After graduating with honours as a singer and voice teacher from Budapest's Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, where she had been a student of Erika Sziklay's, Orsolya Sáfár got the chance to gain more familiarity with the stage, under the direction of conductor Géza Oberfrank, as the winner of a scholarship from the Hungarian State Opera's Opera Studio. She also improved her skills at a number of master classes both in Hungary and abroad, including with artists Júlia Hamari, Éva Marton, Yevgeny Nesterenko, Mietta Sighele and Bernd Weilk. Her current vocal teacher, Bernadette Wiedemenn, is a soloist contracted with the Hungarian State Opera.
Sáfár's numerous professional distinctions include winning first prize in the third Jenő Ádám National and International Song Competition before being accepted into the academy. In 2003, for her activities performing and popularising contemporary Hungarian musical works, she received the Artisjus Prize. In 2006, she won a special prize at the Riccardo Zandoni International Singing Competition, and later reached the finals at the Hilde Zadek International Singing Competition in Vienna in 2009. In the early years of her career, she won various state, municipal and philanthropic scholarships.
She made her debut at the Erkel Theatre in 2005 in the role of Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera, and at the Opera House in 2006 as Zerlina in Don Giovanni. The Hungarian State Opera recognised her talent and activities with the Juventus Prize in 2013, and again in 2015 by awarding her the Gusztáv Oláh Memorial Plaquette. In 2015 she also received a state decoration: the Silver Cross of Merit of Hungary.
Since 2005, she has appeared at nearly every theatre in Hungary where opera is performed, and has been a recurring guest at several prestigious festivals (the Budapest Spring Festival and the Eszterházi Festivities), along with getting the chance to sing roles from opera rarities at the concerts of the Bartók Plus Opera Festival in Miskolc. She has sung in theatres in Vienna, Berlin and Japan, and is also an active concert singer, with a repertoire spanning from the Baroque era to the present and including numerous songs, song cycles and oratorios.
Studies:
Magyar State Opera Opera Studio, Budapest (2004-2006) – Teachers: Géza Oberfrank and singer Ionel Pantea
Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem, Budapest (1999-2004) – Teacher: Prof. Erika Sziklay
Leó Weiner Vocational High School of Music, Budapest (1997-1999) – Teacher: Ágnes Deliné Soós
Master Classes:
Ralf Döring, Axelle Gall, Katalin Halmai, Júlia Hamari, Veriano Luchetti, Éva Marton, Yevgeny Nesterenko, Mietta Sighele, Bernd Weikl
Competitions:
Hilde Zadek International Singing Competition, Vienna – Finalist (2009)
Riccardo Zandonai International Singing Competition, Riva del Garda – Special prize (2006)
International Joseph Haydn Aria Competition, Szombathely – 3rd prize, Special prize (2003)
Ferenc Liszt Music Academy, composers' competition, Budapest – Performer's prize (2003)
Miskolc International Opera Festival Singing Competition, Miskolc – Special prize (2003)
József Simándy National Singing Competition, Szeged – Special prize (2002)
Prague-Vienna-Budapest International Summer Academy, Baden bei Wien – 3rd prize (2001)
Third Jenő Ádám National and International Song Competition, Szolnok – 1st place (1999)
József Simándy National Singing Competition, Szeged – 2nd prize (1998)
Awards and distinctions:
ChamberSinger of the Hungarian State Opera (2018)
Gusztáv Oláh Memorial Plaquette (2015)
Silver Cross of Merit of Hungary (2015)
Hungarian State Opera Juventus Prize (2013)
Újbuda Maecenas Art Scholarship for Career-Starters (2013/2014)
Annie Fischer Scholarship for Music Performers (2005)
Richard Wagner Society of Budapest Scholarship (2004)
Budapest Parsifal Foundation Scholarship (2004)
Ari S. Kupsus Charity Society Scholarship (2004)
Köztársasági Ösztöndíj (2003/2004)
Artisjus Prize for performing works of contemporary Hungarian music (2003)
Zalaegerszeg City Artistic Scholarship (2001/2002)
Artistic career:
Erkel Theatre, Budapest (2005, 2014, 2015)
Various theatres in Japan: Osaka, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Tokio (Bunka Kaikan), Kawaguchi (2015)
Bartók Hall, Szombathely (2015)
Hungarian State Opera, Budapest (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
Festival Theatre – Müpa Budapest (2006, 2009, 2014, 2015)
Konzerthaus Berlin (2014)
Comedy Theatre, Budapest (2014)
Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Müpa Budapest (2014)
Millenáris Theatre, Budapest (2013)
Csokonai National Theatre, Debrecen (2005, 2013)
National Theatre of Győr (2012)
National Theatre of Pécs (2012)
National Theatre of Miskolc (2011)
Theater an der Wien, Vienna (2011)
Principal roles:
Bizet: Carmen – Micaëla
Donizetti: Il campanello – Serafina
Donizetti: Don Pasquale – Norina
Gounod: Faust – Marguerite
Mozart: Così fan tutte – Despina
Mozart: Don Giovanni – Zerlina
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro – Susanna
Mozart: Idomeneo – Ilia
Mozart: The Magic Flute – Pamina
Menotti: The Telephone – Lucy
Pergolesi: La serva padrona – Serpina
Rossini: Il signor Bruschino – Sofia
Rossini: The Barber of Seville – Rosina
Puccini: La bohème – Mimì
Verdi: Un ballo in maschera – Oscar
Verdi: Falstaff – Nannetta
