Inga Schäfer began her singing career in 2007 with Dorothee Wohlgemuth. She first studied music (Viola) at Folkwang University of the Arts where she also completed a diploma in vocal pedagogy. Shecontinued her education with vocal studies with Prof. Rachel Robins and various master classes as well as master studies in contemporary music with Prof. Angelika Luz.
In 2014/15 she was a member of the opera studio at Lübeck Theatre. During this time she had several guest appearances at Dortmund, Magdeburg, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Pforzheim as well as Landestheater Detmold.
2016-17 she was a member of the SWR vocal ensemble and has been an avid performer of contemporary music ever since. She was awarded, among others, the Folkwang Prize for Performance and the Prize for Performance of Contemporary Music at Bundeswettbewerb Berlin.
In 2017/18 she became a member of the Theater Freiburg opera Ensembles. Her repertoire incluedes Mélisande, Donna Elvira, Miss Jessel, Dido, Fuchs, Ariodante, Hänsel, Marnie, Fremde Fürstin, Offred (The Handmaids Tale), Lisa (Pique Dame), Jenufa, Kitty Oppenheimer and Iphigénie.
ACADEMIC STUDIES
2007 – 2012
1. Staatsexamen – Lehramt Musik für Gymnasium und Gesamtschule, Hauptfach Viola, Folkwang UdK Essen
2009 – 2012
Diplom Gesangspädagogik – Prof. R. Robins, Folkwang UdK Essen
2009 – 2013
Bachelor of Music Gesang / Musiktheater – Prof. R. Robins Folkwang UdK Essen
2013-2016
M.Mus. Vocal Performance – Prof. R. Robins Folkwang UdK Essen
2014- 2015
M.Mus. Opernelitestudio – Opernelitestudio Lübeck
2017
Masterstudium Neue Musik – Prof. Angelika Luz, HMDK Stuttgart
2021 – now
Bachelorstudium Psychologie – Fernuni Hagen
Grants & Awards
2007 – 2009
Excellence Stipendium – Folkwang UdK Essen
2011
NRW-Stipendium (Gesang)
2014
Live-Music-Now Stipendium – LMN Rhein-Ruhr
2016
Stipendium – Richard-Wagner-Verband Wuppertal
2016
Folkwang Preis – für “Performing Arts / Darstellung”
2017
Förderpreis – Anneliese Rothenberg Competition
2018
Preis für Performance Neue Musik – Bundeswettbewerb Berlin
CAREER (Theater)
2014 – 2016
Opernelitestudio Theater Lübeck – Gastengagements: Theater Dortmund, Rheinoper Düsseldorf, Theater Magdeburg
2016 – 2017
SWR Vokalensemble – Gastengagements: Theater Magdeburg
2017 – now
Ensemblemitglied Theater Freiburg – Gastengagements: Theater Pforzheim, Landestheater Detmold, Lauttencompagney Berlin, Händelfestspiele Halle (digital), Händelfestspiele Karlsruhe
Repertoire
Iphigénie – Iphigénie en Tauride – 2025 / 26 – Theater Freiburg
Kitty Oppenheimer – Doctor Atomic – 2025 – Theater Freiburg
Jenufa – Jenufa – 2025 – Theater Freiburg
Lisa – Pique Dame – 2024 – Theater Freiburg
Offred – The Handmaidʼs Tale – 2024 -Theater Freiburg
Hänsel – Hänsel und Gretel – 2023/24 – Theater Freiburg
Ruggiero – Alcina – 2024 – LC Berlin
Dido – Dido und Aeneas – 2021-24 – LC Berlin
Licida – LʼOlimpiade – 2023 – Theater Freiburg
Jenny / Polly – Dreigroschen-oper – 2023/24 -Theater Freiburg
Fremde Fürstin / Küchenjunge Marnie – Marnie – 2023 -Theater Freiburg
Voice – Escape (UA) Cheng/Wang – 2023 – Theater Freiburg
Ulrich von Hutten – The Folly (UA: Bollon) – 2022 – Theater Freiburg
Suzuki – Madama Butterfly – 2022/23 – Theater Freiburg
Fuchs – Das schlaue Füchslein – 2022 – Theater Freiburg
Lapak / Paskowa – Das schlaue Füchslein – 2021 – Theater Freiburg
Cherubino – Le nozze di Figaro – 2020-22 – Theater Freiburg, Landestheater Detmold
Fetonte – Fetonte (konzertant) – 2021 – LC Berlin
Ariodante – Ariodante (konzertant) – 2021 – Lauttencompagney, (LC) Berlin
Dido – Dido und Aeneas – 2020/21 – Theater Freiburg
Anna 7 Todsünden – 2020 – Theater Freiburg
Donna Elvira Don Giovanni – 2022 – Theater Pforzheim, 2019 – Theater Freiburg
Miss Jessel – Turn of the Screw – 2019 – Theater Freiburg
Mélisande – Pelléas und Mélisande – 2019 – Theater Freiburg
Meg Page – Falstaff – 2019 – Theater Freiburg
Olga – Eugen Onegin – 2018 – Theater Freiburg
Orlofsky – Die Fledermaus – 2018 – Theater Freiburg
Mother / Other Mother – Coraline – 2018 – Theater Freiburg
Harper Pitt / Ethel Rosenberg / Angel – Angels in America – 2018 – Theater Freiburg
Varvara – Katja Kabanova – 2018 – Theater Freiburg
Muse / Nicklausse – Contes d’Hoffmann – 2017/18 – Theater Freiburg
2./3. Nymphe – Rusalka – 2017 – Theater Magdeburg
Frl. Kost – Cabaret – 2017 – Theater Magdeburg
Frl. Grubach – Der Prozess – 2016 – Theater Magdeburg
3. Magd – Elektra – 2015/16 – Theater Magdeburg
La Voix – Voix Humaine – 2015 – Folkwang UdK
Flora – La Traviata – 2015 – Theater Magdeburg
Tisbe – La Cenerentola – 2014 -Theater Dortmund
Theater Lübeck
Dorabella – Così fan tutte – 2012 – Münster
2. Dame – Die Zauberflöte – 2012 / 2024 – Theater Hagen /
Theater Freiburg