Elbenita Kajtazi
Soprano from Republic of Kosovo - 30 years old
I’m from Mitrovica and I graduated from the University of Pristina, Faculty of Arts. From there I travelled to Germany where my life changed, and since then I have been able to perform in some of Europe’s great opera houses.
In 2014 I became one of the youngest members of the Young Artist programme at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin, and was made a member of the Aalto-Musiktheater in Essen, before joining the ensemble of the Hamburg State Opera in the 2018/19 season. In March 2018, I won the Audience Prize and the 3rd prize at the first Glyndebourne Opera Cup.
In the 2019/20 season, I made my debut as Nannetta (Falstaff) at the Staatsoper Hamburg, streamed live on German television. I was due to sing Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) and Marzelline (Fidelio) but these performances were cancelled due to Covid-19. Luckily in the summer of 2020 I was able to make my debut at the Opéra National de Bordeaux as Violetta (La traviata). My debut as Adina (L’elisir d’amore) at Glyndebourne last summer has been rescheduled for 2023.
My hobby is cooking. As the oldest of seven children, I enjoyed cooking for my siblings and helping my mother. Life as a young child in Kosovo was very hard but my early experiences made me stronger and now I believe that anything is possible.
Elbenita Kajtazi
Soprano, 30 oed, Gweriniaeth Kosovo
Rwy’n dod o Mitrovica a fe raddiais o Brifysgol Pristina, Cyfadran y Celfyddydau. Oddi yno, teithiais i’r Almaen lle newidiodd fy mywyd, ac ers hynny rwyf wedi llwyddo i berfformio yn rhai o dai opera mawr Ewrop.
Yn 2014 deuthum yn un o aelodau ieuengaf y rhaglen Artistiaid Ifanc yn y Deutsche Oper, Berlin, a chefais ddod yn aelod o’r Aalto-Musiktheater yn Essen, cyn ymuno ag ensemble Cwmni Opera Hamburg yn nhymor 2018/19. Ym mis Mawrth 2018, enillais Wobr y Gynulleidfa a’r drydedd wobr yng Nghwpan Opera cyntaf Glyndebourne.
Yn nhymor 2019/20, gwnes fy ymddangosiad cyntaf fel Nannetta (Falstaff) yn y Staatsoper Hamburg, perfformiad a gafodd ei ffrydio’n fyw ar deledu’r Almaen. Roeddwn i fod i ganu Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) a Marzelline (Fidelio) ond cafodd y perfformiadau hyn eu canslo oherwydd Covid-19. Yn ffodus, yn haf 2020 llwyddais i ganu am y tro cyntaf yn yr Opéra National de Bordeaux fel Violetta (La traviata). Mae fy mherfformiad cyntaf fel Adina (L’elisir d’amore) yn Glyndebourne wedi’i symud ymlaen o haf y llynedd i 2023.
Coginio yw fy niléit. A minnau yr hynaf o saith o blant, roeddwn i’n mwynhau coginio i ’mrodyr a’m chwiorydd a helpu fy mam. Roedd bywyd i blentyn ifanc yn Kosovo yn galed iawn ond mae’r profiadau cynnar hynny wedi fy ngwneud i’n gryfach ac erbyn hyn rwy’n credu bod unrhyw beth yn bosib.
