Looking at Eilika Krishar's thin, delicate physique, you probably wouldn't be able to imagine what an incredible voice the German opera singer has.
After winning the 2010 Premium Audition singing contest in Switzerland, Krishar was met with a stream of compliments from music critics. They marvelled at the soprano's "impeccable command of her voice," while assuring everyone else of her future success.
Also somewhat of a Japanophile, Krishar has come to the country to perform in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, this weekend, singing Franz Schubert's great song cycle "Winterreise." The show will be the first of a series of performances in Japan, she will later travel to Kumamoto, Shizuoka and Miyagi prefectures.
Influenced by her grandfather, Krishar developed an early interest in music. At the age of 16, she began to learn singing professionally, and later she attended the University of Music Detmold in Germany.
Krishar briefly left music to focus on philosophy, but her enthusiasm for music was rejuvenated after meeting Japanese professor Haruhito Kobayashi, whose vocal technique has helped many opera singers with their confidence.
She became more well-known in Japan as she held concerts nationwide, starting with a show in Hiroshima in 2007. In 2009, Krishar was honored with her own music festival, which kicked off in Fukushima Prefecture. This connection to the region, which in 2011 suffered most of the catastrophic damage following the Great East Japan Earthquake, spurred the soprano to hold numerous charity events to help the victims of the disaster.
Eilika Krishar plays Igel Hall in Kamakura, Kanagawa Pref., on Jan. 19 (2:30 p.m. start; ¥3,500. For more information, call (080) 4465-5115 or visit www.de.eilika-krishar.com