Rhine Gold by Wagner, Christmas Oratorio and cantatas by J.S. Bach, Petite Messe Solennelle by Rossini, Penthesilea by Schoeck, Symphony No. 9 by Beethoven, Rhapsody by Brahms, Gurrelieder by Schönberg, and songs by Berlioz and Wagner.