Nina van Essen

Dutch mezzo-soprano Nina van Essen obtained her Bachelor’s with distinction from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and continued her studies at the Dutch National Opera Academy. From 2019 to 2024, Van Essen was a member of the ensemble of Hanover State Opera, where she developed a wide-ranging repertoire with roles including Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Ruggiero in Alcina and Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi. In 2025, she sang Dorabella in Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Hermia at the Seiji Ozawa Festival in Japan and Cherubino at the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen. She is a regular performer in the NTR ZaterdagMatinee at the Royal Concertgebouw. She has previously worked with directors including Robert Carsen, Lydia Steier, Barbora Horáková and Tatjana Gürbaca, and with conductors such as Sir Mark Elder, Christophe Rousset, Marc Minkowski, Alexander Soddy and Stéphane Denève. In 2025, Van Essen made her debut at Dutch National Opera as Three in We Are the Lucky Ones. In March 2026, Nina van Essen performed the role of Mariza in Requiem for Mariza at Dutch National Opera.

Last update: 02-04-2026