The versatile Dutch mezzo-soprano, actress and theatre maker Roza Herwig is celebrated for her warm voice, radiating stage presence and artistry. This rising star has a remarkable ability to move audiences and is capturing hearts both in the Netherlands and abroad — whether as an opera singer, in song recitals and oratorios, or in music theatre and other genres.

After obtaining her bachelor’s degree Classical Voice with great success at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, Roza graduated in 2023 with distinction from the Artist Masters at the famous Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. She continued her studies in the Artist Diploma. Next to her classical singing lessons, Roza has followed a Minor in Jazz singing, studied the violin and is active as presenter.

Roza likes to take on creative challenges and gives colorful, innovative performances, combining different art disciplines. Her work includes: ‘De verleiding van Vivaldi’ , ‘DESIRE’, children performance ‘Puss in boots’ and the heartbreaking JULIET. With her collective Opera Rebels and Studio Youkali multiple bigger productions are in the make for season 26/27.

In addition to singing as a soloist with, among others, the North Netherlands Symphonic Orchestra, Phion Orchestra, PYNARELLO, the Bauhaus Band and the Nederlands Kamerorkest, with whom she made her debut in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Roza often appears in concerts, recitals and performances. She has performed in the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Tivoli Vredenburg, Barbican Centre, Vortex Jazz Club and at several festivals, such as the Schiermonnikoog festival, Tête a Tête Festival, O Festival and the Grachtenfestival. Furthermore, Roza sang multiple times on Dutch radio ‘NPO Radio4’, 3FM and in the TV program ‘Podium Klassiek’. Besides Roza sang in an ensemble conducted by Antonio Pappano with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican and was heard as a soloist on BBC Radio 3. For the 24/25 season Roza is an academist in the Heidelberger Frühling Liedakademie with Thomas Hampson.

This rising star has not gone unnoticed. Roza won prizes in the Lotte Lenya Competition in New York, Princess Christina Competition, Charters Surveyers Competition in London, Britten Violin Competition and was nominated for the Talent Prize Overijssel.
With great succes, Roza often performs internationally together with virtuoso pianist Julius Backer and as a lied-duo they won a scholarship in the Semifinals of the prestigious International Vocal Competition in Den Bosch.

In 2021 Roza sang and played her first leading role in an opera production of Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire in München (DE) and in 2022 Roza portrayed the role of Cherubino in a production of Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart at the NLC in London, which was received with great enthusiast. Furthermore, Roza performed the leading role in the opera Sometimes I visualize myself (Vervuurt) in London and NL and sang the roles of Hänsel, Lucretia and Tisbe in Opera Scenes in London. In 2024 Roza performed the role of Penelope in Penelope’s Web by Frances-Hoad at the Greenwood Theatre and Anna in the opera BLUEBEARD with Holland Opera. From August 2025 - January 2026 she will portray the role of ‘Famke’ in the opera Over Tijd! with Salix KamerOpera.

Roza enjoys working closely with composers and premiered several new works, such as music by Mees Vervuurt, Jake Landau and Cheryl Frances-Hoad.

Roza is supported by Help Musicians, Opera Awards, Prins Bernard CultuurFonds, VandenEnde Foundation, VSB Fonds, Hendrik Müller Fonds, Schuurman Schimmel van Outeren Stichting,  Fundatie van Renswoude, Olland Buisman Stichting, Heij Konijn Fonds, Stichting Lerak and Guildhall Financial Awards. Furtermore, Roza is a Josephine Baker Trustee.

"My greatest passion is to combine music and theater. I do this in different ways and with various types of music, from classical to cabaret. I love to play with the text and to take on the character of the song or aria. My goal is to communicate both the music and the story to the audience. I want to take them to another world and let them fully understand what the music is about, even though I may sing in French, Swedish or any other language."