MATEJA POTOČNIK, a Slovenian-born lyric soprano, received her bachelor’s and master’s degree from the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin in the class of Anna Samuil.

 

In 2007, after eight years of piano study, she took her first singing lessons with Dušanka Simonović, while in 2009, her dreams of becoming a professional opera singer took her to the Kärntner Landeskonservatorium Klagenfurt in Austria where she graduated with the highest distinction in the class of Prof. Gabriel Lipuš.

 

Mateja Potočnik has made appearance around the world, her wide repertoire including operas, operettas, masses and art songs. Extensive collaborations have paired her with orchestras and conductors such as KSO Symphony Orchestra Klagenfurt under the baton of Amos Talmon and Wolfgang Czeipek, SFK – Symphony Orchestra and their conductor Ernest Hoetzl, Domorchester Klagenfurt with Thomas Wasserfaller, Celje String Orchestra and Nenad Firšt, Domzale–Kamnik Symphony Orchestra with Slaven Kulenovic, to name but a few.

 

She won the Prima la Musica 2010 competition in Austria while she successfully auditioned for the Young Soloists of 2011, making her debut at the Konzerthaus Klagenfurt with KSO Symphony Orchestra Klagenfurt. 2015 saw her debut at the Berliner Philharmonie Lunchtime Concert with excerpts from Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. In 2017, she sang Mozart’s Krönungsmesse at the Musica Sacra music festival in Klagenfurt and was later invited to give a recital as part of the Young Virtuosi cycle at the Ljubljana Festival, Slovenia, where she debuted at the Križanke Theatre, accompanied by Sascha El Mouissi.

 

Ms. Potočnik made a successful role debut as Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Marschallin in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier, and Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel as well as Ernestine in Offenbach's Salon Pitzelberger.

 

In addition to her studies, she has participated in masterclasses and workshops given by eminent opera singers KS Krassimira Stoyanova, KS Kurt Equiluz, KS Bernarda Fink, KS Thomas Quasthoff, Anne Schwanewilms, Martin Bruns, Helena Lazarska and Ronald Pries, while being mentored by Wolfram Rieger, Matthias Samuil, Byron Knutson and Karola Theill.

 

Ms. Potočnik was granted a scholarship of the Slovenian Ministry of Culture while being the recipient of the ZOIS Scholarship for Exceptionally Gifted Students.