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The German mezzo-soprano, Mechthild Georg, began first to study philology and music at the University of Cologne. However, in 1978 she decided to become a professional singer, and studied at the Musikhochschule of Düsseldorf with Ingeborg Reichelt. In 1982 she received her diploma as a concert singer and continued afterwards her training as opera singer. She was pupil of as important singers as Giulietta Simionato and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and in the years 1982-1983 belonged to the Cologne Opera Studio.
After working primarily as concert soloist, Mechthild Georg committed herself in 1989 to opera, starting an engagement in the Opera House of Essen, but received also at the same time a guest contract at the Opera House of Cologne. On the stage she appeared as Ottavia in Monteverdi’s Incoronazione di Poppea, as Penelope in l Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria by the same composer, as Cherubino in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, as the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos by R. Strauss, as Floßhilde (State Opera of Hamburg, 1992) and also as Henrietta in Graf Mirabeau by S. Matthus. In 1993 she made guest appearance at the Würzburg Mozart Festival Il RH Pastore, in 1996 with the Magdeburg Telemann Festival in Der neumodische Liebhaber Danmon by this composer, at the Royal Opera of Copenhagen as Atalanta in Serse by George Frideric Handel.
Mechthild Georg developed a far extensive activity in the areas of the concert and oratorio singing, which brought her to Austria, to Belgium and to Switzerland. In addition, she took on herself parts in the area of the Baroque music and in particular in works of J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel, and presented in the concert hall an extensive repertoire to the public. As concert soloist she made many guest appearances, including the Spring of Prague, at the Festival of Flanders, at Bachfest Leipzig, with the Settembre Music of Torino and with the Vienna Festival Weeks. She sang together with vocal and instrumental groups, which dedicated themselves to the performance of early music (Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Concerto Köln, Musica Antiqua Köln).
Recordings: RCA (Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi by Puccini), Hänssler-Verlag (Cantatas of J.S. Bach conducted by Helmuth Rilling), EMI (Messiah by G.F. Handel/W.A. Mozart conducted by Hermann Max, Requiem by Robert Schumann), Carus-Verlag (Sacred Music), Opus (Paulus by Felix Mendelssohn), Capriccio (La Conversione di Sant' Agostino by Johann Adolf Hasse), Christophorus-Verlag (Abraham by Carl Amand Mangold), Opus (Der häusliche Krieg by Schubert). |
