Dutch-Iranian soprano Elisa Maayeshi has been a member of the opera studio at the Komische Oper in Berlin since September 2025. During the 2024 International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch, she sang in the finals with Philzuid under the direction of David Parry. She received the Press Prize, the Friends of the IVC Prize, and an engagement prize from the Handel Society. In 2025, she graduated cum laude from the Dutch National Opera Academy, where she sang roles such as Anna 1 in *DiesiebenTodsünden*, Minerva in *Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria*, Amaranta in *La fedeltà premiata*, and Singer #1 in *Transformations*. Prior to that, she studied with Sasja Hunnego during her bachelor’s program at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. For her graduation project, she performed Poulenc’s *Lavoixhumaine*, for which she received a 9.5 with honors.

She made her debut at the Komische Oper as Mater Gloriosa in Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, conducted by James Gaffigan. This season, she can also be seen as Sandmännchen and Taumännchen in *Hansel and Gretel*, as Kitti in the new children’s opera *Konrad or the Child from the Can*, as Daunenfein in *Nils Holgersson’s Wonderful Adventures*, and as a forced laborer in a new production of *Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk*, directed by Barrie Kosky. She also performed as a soloist in a festive Italian concert by the Staatskapelle Weimar during the Choriner Musiksommer. Next season, she will perform at the Concertgebouw as Juliette in Korngold’s *Die tote Stadt* during the NTR Saturday Matinee. In January 2027, she will give a recital with pianist Philipp Solle in the small hall of the Concertgebouw, featuring music by Poulenc and Boulanger.

From a young age, Elisa has had a great love for music and theater and loves being on stage. Both in singing, dancing and acting she feels at home and in opera she can combine these disciplines. She also greatly loves the oratorio and song repertoire. Her repertoire includes masses by Haydn and Rossini, Mozart's and Dvořák's requiems and Ravel's Shéhérazade which she performed with the CvA Symphony Orchestra. Elisa has sung as a soloist with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, OrkestZUID, Dutch Student Orchestra and Symfonia Jong Twente. For Stichting Grote Zangers she sang a French song program at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam. Together with her colleagues from the opera academy, she performed in the kleine zaal of the Concertgebouw with Brahms' Liebesliederwalzer.

Pianist Pieter Bogaert and Elisa have found each other in their shared love of song. They performed together at Carré in Amsterdam, in Vienna and at the International Song Festival Zeist, among other venues. With a program of French and German songs, they gave many (living room) concerts in the Netherlands, including concerts in cooperation with Grote Zangers and International Vocal Competition. At the Young Artist Platform of International Song Festival Zeist they received the Wonderfeel Prize.

She received a scholarship from the Miluška Duffková Foundation and is currently supported by the Stringendo Music Fund. She has taken masterclasses with Rosemary Joshua (Podium Klassiek), Peter Sellars, Rebekah Rota, Lenneke Ruiten, Margreet Honig, Roberta Alexander, Alexander Oliver, Miranda van Kralingen, and Ira Siff, among others.