BIOGRAPHY

The Salzburger mezzo-soprano, Mona Akinola, completed her vocal performance studies at the University Mozarteum in Salzburg. She began her training under Professor Gudrun Volkert before continuing her studies with Professors Michèle Crider and Pauliina Tukiainen. During her time at the university, she was awarded a merit scholarship from the Mozarteum, as well as grants from the Hübel Foundation and the Gianna Szel Foundation.

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While still a student, Mona Akinola made her solo debut at the Eggenfelden Theater in the 2012 production of Bodas de Sangre. Alongside her vocal studies, she also pursued a degree in Elementary Music and Dance Pedagogy with a focus on voice, which she completed with distinction. In this field, she studied under Professor Christine Augustin, with whom she collaborated on multiple productions during her studies.

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As a member of the Salzburg Bach Choir, she had the opportunity to work with renowned conductors such as Marc Minkowski, Ivor Bolton, Gustavo Dudamel, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and Diego Fasolis. She gained valuable experience performing at the Salzburg Festival and Mozart Week.

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In the 2016/17 season, she was actively involved as both an ensemble member and soloist with the Salzburg-based ensemble BachWerkVokal.

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Since the 2017/2018 season, Mona Akinola has been part of the ensemble at the Salzburg State Theater, where she has performed not only as a member of the opera chorus but also as a soloist in numerous operas and musicals. Her solo roles include the Page in "Lohengrin", the Nymph in "Oberon", the Noble Orphan in "Der Rosenkavalier", Sister Margarete in "The Sound of Music", Martha in "Iolanta", and Prince Orlofsky in "Die Fledermaus".

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In the 2024/2025 season, she will make her debut as Maddalena in Gioachino Rossini’s opera "Il viaggio a Reims" and as Nancy in Friedrich von Flotow’s "Martha".