Maria Schellenberg (formerly Ostroukhova) is a London based mezzo-soprano of Jewish-Armenian background.  She began her international career after winning the Michael Oliver Prize at the London Handel Competition in 2015.  Her recent engagements include Falliero BIANCA E FALLIERO at Oper Frankfurt and Tiroler Festspiele Erl, Isabella L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI at the Opera de Tenerife, Teatro Comunale di Bologna and the Centre Lyrique Clermont-Auvergne, Dalila (cover) SAMSON ET DALILA and Bradamante (cover) ALCINA at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Mme Arvidson UN BALLO IN MASCHERA for Chelsea Opera Group, Anita WEST SIDE STORY  in concert at the Palacio de Congresos de Huesca, Tisbe LA CENERENTOLA with the Grange Festival (UK), Magd in Zemlinsky’s DER ZWERG and 3^rd Nymph RUSALKA at Ópera de Tenerife, Marta IOLANTA with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Ottavia  L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA at the Longborough Festival and Alcina ORLANDO FURIOSO and Aristea in Vivaldi’s L’OLIMPIADE conducted by Federico Maria Sardelli. Upcoming engagements include Margared LE ROI D’YS  with Chelsea Opera Group.

Recent concert and recital appearances include Mozart Ombra Felice! Io ti lascio KV 255 and arias from Betulia Liberata with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fabio Luisi, Verdi Requiem with the Oxford Philharmonic, Berlioz Les Nuits d’Ete at the Festival de Múver (Spain) and Stravinsky Les Noces and Threni with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko and Messiean Harawi at the Re:Formers Festival.   Upcoming concert engagements include Beethoven Symphony No. 9  with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.

Other roles include Arsace ORMISDA with the London Handel Festival, Bradamante ALCINA for the Lammermuir Festival and Ryedale Festival Opera, Rosmilda in Handel’s pasticcio ELPIDIA at St. Georges Hanover Square, Albino in Johann Hasse I PELLEGRINI AL SEPOLCHRO DI NOSTRO SIGNORE at Tchaikovsky Philharmonic Hall, Moscow, Emirena in Pergolesi ADRIANO IN SIRIA at Cadogan Hall, Mozart Requiem at St. Martin in the Fields and Dardano AMADIGI at the London Handel Festival. Ms Schellenberg was an Alvarez Young Artist at Garsington where she covered the role of Ino SEMELE.  Her professional recordings include “A lullaby for Princess Charlotte” by Dr Olga Thomas produced by the Royal Marines’ Bandmaster and Cruise Bereavement Care as a private gift for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Born into a family of musicians, Maria started her professional musical education at the age of six. She studied piano at the Gnessins’ College of Music as a pianist/accompanist with Anna Arzamanova from which she graduated magna cum laude, later undertaking graduade studies at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatoire in piano and harpsichord studies and subsequently graduating from the Royal College of Music, London with a Master of Vocal Performance and a Graduate Diploma in Vocal Performance, both with distinction.