“A singer with such charisma challenged her colleagues.” (Dreh-Punkt-Kultur) Mezzo-soprano Marianne Beate Kielland is famous for her strong stage presence and musical integrity. Gramophone Magazine writes about her: “The mezzo-soprano is quite outstanding: strong, firm, sensitive in modulations, imaginative in her treatment of words, with a voice pure in quality, wide in range and unfalteringly true in intonation.” She graduated from the Norwegian Academy of Music, where she studied with Svein Bjørkøy. Her other teachers have included Oren Brown and Barbara Bonney. Considered today one of Europe’s leading singers, she performs regularly on major concert stages in Europe, America and The East with conductors such as Masaaki Suzuki, Andrew Manze, Petr Popelka, Michel Corboz, Leonardo Alarcon, Herbert Blomstedt, Jordi Savall, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Fabio Biondi and René Jacobs.
In 2012 she received a Grammy nomination in the category ‘Best Classical Vocal Solo’ for her recording of Veslemøy Synsk by the composer Olav Anton Thommessen. In 2021 she received a prestigious OPUS Klassik nomination in the category ‘Female Singer of the Year’ for her recording of Schumann Lieder. With more than sixty other albums in addition to a demanding concert schedule, Marianne Beate Kielland is established as an exceptional performer with a wide-ranging repertoire from baroque to contemporary.
Together with pianist Nils Anders Mortensen she has previously released 12 recordings on the LAWO Classics label: Früh (LWC1033), Sæle jolekveld (LWC1040), Grieg (LWC1059), Young Elling (LWC1072), The New Song (LWC1097), Whispering Mozart (LWC1111), Songs: Kielland/Dørumsgaard (LWC1145), Einsamkeit – Songs by Mahler (LWC1157), Eivind Groven Songs (LWC1178), Schumann Lieder (LWC1197) with baritone Johannes Weisser, and Så kort ein sommar menneska har – Songs by Gisle Kverndokk (LWC1220), and Sigurd Lie Songs, Vol. 1 (LWC1256).
In 2015 she released Påsketid (LWC1077) with violinist Elise Båtnes and organist Kåre Nordstoga, in 2017 Terra Nova (LWC1125) with composer and pianist Jan Gunnar Hoff, in 2020 The Lofoten Oratorio by Ketil Bjørnstad (LWC1202) with Lofoten Voices and MinEnsemblet, in 2022 Lamento (LWC1226), a collection of baroque laments, with Oslo Circles, as well as Jean Sibelius: Orchestral Songs (LWC1239) with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra.

Oslo Circles was founded in Oslo in 2015 by the baroque violinist Astrid Kirschner, and consists of some of the most established musicians in Scan­dinavia within the world of baroque music. The members of the group regularly play in orches­tras like Concerto Copenhagen, Barokksolistene, B’Rock, Barokkanerne, Academia Montis Regalis, Les Musiciens du Louvre and Helsinki Baroque Or­chestra. Astrid Kirschner has gathered a “musical circle”, where all the members bring to the group their unique talent and musical experience, adding their personal input of different styles, nationali­ties and backgrounds. Playing in different formats has allowed Oslo Circles to adapt to various con­cepts and programs, with both well known and un­known baroque music. Oslo Circles has a passion for showing how modern baroque music can be – through playfulness, enthusiastic curiosity and freedom in the moment of performing.
The group works in close collaboration with David Hansen (countertenor), Mari-anne Beate Kielland (mezzo-soprano), Berit Norbakken (soprano), Magnus Staveland (tenor) and the Norwegian film actor Anders Baasmo Christiansen. Oslo Circles has performed at international music festivals like Froville (France), Baroque & Beyond (Sweden), Wunderkammer (Trieste, Italy), Spazio & Musica (Vicenza, Italy) and Varaždin Baroque Nights (Croatia), where Oslo Circles in 2019 received the prize for the festival’s best musical interpretation for this program Lamento. Oslo Circles’ first CD One Charming Night with the countertenor Da­vid Hansen, with arias & theatre music by Henry Purcell was released in november 2019. The press called the recording ‘entirely wonderful’, the musicians ‘terrifically inventive’ and the CD ‘one of the most sheerly enjoyable recordings I have heard in years’ (Martin Anderson, klassiskmusikk. com). Other press voices: ’Excellent playing and singing, a recording from the top drawer. Highly recommendable’ (musicweb-international) and ‘truly magical’ (Bayern 4 Klassik).
In 2018 Oslo Circles started its own concert se­ries, named 1685 at the baroque church Akershus slottskirke in the heart of Oslo. Oslo Circles re­ceives the support of Arts Council Norway, Fund for Performing Artists, Music Norway and Oslo City Council.
Musicians: Astrid Kirschner: baroque violin Maria Ines Zanovello: baroque violin Mime Brinkmann: baroque cello, viola da gamba Karl Nyhlin: theorbo, archlute Mariangiola Martello: harpsichord, positive organ