Biography

A FREE SPIRIT WITH MULTIPLE TALENTS

After beginning her studies at the CRR in Paris (Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional), Anaïs Merlin joined the lyrical singing course at the Pôle Lyrique d'Excellence, as well as the CNSMD in Lyon (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse.) She graduated in 2023, with a mark of 18/20, unanimous First Class Honours, the congratulations of the jury and a special mention for her creativity. She studied with great singing masters such as Isabelle Germain, Cécile de Boever, Fabrice Boulanger, Mireille Delunsch, Cécile Perrin and Didier Henry, who taught her a solid technique, preserving the brilliance, the powerful timbre and the fleshy roundness of her voice. She trains occasionally with other great artists: Irène Kudela, Vincent Le Texier, Marie-Ange Todorovitch, Sophie Hervé, Catherine Dune, Emre Kan Karayel, Julien Dran, Hélène Lucas, Sylvie Leroy, and Anne-Catherine Vinay.

She has sung under the direction of Sigiswald Kuijken (La Petite Bande), Julien Chauvin (Le Concert de la Loge), Lionel Sow (Chœur de l'Orchestre de Paris), and Mikko Franck (Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France).

A versatile artist, Anaïs Merlin also trained in theatre and dance, which gives her a particular ease on stage. Thus, very early on, she took on colourful roles in various repertoires (Mozart opera, operetta, grand opera, contemporary repertoire, early music, etc.).

Between 2016 and 2017, she sang the roles of Laoula (L'Étoile, Chabrier), Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte, Mozart) and Der Trommler (Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Ullmann) at the CRR in Paris. The following year, she sang Despina at the Théâtre de Cahors and the Théâtre de Crosne, as well as the title role of Flaminio by Pergolesi at the TNP (Théâtre National Populaire, Villeubanne). In 2019, she sings the role of Sandrina in Haydn's Infedelta Delusa at the CNSMD in Paris, as well as Gianetta in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore at the Théâtre de Boussy, then later at the Opéra de Vichy. In January 2021, she appears as Fiordiligi, the only role she had not yet sung in Cosi fan tutte, with the company I Giocosi. She rehearsed the roles of Gabrielle (La Vie Parisienne, Offenbach) with the Labopéra d'Alsace, Blanche de la Force in Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites with the Pôle Lyrique d'Excellence, as well as Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the CNSMD in Lyon; unfortunately these productions were interrupted and postponed due to Covid-19. In 2022, she sang Pamina at the CNSMD in Lyon and at the Besancon Festival. She was again in Fiordiligi, on the Concertgebouw stage in Amsterdam. She also performed in a staged recital with baroque gestures called "Donne abbandonate" accompanied by Marie (pianoforte and staging) and Sigiswald Kuijken (violin).

Recognised for her easy voice and authentic playing, she collaborates with several companies of young singers, notably Op'là les Créations Lyriques, and creates in 2021 the piano-singing duo Les Mutines, which mixes music, poetry and painting.