With a voice that marries warmth and radiance to dramatic power, Filipino-American soprano Amelia Elson bridges lyric sensitivity and emotional intensity. Based in Germany, she is praised for performances that unite luminous tone, clear text, and emotional truth, revealing both strength and vulnerability onstage in music that feels deeply human.

 

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Ms. Elson first studied piano and violin before discovering her voice. She earned her Bachelor of Music at Towson University and her Master of Music at the Manhattan School of Music, where formative work with Thomas Muraco, Kenneth Merrill, Joan Patenaude-Yarnell, and Dona Vaughn shaped her musical discipline and stage craft.

 

Her artistic formation has since been enriched by a wide circle of mentors in Europe and the UK, including Rudolf Piernay, Susan Bullock, John Fisher, and Cheryl Studer, and through projects with Christine Cairns, Marie McLaughlin, and, at Oxenfoord, pianist Malcolm Martineau.

 

Now based in Germany, Ms. Elson’s stage work to date centres on the lyric repertoire; roles such as Pamina, Mimì, Susanna, and Donna Anna; through which she has honed a luminous timbre, supple legato, and clear text. In parallel, she is steadily building toward the spinto and young-dramatic spectrum, preparing and presenting repertoire including Salome, Marietta, Ellen and Rusalka as her voice continues its natural evolution.

 

Away from performance, Ms. Elson brings the same care to preparation that she brings to the stage: close attention to language, character, and collaboration. Living between cultures and continents informs her perspective; the through-line is simple, music as a way to meet people honestly and to tell stories that feel deeply human.

 

“Her voice shone with depth and emotional clarity.”
— Ute Grundmann, Thüringer Allgemeine