Opera

Malena Ernman

About Quick Facts NameSara Magdalena Ernman Born04 November 1970 Nationality🇸🇪 Swedish National SelectionMelodifestivalen 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongLa Voix (2009) Biography Sara Magdalena Ernman, known as Malena Ernman, was born on November 4, 1970, in Uppsala, Sweden. She is a renowned Swedish opera singer with a mezzo-soprano voice but has a unique range that extends to a coloratura soprano’s high F. She grew up in Sandviken, the daughter of economist Lars Ernman and deacon Eva Ernman, née Arvidsson. Her maternal grandmother is actress Renée Björling. Malena Ernman began singing at the age of six in the choir Coromanterna in Sandviken. She continued her musical education in Stockholm, where she sang alto in the Radio Choir under the direction of Gustaf Sjökvist and Eric Ericson. Ernman studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the music conservatory in Orléans, and the University College of Opera in Stockholm. Ernman’s breakthrough in opera came in 1998 when she performed the role of Kaja in Sven-David Sandström’s “Staden” alongside Loa Falkman. This success led to significant roles such as Cherubino in “Figaros bröllop” and Rosina in “Barberaren i Sevilla” at Staatsoper Berlin, both under Daniel Barenboim. She also performed the title roles in “Carmen” at the Royal Opera and Boesmans’ “Fröken Julie” in Brussels, Vienna, and Aix-en-Provence. Her international breakthrough was in 1999 with the role of Agrippina in performances in Brussels and Paris conducted by René Jacobs. She performed at the Glyndebourne Festival as Nancy in “Albert Herring” in 2002 and Orlovsky in “Läderlappen” in 2003. In 2006, she performed as Dido in “Dido och Aeneas” in Vienna and Annio in “La Clemenza di Tito” at the Salzburg Festspiele. In 2007, her roles included Sesto in “Julius Caesar” in Vienna, Cherubino in “Figaros bröllop” in Aix en Provence, and Nerone in “Poppeas kröning” in Amsterdam. In 2009, she was featured in “Askungen” at the Stockholm Opera and Frankfurt Opera and as Dido in “Dido och Aeneas” in Paris, Vienna, and Amsterdam. Ernman gained mainstream popularity by winning Melodifestivalen 2009 with the song “La Voix,” co-written with Fredrik Kempe. She represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow, finishing 21st in the final. In addition to her operatic roles, Ernman has performed in various concerts worldwide and appeared on Swedish Television. She released several albums, including “Naïve” (2000), “Cabaret Songs” (2001), “My Love” (2003), “La Voix du Nord” (2009), “Santa Lucia – En klassisk jul” (2010), and “Opera di Fiori” (2011). Malena Ernman also played roles in musicals. She was Sally Bowles in the musical “Cabaret”, Gabriella in “Så som i himmelen” and Edith Piaf in “Piaf”. Malena Ernman has received numerous awards and honors, such as the Operapriset by Tidskriften OPERA (1999/2000), membership in the Royal Swedish Academy of Music (2006), the title of Court Singer (2011), and the Litteris et Artibus medal (2011). She was also named an honorary citizen of Sandviken Municipality (2014) and received the Martin Luther King Award (2016) and the Environmental Hero of the Year award by WWF (2017). In 2018, Ernman and her husband Svante Thunberg published the book “Scener ur hjärtat,” an autobiography that includes their daughters as co-authors in later editions. Malena Ernman has been married to Svante Thunberg since 2004, and they have two daughters, Greta Thunberg and Beata Ernman. Entries La Voix Country🇸🇪 Sweden Year2009 LanguageEnglishFrench LyricsFredrik KempeMalena Ernman MusicFredrik Kempe BackingsAnna-Maria HallgarnDea NorbergJessica MarbergerMalin NilssonTine Matulessy Results Semi Points: 105Position: 4Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: 33Position: 21Running order: 4 https://youtu.be/xE9Pl3mqRbo?si=0R1R7BNZ_wpyLTfV

Amaury Vassili

About Quick Facts NameAmaury Vassili Chotard Born08 June 1989 Nationality🇫🇷 French National SelectionInternal selection 2011 In Eurovision2011 Düsseldorf SongSognu (2011) Biography Born on June 8, 1989, in Rouen, France, Amaury Vassili Chotard, widely recognized as a talented French tenor, embarked on a musical journey that has taken him from the quaint streets of Montville to the grand stages of international fame. His early life, imbued with a natural aptitude for singing, saw him gravitating towards music despite an initial inclination towards a career in baking. Vassili’s tryst with music began at the tender age of nine when his mother enrolled him in “Le P’tit Ouest,” a musical comedy school in Rouen. This early exposure to music and stage performance laid the foundation for his future career. By the age of 14, he had already begun to turn heads, winning his first singing contest with a stirring rendition of Jacques Brel’s “Amsterdam.” His performance in the “Coupe de France de la chanson française” at 15, where he skillfully combined singing with live sign language interpretation, marked him as a talent to watch. A pivotal moment in his early career was his television debut on Pascal Sevran’s show “Chanter la vie” on France 2, where at just 15, he performed “Tout donné, tout repris” by Mike Brant. This appearance paved the way for the release of his single “Nos instants de liberté” in duet with Liza Pastor in 2006, and subsequently, his first albums “Vincero” in 2009 and “Canterò” in 2010. These albums, especially “Vincero,” which achieved double platinum status in France, established Vassili as a significant presence in the French music industry. Vassili’s career took a significant turn when France 3 selected him to represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011. With the song “Sognu,” sung in Corsican, he brought a touch of French charm to the contest in Düsseldorf, Germany, finishing in a respectable 15th place. This performance further amplified his fame, making him a recognized face in the European music scene. In the years following Eurovision, Vassili continued to expand his musical repertoire. 2012 saw the release of “Una Parte Di Me,” followed by significant appearances, including on the M6 talent show “Un air de star” in 2013 and at various high-profile events like the Armada 2013 in Rouen. His tribute to Mike Brant in 2014 through the album “Amaury Vassili chante Mike Brant” showcased his versatility and respect for classic musicians. His participation in the Pierre Bachelet tribute album in 2015 further solidified his standing in the music industry. In a stunning victory, Vassili claimed the title in the fourth season of “Mask Singer” on TF1 in 2022, under the costume of the Turtle, becoming the first male winner of the show. This triumph was a testament to his enduring popularity and versatility as an artist. On a personal note, Vassili’s life has been as eventful as his career. He experienced a brief romantic liaison with Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins during the recording of “Endless Love.” In 2013, he faced a setback with an arrest for drug possession, specifically cannabis. Since 2011, he has been in a relationship with Stéphanie, who features in his “Crescendo” music video. The couple welcomed their son Anatoly in July 2021, marking a new chapter in Vassili’s life. Entries Sognu Country🇫🇷 France Year2011 LanguageCorsican LyricsJean-Pierre MarcellesiJulie Miller MusicDaniel MoyneQuentin Bachelet Backings– Results Semi Points: – Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 82Position: 15Running order: 11 https://youtu.be/Sri0LomK0oM?si=TjzPYHZfbC8d5MQZ

Cezar

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts NameFlorin Cezar Ouatu Born18 February 1980 Nationality🇷🇴 Romanian National SelectionSelecția Națională 2022Selecția Națională 2013 In Eurovision2013 Malmö SongIt’s My Life (2013) Biography Cezar Florin Ouatu (b. 18 February 1980, Ploiești, Romania), also known as Cezar The Voice or simply Cezar, is a Romanian opera singer (countertenor), pop-opera performer, and pianist. He was born into a family of musicians. At just 6 years old, he learned to play the piano and pursued an artistic profile. He graduated from the Carmen Sylva Music High School in Ploiești; in 2004, he graduated with the highest grades from the classical singing section of the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, where he had been admitted in 2001. He also studied baroque music. He made his professional debut on the stage of the “La Fenice” Theatre in Venice, performed on the most important stages worldwide and received numerous awards at singing competitions in cities like Barcelona, Dresden, Milan, and countries such as Monaco and San Marino. He performed at prestigious operas such as those in Lausanne, Barcelona and Potsdam. In December 2012, he approached the pop-opera music style, which combines opera with the pop music genre. As he himself recounted in the online edition of the Prahova Newspaper, Cristian Faur urged him to sing the song “It’s My Life”: “Two weeks ago, I received a message on Facebook from Cristian Faur – the composer and lyricist of the song ‘It’s My Life’ – who told me he chose me to perform his song. I listened to the song, liked it, and said: ‘Why not?’ – because I am very passionate about any kind of music.” He won the national final, becoming Romania’s representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 held in Malmö, Sweden. He managed to achieve the 13th place in the Grand Final. In February 2014 Cezar teamed up with the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra for a concert. On 10 April of that year he released a pop-opera album titled “The Voice of Love”. In May 2015, he became the winner of Te cunosc de undeva! (Your Face Sounds Familiar). In September of that year, he performed in the solo concert One Voice Show. Cezar and Taraful Silvian Voicu teamed up for a musical project called “Gică Petrescu…. reloaded”. They performed songs of the famous Romanian composer Gică Petrescu. In 2017 he started singing in Orff’s Carmina Burana. It became an annual event. In 2017 he took part in Te cunosc de undeva! again. This time he was the runner up. In 2018 Cezar was the host of Selecția Națională, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. At the same time he debuted at Mozartissimo, a series of concerts with Mozart’s music. In September of that year, Cezar took part in the X-Factor UK. Cezar started 2019 with Pop Opera concerts teamed up with conductor Andrei Tudor. And he took part in Te cunosc de undeva! for a third time, this time together with Șerban Copoț. Cezar started his own singing festival FICCO (Festival International de Canto Cezar Ouatu). The first edition took place in 2020. In June 2020, during the COVID19 lockdown, Cezar gave an international online concert The Voice Of Hope. In September he participated in the reality show Ferma. In January 2021 Cezar released a new single, “Se amarsi se’”. He teamed up with David Dobrincu for the single “Perfect Symphony”, released on 8 April 2021. He also became a member of the Free Tenors with Marius Denes and Mihnea Niculescu, debuting in October of that year. With the song “For everyone” he reached the semifinal of Selecția Națională 2022, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. In May of the same tear, he and David Dobrincu released a new single, “You raise me up”. Entries It’s My Life Country🇷🇴 Romania Year2013 LanguageEnglish LyricsChristian Faur MusicChristian Faur BackingsAlexandra TomaFlorentin MunteanuSandra MavhimaSimona DeacunescuSivu Mititelu Results Semi Points: 83Position: 5Running order: 17 Results Finals Points: 65Position: 13Running order: 14 https://youtu.be/VgHWFiavqjA