Biography
Who is Malena Ernman?
Early life and education
Born Sara Magdalena Ernman in Uppsala, Sweden, she spent her formative years in Sandviken. She studied music at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Her training also included the Music Conservatory in Orléans in France and the school of the Royal Swedish Opera.
Malena Ernman grew up in the Uppsala Cathedral Assembly area. Her musical foundation was built through these various institutions before she transitioned into a professional performing artist and author.
Operatic career highlights
Her professional stage career included the 1997 premiere of Liten Karin in Vadstena. In 1998, she performed as Rosina in The Barber of Seville and sang in the premiere of Staden at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. She also took on the role of Ziöberg in the premiere of Trädgården at the Drottningholm Palace Theatre in 1999.
Throughout the early 2000s, Malena performed across Europe in productions such as Agrippina in Brussels and Giulio Cesare at the Drottingholm Festival. She appeared at the Glyndebourne Festival as Nancy and sang in Die Fledermaus at the BBC Proms in 2002. Her repertoire expanded to include roles in La Calisto in Vienna and Don Giovanni at La Monnaie.
Eurovision and musical theatre
Malena Ernman represented Sweden in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. She competed with the song La Voix, which she wrote herself. After winning the Melodifestivalen final at the Globe Arena, she finished in 21st place during the Eurovision finals in Moscow.
Beyond classical opera, she has worked in musical theatre and cabaret. In 2018, she played the role of Gabriella in the Swedish musical Så som i himmelen at the Oscarsteatern. Her musical versatility also covers jazz, chansons, and various concert performances with orchestras like the Stockholm Royal Philharmonic.
Family and personal life
She is married to the actor Svante Thunberg. Together they have two daughters, including the activist Greta Thunberg and the singer Beata Andersson. Her husband stayed home to care for their children while her professional career progressed.
Malena Ernman has been involved in environmental activism and supported the Paris Agreement. She and her husband co-authored the book Scenes from the Heart, which was released in August 2018. She was also named the WWF-Sweden Environmental Hero of the Year in 2017.
Birthday and age
Malena Ernman was born on November 4, 1970, which makes Malena 55 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Malena shares the date with 26 other famous people.
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