Opolais started her career as a member of the chorus with Latvian National Opera in 2001, and in 2003 became a soloist. It was there that she met her future husband, the conductor Andris Nelsons.[2]
On 5 April 2014, with just five and a half hours' notice, Opolais substituted as Mimì in Puccini's La bohème in the Metropolitan Opera's matinee performance.[4] The substitution was necessitated by the scheduled Anita Hartig being too ill to perform. Although Opolais had performed the role several times in the past, including at the Vienna State Opera, she was currently in the title role of another opera, Puccini's Madama Butterfly, and had sung it there for the first time the previous evening. She had not fallen asleep until about 5am, but was woken by a 7:30am phone call asking her to sing again at the 1pm matinee, which was being broadcast around the world as part of the Met's Live in HD series. Opolais performed the part again at the Metropolitan Opera's 2014/15 season production.[4]
Opolais' singing in Madama Butterfly at the Met has received positive reviews. The New York Observer noted her "soaring voice and penetrating theatrical presence", and that "she is the most compelling Met Cio-Cio-San since Diana Soviero last sang the role here nearly 20 years ago."[5]
Opolais performed the title role in Puccini's Manon Lescaut at Covent Garden in the 2013/14 season[6] and also at the New York Met in February and March 2016.[7][8]
In February and March 2017, she appeared as Rusalka in the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Dvořák's opera.[9]
Personal life
Opolais married conductor Andris Nelsons, a fellow Latvian, in 2011[10] and they divorced in 2018.[11] Their daughter was born in December 2011.[12]
