'Barbara Kozelj impressed with her powerful, impeccably intonated mezzo-soprano and her committed acting. Rarely is the role of Brangäne performed with such emotional depth and credible interaction.' Online Merker
Slovenian mezzosoprano Barbara Kozelj has firmly established herself as a charismatic and hugely versatile artist. Her voice and performances have been described as "thrillingly beautiful," "deep and powerful," "breathtaking," "deeply expressive," and "straight to the heart." Equally at home in opera, concert, and recital repertoire, her performances have brought her to leading international stages and continue to captivate audiences around the world.
Recent opera engagements include Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) and Mélisande (Pelleas et Mélisande) with Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra and Jun Märkl in Taipei, Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde) at Leipzig Oper, Wagner22 and at Teatro de la Maestranza in Sevilla, Judith (Bluebeard’s Castle) with NJO and Antony Hermus and Penelope (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) with the Academy of Ancient Music and Richard Egarr at London’s Barbican Hall.
Barbara is in great demand as a concert soloist. After her debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and her Carnegie Hall debut her carreer has taken flight. Her recent highlights include Berg's Sieben frühe Lieder with Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and Respighi's Il Tramonto with Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife conducted by Antony Hermus, Canteloube's Chants d’Auvergne with Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and Bas Wiegers in Ljubljana and Ligeti's Requiem with Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de Espagna and David Afkham.
This season, she return to Wigmore hall for the performances of Mahler Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Zemlinsky 6 Songs to Poems by Maurice Maeterlinck and Schönberg Pierrot Lunaire with Klangforum Wien and Vimbayi Kaziboni, and to perform her beloved Mahler Das Lied von der Erde with Camerata RCO (members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra) later this year. Future concerts also include Winterreise with Nino Gvetadze in Amsterdam, Frauenliebe und Leben with Richard Egarr in Namur, Haydn Ariadna a Naxos with Shunske Sato and Mathew Passsion with Phion and Residentie Orchestra.
Barbara has collaborated with conductors including Iván Fischer, Jaap van Zweden, Jun Märkl, Henrik Nánási, Stefan Soltesz, Richard Egarr, Neeme Järvi, David Afkham, Paul McCreesh, Kenneth Montgomery, Reinbert de Leeuw, Bas Wiegers, Antony Hermus, Otto Tausk and with orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Academy of Ancient Music, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Athen’s State Orchestra, Orquestra Simfonica de Barcelona, Orquesta y coro nacionales de Espagna, St Luke’s orchestra, Slovenian Philharmonic, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and most of the Dutch orchestras.
Her versatility has also attracted the attention of many composers who have written works speciffically for her. She has sung world premieres of compositions written by Thomas Beijer, Jan van de Putte, Max Knigge and Oscar Bettison. She has a strong affinity with Lieder, regularly performing recitals with Julius Drake, Thomas Beijer, Phyllis Ferwerda and Nino Gvetadze.
The foundation for her musical development was established in Slovenia, where she graduated from the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. She later continued her studies and graduated from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She was a member of The New Opera Academy and the Dutch Opera Studio. Barbara has been coached by Marcos Bajuk, Irena Baar, Phyllis Ferwerda, Meinard Kraak, Ann Murray, Graciela Araya, Anne Sofie von Otter and continues to study with Sasja Hunnego, who has been her mentor and vocal coach throughout her carreer.
UPCOMING CONCERTS
Past & Future Events
All
Only Past Events
Only Future Events
april 2025
11apr19:00Bach: St Matthew PassionPhion Orchestra and Jan Willem de Vriend / Muziekcentrum Enschede
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend - dirigent Andreas Weller - tenor Henk Neven - bariton Ilse Eerens - sopraan Barbara Kozelj - mezzosopraan Manuel Günther - tenor André Morsch - bariton J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend – dirigent
Andreas Weller – tenor
Henk Neven – bariton
Ilse Eerens – sopraan
Barbara Kozelj – mezzosopraan
Manuel Günther – tenor
André Morsch – bariton
J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Time
(Friday) 19:00
Location
Muziekcentrum Enschede
Organizer
Phion Orchestra
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend - dirigent Andreas Weller - tenor Henk Neven - bariton Ilse Eerens - sopraan Barbara Kozelj - mezzosopraan Manuel Günther - tenor André Morsch - bariton J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend – dirigent
Andreas Weller – tenor
Henk Neven – bariton
Ilse Eerens – sopraan
Barbara Kozelj – mezzosopraan
Manuel Günther – tenor
André Morsch – bariton
J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Time
(Saturday) 19:00
Location
Muziekcentrum Enschede
Organizer
Phion Orchestra
13apr13:00Bach: St Matthew PassionPhion Orchestra and Jan Willem de Vriend / Zwolle - Grote Kerk
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend - dirigent Andreas Weller - tenor Henk Neven - bariton Ilse Eerens - sopraan Barbara Kozelj - mezzosopraan Manuel Günther - tenor André Morsch - bariton J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend – dirigent
Andreas Weller – tenor
Henk Neven – bariton
Ilse Eerens – sopraan
Barbara Kozelj – mezzosopraan
Manuel Günther – tenor
André Morsch – bariton
J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Time
(Sunday) 13:00
Location
Zwolle - Academiehuis Grote Kerk
Organizer
Phion Orchestra
16apr19:00Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / Amare The Hague
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Time
(Wednesday) 19:00
Location
AMARE The Hague
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
17apr19:30Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / St Pieterskerk Leiden
Event Details
Uitvoerenden Residentie Orkest Den Haag Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor Richard Egarr, dirigent Solisten Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas
Event Details
Uitvoerenden
Residentie Orkest Den Haag
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Richard Egarr, dirigent
Solisten
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Time
(Thursday) 19:30
Location
St Pieterskerk Leiden
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
18apr11:30Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / St Pieterskerk Leiden
Event Details
Uitvoerenden Residentie Orkest Den Haag Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor Richard Egarr, dirigent Solisten Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas
Event Details
Uitvoerenden
Residentie Orkest Den Haag
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Richard Egarr, dirigent
Solisten
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Time
(Friday) 11:30
Location
St Pieterskerk Leiden
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
19apr19:00Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / Amare The Hague
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Time
(Saturday) 19:00
Location
AMARE The Hague
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
may 2025
Event Details
DUO PLEYEL & Barbara Kozelj, mezzo-soprano W.A. Mozart Ouverture du Mariage de Figaro (arrangement pour piano à 6 mains de C. Czerny) Joseph Haydn Cantate Arianna a Naxos J.S.Bach Sonate en La Majeur
Event Details
DUO PLEYEL & Barbara Kozelj, mezzo-soprano
W.A. Mozart
Ouverture du Mariage de Figaro
(arrangement pour piano à 6 mains de C. Czerny)
Joseph Haydn
Cantate Arianna a Naxos
J.S.Bach
Sonate en La Majeur op. 18 n°5
Franz Liszt
Die Loreley
Gustav Mahler
Adagietto de la 5e Symphonie
R. Schumann
Frauenliebe und Leben
P. Grainger
Zanzibar Boat Song (pour piano à … six mains)
Time
(Tuesday) 20:00
Location
Namur Concert Hall
Organizer
Namur Concert Hall
31mayAll DayHaydn: Arianna a NaxosResidentie Orchestra and Shunske Sato / De Nieuwe Kerk Den Haag
Event Details
Residentie Orchestra The Hague Shunske Sato - Violin & leader
Event Details
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
Shunske Sato – Violin & leader
Time
All Day (Saturday)
Location
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
Organizer
De Nieuwe Kerk Den Haag
june 2025
22jun15:00Mahler Symphony no.2De Vereniging Nijmegen
Event Details
Symfonieorkest Nijmegen Barbara Kozelj - mezzosoprano Nikki Treurniet - sopraan Peter Bogaert - conductor
Event Details
Symfonieorkest Nijmegen
Barbara Kozelj – mezzosoprano
Nikki Treurniet – sopraan
Peter Bogaert – conductor
Time
(Sunday) 15:00
Location
De Vereniging Nijmegen
Organizer
symfonieorkest Nijmegen
28jun15:30Song recital with Thomas BeijerHaarlem, Nieuwe Kerk Concerten
Time
(Saturday) 15:30
Location
Nieuwe Kerk Haarlem
Organizer
Nieuwe Kerk Concerten

UPCOMING CONCERTS
Past & Future Events
All
Only Past Events
Only Future Events
april 2025
11apr19:00Bach: St Matthew PassionPhion Orchestra and Jan Willem de Vriend / Muziekcentrum Enschede
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend - dirigent Andreas Weller - tenor Henk Neven - bariton Ilse Eerens - sopraan Barbara Kozelj - mezzosopraan Manuel Günther - tenor André Morsch - bariton J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend – dirigent
Andreas Weller – tenor
Henk Neven – bariton
Ilse Eerens – sopraan
Barbara Kozelj – mezzosopraan
Manuel Günther – tenor
André Morsch – bariton
J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Time
(Friday) 19:00
Location
Muziekcentrum Enschede
Organizer
Phion Orchestra
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend - dirigent Andreas Weller - tenor Henk Neven - bariton Ilse Eerens - sopraan Barbara Kozelj - mezzosopraan Manuel Günther - tenor André Morsch - bariton J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend – dirigent
Andreas Weller – tenor
Henk Neven – bariton
Ilse Eerens – sopraan
Barbara Kozelj – mezzosopraan
Manuel Günther – tenor
André Morsch – bariton
J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Time
(Saturday) 19:00
Location
Muziekcentrum Enschede
Organizer
Phion Orchestra
13apr13:00Bach: St Matthew PassionPhion Orchestra and Jan Willem de Vriend / Zwolle - Grote Kerk
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend - dirigent Andreas Weller - tenor Henk Neven - bariton Ilse Eerens - sopraan Barbara Kozelj - mezzosopraan Manuel Günther - tenor André Morsch - bariton J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Event Details
Jan Willem De Vriend – dirigent
Andreas Weller – tenor
Henk Neven – bariton
Ilse Eerens – sopraan
Barbara Kozelj – mezzosopraan
Manuel Günther – tenor
André Morsch – bariton
J.S. BachMatthäus-Passion
Time
(Sunday) 13:00
Location
Zwolle - Academiehuis Grote Kerk
Organizer
Phion Orchestra
16apr19:00Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / Amare The Hague
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Time
(Wednesday) 19:00
Location
AMARE The Hague
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
17apr19:30Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / St Pieterskerk Leiden
Event Details
Uitvoerenden Residentie Orkest Den Haag Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor Richard Egarr, dirigent Solisten Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas
Event Details
Uitvoerenden
Residentie Orkest Den Haag
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Richard Egarr, dirigent
Solisten
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Time
(Thursday) 19:30
Location
St Pieterskerk Leiden
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
18apr11:30Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / St Pieterskerk Leiden
Event Details
Uitvoerenden Residentie Orkest Den Haag Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor Richard Egarr, dirigent Solisten Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas
Event Details
Uitvoerenden
Residentie Orkest Den Haag
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Richard Egarr, dirigent
Solisten
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Time
(Friday) 11:30
Location
St Pieterskerk Leiden
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
19apr19:00Bach: St Matthew PassionResidentie Orchestra and Richard Egarr / Amare The Hague
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent Joshua Ellicott evangelist Lisandro Abadie Christus Ilse Eerens sopraan Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan Linard Vrielink tenor Stephan Loges bas Nederlands Kamerkoor Haags Matrozenkoor
Event Details
Richard Egarr dirigent
Joshua Ellicott evangelist
Lisandro Abadie Christus
Ilse Eerens sopraan
Barbara Kozelj mezzosopraan
Linard Vrielink tenor
Stephan Loges bas
Nederlands Kamerkoor
Haags Matrozenkoor
Time
(Saturday) 19:00
Location
AMARE The Hague
Organizer
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
may 2025
Event Details
DUO PLEYEL & Barbara Kozelj, mezzo-soprano W.A. Mozart Ouverture du Mariage de Figaro (arrangement pour piano à 6 mains de C. Czerny) Joseph Haydn Cantate Arianna a Naxos J.S.Bach Sonate en La Majeur
Event Details
DUO PLEYEL & Barbara Kozelj, mezzo-soprano
W.A. Mozart
Ouverture du Mariage de Figaro
(arrangement pour piano à 6 mains de C. Czerny)
Joseph Haydn
Cantate Arianna a Naxos
J.S.Bach
Sonate en La Majeur op. 18 n°5
Franz Liszt
Die Loreley
Gustav Mahler
Adagietto de la 5e Symphonie
R. Schumann
Frauenliebe und Leben
P. Grainger
Zanzibar Boat Song (pour piano à … six mains)
Time
(Tuesday) 20:00
Location
Namur Concert Hall
Organizer
Namur Concert Hall
31mayAll DayHaydn: Arianna a NaxosResidentie Orchestra and Shunske Sato / De Nieuwe Kerk Den Haag
Event Details
Residentie Orchestra The Hague Shunske Sato - Violin & leader
Event Details
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
Shunske Sato – Violin & leader
Time
All Day (Saturday)
Location
Residentie Orchestra The Hague
Organizer
De Nieuwe Kerk Den Haag
