Noëmi Nadelmann in an interview

"I remain convinced of this format."

Noëmi Nadelmann is considered one of Switzerland's most versatile opera singers. She became known to a wider audience as a jury member of the Swiss casting show MusicStar (2007) and through her participation with her own classical choir in the TV show "Kampf der Chöre" (Battle of the Choirs).

Classicpoint.ch: You are currently preparing for the role of Aida at the La Perla Festival. Is this your first dramatic role?
Yes, exactly, this is my first dramatic role. Aida is a vocal challenge, and not just for me. It is rightly considered one of the most difficult soprano roles ever written. Now I am working on perfecting the role for the performances. This includes accompaniment sessions, meaning rehearsals with pianists who play the orchestra, and of course, many coaching sessions to get the role perfectly into my voice. In addition, Maestro Enrico Reggioli has already met with us soloists several times for individual rehearsals to convey his musical vision in advance.

What role would you love to sing but have never had the opportunity to?
Salome in Richard Strauss's opera of the same name—what a role! The famous final scene, in which she kisses the head of Jochanaan, is breathtaking.

You have a very diverse range of activities. What do you enjoy most?
I love singing opera. The theater, the costumes, the darkened auditorium – you can really drift away and lose yourself in your role.

Besides masterclasses, you participated in a children's culture week last August and are currently preparing an opera program for children for the Lilibiggs Children's Festivals in Bern and Grüningen. How important are operas for children?
It's comparable to all theatrical events, which children always love. What began with puppet shows and led to first theater visits logically ends, for me, with the first performance of Hansel and Gretel and The Magic Flute at the opera house. From then on, I know from experience that children want to experience many other operas. Music, theater, costumes, and lighting—it's an alluring mix, even for children.

You are active as a jury member in various competitions, such as the "Migros Culture Percentage Study Prize for Singing." What is the state of young Swiss talent?
In the pop music sector, we see that things are going wonderfully right now, which makes me incredibly happy. In the classical music sector, however, it turns out that there aren't that many excellent teachers whose students regularly make it to the international stage. Or our young artists go abroad to get their final polish there. But it's definitely true that Switzerland has some truly wonderful singers.

You were also a jury member on the 2007 casting show MusicStar. What is your opinion of this competition and casting shows in general today?
I remain a firm believer in this format. MusicStar was a genuine and heartfelt experience. I firmly believe that contestants from this show can have a lasting career. It really depends on who they end up in afterward. I'm talking about management, coaching, and so on. For example, Fabienne Louves, who came from my season, is still singing very successfully.

Would you recommend a talented singer take the route of a casting show?
The Swiss format MusicStar – if it were to be repeated – absolutely.

You and your choir, Noëmi Nadelmann & Choir, won third place in the "Battle of the Choirs" competition in 2010. What was that competition like for you?
It was a fantastic show! We worked incredibly hard and enjoyed every moment. To this day, we're like one big family. We rehearse weekly whenever possible and have already performed many concerts together. Most of the members have progressed so far vocally that I also feature them as soloists. Our repertoire still ranges from sacred works to opera, operetta, and musicals.

Wasn't it problematic for your image as an opera singer to participate in "Battle of the Choirs" and as a jury member in a casting show?
I was hired to focus on the candidates' vocal technique, and I consistently followed through on that. As a result, I noticed that a large part of the opera house was on tenterhooks. I regularly received calls from well-known fellow singers asking me to, for example, give the candidates feedback on their vibrato or piano technique. Mr. Perreira even suggested holding the MusicStar finale at the opera house. In "Battle of the Choirs," we were the classical choir and had great support from all the classical choirs and classical music enthusiasts.

Interview by Florian Schär | Classicpoint.ch | June 3, 2013