On January 28th 2012, soprano Chiara Skerath won the Emmerich Smola Forderpreis 2012 in Landau, Germany, produced by the SWR TV. Info about the Emmerich Smola Förderpreis

Upcoming for Ms. Skerath include her debut as Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale with Oper Klosterneuberg in summer 2012, and her debut as Adina in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore at the Opéra de Metz in fall 2012. In 2013 the young soprano will make her debut at the Salzburg Easter Festival under the baton of Christian Thielemann in Parsifal as the 2nd Flower Maiden. Other future engagements include a return to the Opera Royale de Wallonie Lieges, and company debuts with the Opéra de Besancon and the Opéra d'Avignon.

Born in Louvain, Belgium, the 24-year-old Swiss soprano began violin and voice studies in her hometown. In 2007 she joined the class of Glenn Chambers at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and also studied with Claudia Visca at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna.

While still a student, the young artist appeared as Susanna in le Nozze di Figaro (cond. Kenneth Weiss), and the role of the Princess in Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortileges, and Nella in Gianni Schicchi in a production directed by Paul-Emile Fourny at the Escales Lyriques at the Island of Yeu in France. In 2010 she was heard as Silvia in Haydn's l'isola disabitata with the Vienna Chamber Opera and in winter 2011 as Jungfrau Anna in Nicolai's Lustige Weiber von Windsor at the Stadttheater Bern for which the artist was hailed by the press as ''a revelation at 23 years old''.

In summer 2011 Ms. Skerath performed the role of Susanna and Barbarina with Operklosterneuberg in Vienna, and this past fall made her debut with the Opéra Royale de Wallonie Lieges as Barbarina. Other projects for 2011/12 include her debut as Despina in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte at the Stadttheater Bern March-June 2012. The young soprano also performed a Lizst recital at the Paris Goethe Institute, as well as other concerts this season.

Chiara Skerath studies Lied repertoire with Ruben Lifschitz and Susan Manoff, and is a frequent recitalist. She was also a finalist in the 29th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna and won many prizes.

In 2010 she made her professional debut at the Vienna Chamber Opera as Silvia in Haydn's L'Isola Disabitata and as Jungfrau Anna Reich in Nicolai's Lustige Weiber von Windsor at the Stattheater Bern. For her appearance as Anna Reich, the artist received great acclaim from the press and was celebrated as ''the discovery of the evening at 23 years old''. In summer 2011 Ms. Skerath made her debut as Susanna (alternating performances as Barbarina for her debut with that role as well) with Oper Klosterneuberg. This season the artist also made a company debut with the Opéra Royale de Wallonie Liéges as Barbarina (and Susanna cover), and gave liederabends in Paris, Royaumont, and Duisburg.

Chiara Skerath was also a recipient of the ''Prix Jeune Espoir'' at the Voix de Marmandes Singing Competition in August 2011. She is also a recipient of the Migros Scholarship in Switzerland.