Jenny Drivala

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Jenny Drivala (born 1957 in Kalamata, Greece) is a Greek soprano singer who is also active as a director.

Education and early training
She studied Byzantine literature at the University of Athens, trained in classical ballet, acting at the National Theatre School, piano, and singing at the Athens Conservatory. She completed her musical studies at the University of Bremen in 1980, under John Modinos.

Career highlights
Drivala made her debut in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Greek National Opera and at Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari in 1983. From 1982 to 2007 she sang leading roles in about twenty operas, including La traviata, Rigoletto, Attila, Anna Bolena, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Die Zauberflöte, Die Fledermaus, La bohème, Pagliacci, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Faust (Athens Festival 1994), and others.

Directing and premieres
Since 2008 she has worked as a director. She sang in the world premieres of The Return of Helen by Thanos Mikroutsikos (1993) and Antigone by Mikis Theodorakis (1999) at the Athens Concert Hall.

Awards
Her prizes include the Gold Medal at the Toulouse International Singing Competition (1977), Best Interpreter Award in Spoleto, Italy, first prize at the Vincenzo Bellini International Competition (1983), the UNESCO Maria Callas Prize (2016), and the Traetta Prize (2018).

Recordings and cinema
Her recordings include Songs I Love (1995), The Crucifixion (1996), Christmas 2000 (2000), Antigone, Brentano Lieder (Daphne) by Strauss, Aria (2006), and Mitridate, Re di Ponto (as Aspasia) at La Fenice (1999). She appeared in the films Malina (1991) and Poussières d’amour (1996).