Prima donnas: Erika Miklósa

In 1991, the calm waters of Budapest’s opera scene were suddenly stirred by a young girl, not even twenty, from Kiskunhalas. During an audition, she dazzled with the famous aria of the Queen of the Night, and Endre Ütő immediately signed the girl who hadn’t yet graduated from the Academy of Music. Erika Miklósa made her debut as Papagena, with a background in sports, a radiant physique, a fresh voice, as well as such a natural zest for life and bursting energy that had long been missing from the OPERA. The coloratura soprano lead roles quickly followed, while the young artist honed her skills under Júlia Hamari. She sang the role of the Queen of the Night for the first time in 1995 at the Erkel Theatre, the role that would become her global trademark. She performed Mozart’s heroine on all significant stages around the world more than three hundred times. Social responsibility is of utmost importance to Erika Miklósa, and since 2014, she has been the chair of the jury for Virtuosos.