Patricia Petibon

One of the most unique coloratura sopranos of her generation, Patricia Petibon was discovered by William Christie after studying at the Paris Conservatoire with Rachel Yakar. Her career has been marked by rare versatility, ranging from French Baroque to contemporary works, with memorable roles such as Olympia (Vienna State Opera), Blondchen (Zurich Opera House), Giunia (Lucio Silla) in Barcelona and Madrid, Morgana (Alcina) at La Scala, Aspasia (Mitridate) in Vienna and Munich, and Despina at the Salzburg Festival.

Her special collaboration with Nikolaus Harnoncourt, notably in Lucio Silla in Vienna, remains an important milestone in her career. Her interpretation of Berg's Lulu, acclaimed in Geneva, Barcelona, and Salzburg, as well as her portrayals of Manon, Mélisande, and Blanche (Dialogues des Carmélites), testify to the depth of her artistry. She also performed the three female roles in Les Contes d'Hoffmann at La Monnaie. In 2026, she will return to La Voix humaine and Point d'Orgue by Escaich at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

Her recent engagements include a new production of La Voix humaine at the Opéra national du Rhin, Pelléas et Mélisande with the Budapest Festival Orchestra conducted by Iván Fischer, and Così fan tutte at the Théâtre du Châtelet with the Orchestre national de Lyon. In concert, she performs alongside the baroque ensemble Amarillis in concerts entitled “Destins de reines” (Destinies of Queens) and “Flammes de magiciennes” (Flames of Sorceresses), both in her native country and abroad (most recently in the Republic of Korea). Equally active in recital, she continues to create innovative programs for her audience, most recently in Vienna, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, and Madrid alongside pianist Susan Manoff and cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca.

Committed to supporting young artists, Patricia Petibon founded the Académie Les Chants d’Ulysse at the Abbaye de Fontevraud and the Théâtre Le Dôme in Saumur, alongside Héloïse Gaillard. She is regularly invited to give masterclasses internationally, most recently at the Lied Basel festival and the Festival Ravel in France. She also serves as a jury member for several prestigious competitions, including the Paris Conservatory for singing prizes, the Queen Elisabeth Competition, the Geneva International Competition (jury president), the International Competition for African Voices (jury president), and the HEC Paris-Versailles Eloquence Competition.

Patricia Petibon has recorded albums exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon devoted to Gluck, Mozart, Haydn, Italian Baroque, Spanish repertoire, and French melodies. Her latest recordings, L’amour, la mort, la mer and La Traversée, have been released by Sony Music.