Erika Miklósa

Erika Miklósa (born June 9th, 1970) is a Hungarian opera singer. A soprano, she studied at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Szeged, Hungary, and has been a soloist at the Hungarian State Opera since 1990.

She spent her youth as an athlete training for the heptathlon. Due to an accident, however, she was forced to switch career paths. Lacking other options, she sang at family gatherings, weddings and formal celebrations. On one such occasion, a singing-master heard her and almost immediately began to teach the 16-year-old Erika. She had not earned a university degree, but at the age of 19 she became the youngest opera singer to be contracted by the Hungarian Opera House. Erika has studied in Milan and in the US and has performed the 'Queen of the Night' (Mozart: The Magic Flute) nearly 300 times. The role has become a part of her image, with her receiving many requests to sing it in cities like Berlin, Paris, Madrid, London, New York and San Francisco.

Besides her talent, it is said that she is a delightful 'attractive phenomenom' - on stage, the air virtually vibrates around her.Fact|date=May 2008 Sold-out performances and huge successes are characteristics of her career. Despite this, however, she prefers the quiet, country life of the Hungarian Bakony mountain region. In fact, she regularly holds exercise classes for the women of the village as movement and exercise are key to a healthy life. According to Erika, "Even though I switched career paths, I am still a sportsman at heart. Every performance is like a race, where I have to win and perform to my very best."

Awards and commendations

*Pro Opera Lyrica Opera Singer of the Year 1993 (Hungary)
*International Mozart Competition - 1st Prize in Voice category (1993)
*European Award for Culture, Zurich (1995)
*Order of Merit Member Cross (Hungary, 1998)
*Honorary Citizen of Kiskunhalas (1999)
*Artist of Bács County (2003)

Discography

* "The Mozart Album" (2006)
* "Die Zauberflöte", K.620 / Act 2 - "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" (2007)

External links

* [http://www.erikamiklosa.com/indexa.html Official Website]