With unwavering dedication, mezzosoprano Mathilda Sidén Silfver expands her opera career in Ghent. A vital PK Hedborg Foundation grant supports her training, covering auditions, vocal coaching, and international performance opportunities.
Building a career as an opera singer is difficult and involves a lot of expenses. The competition is extremely hard, particularly since most of the opera scenes are found outside Sweden.
Mathilda Sidén Silfver had been singing all her life and enjoyed theater and classical music from her childhood years, although classical music had no history in her family.
She is now a mezzosoprano and lives in Ghent. For her, the grant from The PK Hedborg foundation is crucial.
– The Opera Academy I am attending in Ghent is expensive. Beyond that, I travel a lot to different auditions and competitions, which is necessary when applying for roles on international opera scenes. In my application I also included the possibility of continuing taking lessons for my vocal coach, who is resident in Paris, says Mathilda Sidén Silfver.
The opera program in Ghent includes a lot more skills than singing. Acting, choreography, dancing are all part of the education for an opera singer.
The academy cooperates with the opera houses in both Ghent and Antwerpen, and the woman in charge of casting for both houses, is often participating in the academy activities.
– I made my debut in Madame Butterfly here in Belgium. It would not have happened if I had been elsewhere.
Mathilda Sidén Silfver has no previous connection with Belgium.
– I am part of the Swedish Radio Choir, and we performed here in Belgium once. Certain Belgian musicians are favorites of mine, and I love being part of the lively Belgian music life, she says.
She was relieved when she got the grant from the foundation.
– Now I can focus on developing my singing and be able to establish more collaborations. It means a lot to me to be able to afford the life as an opera singer I have established here in Ghent.
