Described as a “world-class mezzo with scrupulous musicality and fine technique” (Opera Now) Monika-Evelin Liiv trained at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, the Lithuanian Music Academy, and is an alumna of the Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artist Programme.
Liiv made her Royal Opera House, Covent Garden debut as Flora La traviata alongside Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann and Dmitri Hvorostovsky; She has since performed numerous roles at the house including Mercédès Carmen, Zweite Dame Die Zauberflöte, 2nd Maid Elektra, Ines Il Trovatore, Popova The Bear and Die Kunstgewerblerin Lulu (DVD/Opus Arte), Flora La traviata (DVD/Opus Arte), and also covered the roles of Mary Die Fliegenede Holländer, Olga Eugene Onegin, Maddalena Rigoletto, Jocaste and Merope in Enescu’s Oedipe.
Winner of the Estonian Cultural Endowment Award, and two times recipient of the Estonian Theatre Award for outstanding performance, her roles highlights include Amneris Aida, Polina Pique Dame, Dritte Dame Die Zauberflöte, the title role and Cornelia Giulio Cesare, and the title role Rinaldo (Estonian National Opera); Suzuki Madama Butterfly, Polina Pique Dame (Israeli Opera); Polina Pique Dame, Voice from Above Parsifal, and Serving Maid/Voice of an Unborn Child Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Cherubino Le nozze di Figaro (Finnish National Opera); subsequent roles include Olga Eugene Onegin, Alisa Lucia di Lammermoor, and Sesto La Clemenza di Tito in France. Concert performances have taken her to France, Canada, Finland, Estonia, Israel, Lithuania, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, and the USA in repertoire spanning Verdi Messa de Requiem, Beethoven 9thSymphony, Mozart Requiem, and Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky with internationally renowned conductors such as Sir Antonio Pappano, Daniel Oren, Sir Mark Elder, Carlo Rizzi, Keri-Lynn Wilson, Stefano Ranzani, Jan Latham-Koenig, Eri Klas, Arvo Volmer, Anders Mustonen, and Mikko Franck.
Recent engagements include a return to the Royal Opera House for the Ring Cycle; Amneris Aida(Estonian National Opera); the title role in Rinaldo(Moscow); Penderecki’s Dies Illa and Beethoven 9thSymphony (Latvian National Orchestra); Sibelius’ Kullervo Symphony (Estonian National Symphony Orchestra); and Dvorak Requiem (Israel).
Future engagements include Azucena Trovatore (France); Amneris Aida (Estonian National Opera); Verdi Requiem (Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and West London Symphony Orchestra); Elgar Sea Pictures (Norfolk Symphony Orchestra).