Photo by Mikal Schlosser
Freja Friberg Lyme is based in Denmark. She finished her Master of Arts at the University of Copenhagen and her Master in Operadirecting in Verona. In 2019 she finished her Diploma in leadership at the Danish National School of Performing Arts.
Freja was from 2021-2025 the artistic director of “Operaen i Midten”. Read more about “Operaen i Midten” here.
Freja has received the prestigious scholarship “Den Unge Kunstneriske Elite” (the young artistic elite) from the Danish Arts Foundation. The program is a two year career program that will run over the course of 2020 and 2021. Read more about the program here.
Freja is also running a small opera company, “Den Åbne Opera” (the Open Opera) that aims to make productions that mainly, but not only, reach out to a younger audience and ultimately cultivate a new group of audience for opera.
Productions include:
Freja has directed Rødhætte at Operaen i Midten, Cinderella at Opera Hedeland (nominated for “opera of the year” and “scenography of the year” in CPH Culture), Let’s build a Mozart Opera with Aarhus Symphony orchestra, Romeo and Juliette at Operaen i Midten, La Voix Humaine at Den Fynske Opera. Mini Rigoletto and Mini Carmen at Opera Hedeland. Hans & Grete at Odense Sommeropera. De Mørkeblå Lillakvinder i Villakvartererne at Klang festival. Apollo and Daphne at Opera Hedeland. Brus og Bobler at Danish National Opera. De Tre Tanter a tour production.
She has also directed movie versions of Rigoletto, The Magic Flute, Drot og Marsk, Fairy Queen and Nozze di Figaro for Opera Hedeland.
With her company, Den Åbne Opera, Freja has produced and directed the opera The Doll Behind the Curtain as a guest production at The Royal Danish Theatre at Takkelloftet. The opera won the price for “Opera of the Year season 20/21” from Cph Culture.
With Den Åbne Opera Freja has also directed and produced Team Player, La Pizza con Funghi, Nozze di Figaro, the Bear and Pagliacci at Absalon, Copenhagen.
Freja started “Operativet” together with Signe Sneh Durholm in 2019 and directed their version of L’elisir d’amore at Copenhagen Distillery. The performance was nominated “Opera of the Year season 20/21” from Cph Culture. See the website of “Operativet” here.
Freja has also been used as a dramaturgical consultant at the Royal Danish Opera house for their outreach projects and on several bachelor and master programs. She has also directed opera projects on the music school MGK, and taught acting for the actor-children at the Royal Danish Theatre. Freja has also taken part in talks and debates, both as part of a panel and as moderator, at the Copenhagen Opera Festival and is a part of the opera committee at Herning Opera Festival. She has been in the boards of Den Ny Opera and Athelas.