CHRISTINA HERRESTHAL
«The performances in this chance to see world class opera at its best are outstanding. (…)
Student two (Lily) played by Christina af Klinteberg Herresthal, a chilling and challenging performance perfectly pitched.»
-Glam Adelaide, Adrian Barnes
Lilly (Student 2) in Innocence by Kaija Saariaho at Adelaide Festival/ South Australian Opera
"In an important role was the mezzo-soprano Christina Herresthal, whose dark timbre suited the baroque works as much as the colors of the chamber ensemble.
She was, as interpreter of the dramatic elements, polishedly intense and anchored the meta-level – the place of women in history – in our present.
Particularly impressive was, in addition to the concert’s title piece, Antonia Bembo’s frantic Mi basta cosí."
-Turun Sanomat
Songs of Judith with The Finnish Baroque Orchestra at Turku Music Festival
CHRISTINA HERRESTHAL
Christina af Klinteberg Herresthal is a Swedish-Norwegian mezzo-soprano and Léonie Sonning Talent Prize recipient, known for her dark timbre and expressive intensity (Turun Sanomat). Passionate about Baroque treasures, contemporary works, chamber music, and opera, she has been praised by critics for her musical nuance (Seismograf), perfect pitch and chilling stage presence (Glam Adelaide). Herresthal starts 2026 with her debut as Despina in Così fan tutte (Mozart) at the historical Bourla Theatre in Antwerpen.
Recent highlights include her Australian debut as Lilly/Student 2 in Innocence by Kaija Saariaho (Oksanen/Barrière) at Adelaide Festival/State Opera South Australia with Adelaide Symphony conducted by Clément Mao-Takacs, alto soloist debut in Rued Langgaard’s Sfærenes Musik with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi, soloist debut with The Finnish Baroque Orchestra at Turku Music Festival, alto solist in a Mezzo Live TV streamed St. Johns Passion by Bach with Orkester Nord, and alto solist debut in Bach´s Christmas Oratorio with The Danish Sinfonietta. She also premiered a new work by Maya Miro Johnson at Tanglewood Festival 2025, and featured as “Rising Star” at Schackenborg Festival in concert with Bjarke Mogensen.
In June 2025 she released her debut EP ”Sånger från Aftonland” with LAWO Classics, which is nominated for Spellemannsprisen (Norwegian Grammy).
Previous opera performances include Ishara in Gilgamesh (Nørgård) with Ensemble Esbjerg and Ensemble MidtVest, «Drømmerhandsken” in the world premiere of Katinka Fogh Vindelev ́s opera "Hologrammet" with The Danish Sinfonietta, as well as Johanna/Eye in the world premiere of The Amputaters (Rachel Peters/Royce Varcek) with Arctic Sinfonietta at The Arctic Chamber Music Festival. Herresthal also performed as Poppea in excerpts from L´Incoronazione di Poppea (Monteverdi) with Nordic Baroque.
A passionate chamber musician, Herresthal performs regularly with The Baroque Society, her ensemble Hehku, and in duo with lutenists Fredrik Bock and Erik Skanke Høsøien. She also collaborates frequently with Orkester Nord and Martin Wåhlberg, as well as The Danish Sinfonietta and David Ridell. Other cooperations include Arctic Philharmonic, Concerto Copenhagen and Nordic String Quartet, to name a few.
Devoted to performing contemporary music, Herresthal has worked with composers such as Kaija Saariaho, Missy Mazzoli, Per Nørgård and Anna Berg. She has a particularly close cooperation with composer Maya Miro Johnson on an in progress opera entitled Patience concerning the genius and suffering of artists in female-assigned bodies who experience psycho-physiological torment in the health care system because of their biological sex, with the main role being tailor written for Herresthal ́s voice. Herresthal also champions new work with her ensemble Hehku, having comissioned and performed works by composers such as Anna Berg, Aya Yoshida, Frederik Zeuthen and Nick Martin.
Herresthal holds a Master’s degree from the Royal Danish Academy of Music, studying with Susanna Eken, Tuva Semmingsen and Marianne Rørholm. She has also studied with leading figures in early music and historical performance, such as Emma Kirkby, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Alice Foccroulle and Marianne Beate Kielland. Additionally, Herresthal was a member of The Norwegian National Opera´s Children’s Choir from age 7 to 17, performing both as a soloist in Children Operas and as part of the Children’s Choir in Main stage productions.
Herresthal was a 2024 recepient of the prestigious Léonie Sonning Talent Prize, and is grateful to have received grants from Kungliga Musikaliska Akademins stipendier, Lillystiftelsen, Fegersten Foundation , Helge Axsson Foundation, Wilhelmsen Foundation, Signe Butenschøn Foundation, Sveaas Foundation, Poul and Ellen Herz Foundation and Feldthusen Foundation.