“Here is a soprano who has everything – great looks, a sparkling voice that never loses its quality, glittering allure and intensity.”
The Financial Times
Winner of the coveted Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 1993, Inger Dam-Jensen has established herself as a soprano of the highest calibre, both in concert and on the operatic stage.
An outstanding performer on the concert platform, Inger Dam-Jensen’s core repertoire focuses on the Romantic period, including Mahler Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Symphony No. 2 and Symphony No. 4, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and Symphony No.9, Strauss Brentano Lieder and Brahms’ Requiem. She has performed with orchestras around the world including the New York Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Tivoli Symphony Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and has worked under many notable conductors such as Christoph von Dohnányi, Sir Colin Davies, Xian Zhang, James Conlon, Edo de Waart, Thomas Dausgaard, Herbert Blomstedt, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Ernesto Martinez-Isquierdo, Claus Peter Flor, Bernard Haitink and Vassily Sinaisky.
Inger’s operatic roles include Pamina Die Zauberflöte Opera Bastille; Despina Così Fan Tutte, Blondchen Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail, Lisa La Sonnambula for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; Sifare Mitridate for Geneva Opera; and Michaela Carmen. At home in Denmark with Royal Danish Opera, roles include Juliette Romeo and Juliette, Liu Turandot, Cleopatra Giulio Cesare, Zdenka Arabella, Ophelia Hamlet, Norina Don Pasquale, Sophie Der Rosenkavalier, Adina L’elisir D’amore, Susanna Le Nozze Di Figaro, Musetta La Bohème, Gilda Rigoletto, Donna Anna Don Giovanni, Lucia Lucia di Lammermoor, Violetta La Traviata, Michaela Carmen and title role in Partenope.
Her discography includes Peer Gynt for Teldec; Solomon under Paul McCreesh for DGG, Ein Deutsches Requiem for Chandos and a selection of Carl Nielsen songs for DaCapo; the latter received the Gramophone award for Best Vocal Recording that year. The Royal Danish Opera’s production of Giulio Cesare is available on DVD for Harmonia Mundi and her first solo album of songs by Richard Strauss has just been released.
Inger Dam-Jensen began her formal music education at the Royal Danish Academy of Music before moving to the Danish Opera School in 1990 to study with Professor Kirsten Buhl Møller.
Highlights of the 2011/12 season include Grieg songs and Neilsen Symphony No.3 with the CBSO, Grieg and Sibelius orchestral songs with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and Brahms Requiem with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. At the Royal Danish Opera she will sing Fiordiligi Cosi fan Tutte and Flower Maiden Parsifal.
Inger Dam-Jensen is represented by Intermusica worldwide excl. Scandinavia.
November 2011 / 423 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
“At ramme en frekvens Små ni år efter er Inger Dam-Jensen stadig en art sjældenhed i dansk musikliv. Hun har indlysende star quality med kindben som designet til at blive kærtegnet af det helt rigtige lys, en skikkelse, der smyger sig i bløde stoffer, og en stemme, der er så rig på overtoner og delikate chatteringer, at man på en god aften kan blive ganske ør.”
(“Inger Dam-Jensen is still a kind of rarity in Danish musical life. She has obvious star quality, with cheekbones designed to be lit up, a figure enveloped in soft fabrics, and a voice that is so rich in overtones and delicate colour transitions that on a good evening one can become quite giddy.”)
Michael Bo, www.klassik.org, February 2011
Recital / Symphony Hall / City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Cond. Robert Spano
“The wordless vocal solos were visionarily conveyed by soprano Inger Dam-Jensen. Dam-Jensen warmed herself and us up with a lovely selection of Grieg orchestral songs, including “Last Spring”. Nothing gets better than that.”
Christopher Morley, Birmingham Post, December 2011
Fiordiligi / Cosi Fan Tutte / The Royal Danish Opera / Royal Danish Orchestra
Royal Danish Opera Chorus
Cond Daniele Callegari / Dir Guy Joosten
“Inger Dam Jensen (Fiordiligi) impressed with her lovely soprano and skilled presentation, particularly her rendition of Per pietà, ben mio, perdona, which she sung with heartfelt regret and recognition of an inexplicable undertow of attraction as she is drawn toward the sweet Ferrando, seemingly the opposite of her worldly wise former beau Guglielmo.”
Kathleen Gail Jensen, ConcertoNet.com, November 2011
“Inger Dam-Jensen and Elisabeth Jansson were perfect singing and acting as the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella."
Lars-Erik Larsson, NorraSkane.se, October 2011
“It was a special joy to hear the interaction of the melting beauty of Elisabeth Jansson's fresh Dorabella and Inger Dam-Jensen's Fiordiligi. The young sisters' characters and emotions became crystal clear as Dorabella's softer character contrasted with Fiordiligi's overwrought virtues. This difference was also visible in the former's cheerful dress and the latter's strict dress with tied blouse. Inger Dam-Jensen's half hysterical coloraturas proclaimed her proud temperament.”
Carlhåkan Larsén, Sydsvenskan, October 2011
“Inger Dam-Jensen and Elisabeth Jansson as the two sisters were both beautiful to look at and to listen to.”
Soren Box Beer, Berlingske, October 2011
Brahms Requiem
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall / cond. Claus Peter Flor
“Right through, Dam-Jensen’s diction was first-class, every word rounded and perfectly audible.”
Glyn Môn Hughes, www.classicalsource.com, March 2011
Juliette in Gounod Romeo et Juliette
Royal Danish Opera / cond. Alexander Shelley / dir. Olivier Py
“Inger Dam-Jensens Julia är enastående tonskön med en sopran med både kraft och glitter.”
“Inger Dam-Jensen's Juliette is outstanding…with a soprano with both power and glitter.”
Av Lars-Erik Larsson,
www.skansken.se, March 2011
Soloist in Langaard Music of the Spheres
BBC Proms / Danish National Symphony Orchestra / cond. Thomas Dausgaard
"A mysterious off-stage ensemble sounded in the upper reaches, from where soprano Inger Dam-Jensen delivered a solo of beauty."
Nick Kimberley, Evening Standard, August 2010
"The kaleidoscope of styles was - to mix metaphors in a way he surely would have approved - like windows opening on a succession of different sound-worlds, with echoes of Scriabine, and (when soprano Inger Dam-Jensen sang from the gods) Richard Strauss at his most lyrical."
Michael Church, The Independent, August 2010
Title role in Handel’s Partenope at the BBC Proms
Royal Danish Opera / cond. Lars Ulrik Mortensen
“Inger Dam-Jensen’s Partenope had star appeal, not just for her brilliant, and brilliantly musical, way with the vocal decorations, but also for her total devotion to the musical characterisation rather than her own ego.”
Andrew Clark, Financial Times 5 stars, July 2009
“Inger Dam-Jensen had presence as Queen Partenope, her resonant voice revealing all of the strength and vulnerability that went with her position.”
Sam Smith, What’s On Stage, July 2009
“Under the watchful eye of Palle Knudsen's cynical Ormonte, Inger Dam-Jensen's gorgeous, manipulative Partenope spent her time casually reducing Andreas Scholl's Arsace and Christophe Dumaux's Armindo to jelly.”
Tim Ashley, Guardian, July 2009
Cleopatra in Handel Giulio Cesare
Royal Danish Opera / Dir. Francisco Negrin
Harmonia Mundi HMD 9909008-09
“Best is Inger Dam-Jensen’s feline and quick-witted Cleopatra, who provides personality and determination and even some sparkle.”
BBC Music Magazine, November 2007