Louise McClelland Jacobsen

Danish-New Zealand soprano Louise McClelland Jacobsen is establishing herself as a versatile and expressive artist with a repertoire spanning opera, oratorio, song, and contemporary music. She made her operatic debut at the Royal Danish Opera as the Fifth Maid in Strauss’ Elektra, followed by roles including Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Aase (Drot og Marsk), the High Priestess (Aida), Lauretta (Il Trittico), and the title role in the world premiere of Bent Sørensen’s Asle og Alida, where her performance was praised for its “stratospheric pianissimi” (Bachtrack).
She graduated with distinction from the Opera Academy of the Royal Danish Opera, studying with Helene Gjerris, and previously trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. She has participated in masterclasses with artists such as Anne Sofie von Otter, Bo Skovhus, and Vivica Genaux.
As a soloist, she has appeared with leading ensembles including the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Concerto Copenhagen, the Copenhagen Philharmonic, and Theatre of Voices. In 2025 she made her debut at the Bavarian State Opera in Strauss’ Die Liebe der Danae.
Highlights ahead include her role debut as the Countess (Le nozze di Figaro) at Opera Hedeland, an ensemble engagement at the Semperoper Dresden featuring roles such as Pamina, Gretel, and Gerda in Hans Abrahamsen’s The Snow Queen, a guest performance in Madrid with Fabio Luisi in Franz Schmidt’s Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln, and her debut as Norina (Don Pasquale) at the Royal Danish Opera.
Alongside opera, Louise is an avid chamber musician, performing with her ensemble Trio Doré. Her artistry has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen Talent Prize, the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize, and the 2025 Aalborg Opera Prize.