Stefanie Kopinits was born in Vienna, Austria, where she completed her High School studies, as well as degrees in Solo Singing from the Conservatory of Vienna and the Music Academy (University of Music). She studied singing with KS Gerda Scheyrer, opera with KS Waldemar Kmentt and completed her Lied and Oratorio Diploma with Prof. David P. Lutz. Kopinits also participated in masterclasses with KS Sena Jurinac, Konstantin Zaharia and KS Renate Holm, with whom she continues to study.
Her musical career began as a member of the Vienna State Opera Chorus and after one year she was admitted to the Vienna Opera Studio. There she began her solo career at the side of famous colleagues such as Peter Dvorský, Karl Ridderbusch and Francisco Araiza.
Kopinits’ first solo engagement was at the Staatstheater Oldenburg where she very successfully debuted as Antonia in “Tales of Hoffmann”, Marie in “Bartered Bride” and as Agrippina in Handel’s opera of the same name. She was further engaged as a soloist and guest artist at theaters including Krefeld-Mönchengladbach, in Mannheim, Freiburg, Kaiserslautern, St. Gallen, Bern, Linz, in the large Festspielhaus in Salzburg, at the State Theater of Klagenfurt, the Opera Festival in St. Margarethen and with the Operetta Festival in Bad Ischl, where she sang the role of Rosalinda in Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus”, which was admired by Marcel Prawy (Viennese Opera Master). While a member of the Graz Opera House ensemble, Kopinits sang the roles of Agatha in “Der Freischütz”, Pamina and First Lady in “The Magic Flute”, Micaëla in “Carmen”, Emmerich Kálmán’s “Gräfin Mariza” and “Csárdásfürstin”, Lehár’s “The Merry Widow”, Lisa in “Land of Smiles” and in Wagner’s “Ring” Freia, Ortlinde and Gutrune. In the Tiroler Festival in Erl she also prepared Sieglinde with Maestro Gustav Kuhn.
She showed an early affinity for international concert engagements and guest appearances, in Opera as well as in Sacred Music. Song recitals and New Year’s Concerts include appearances with the Cairo Opera, Viennese Opera Ball in NYC, Opera Galas in China, R. Strauss’ “Vier letzte Lieder” in Romania and a Weber Gala. Recordings for Radio and TV, as well as CD recordings are proof of her artistic versatility.
Kopinits received prizes from the international Belvedere Competition in Vienna and at the Belgian Radio “Opera en Belcanto” at the Gent Opera, where she was recognized for her outstanding interpretation of Mimi in Puccini’s “La Bohème”.
From 2006 to 2018 Kopinits taught and worked as the organizational director of the Master’s studies for Opera at the MUK (Music and Arts Private University of Vienna, previously the Conservatory of Vienna), where the students profited from her career experience and theatrical knowledge.
During the last few years, Kopinits successfully transitioned to character roles. She has been highly praised in the press for her performance as Signora Guidotti in the Austrian premiere of Nino Rota’s verismo opera “I due timidi”, as Berta in “The Barber of Seville”, as Giovanna in “Rigoletto”, as Mirabella in “The Gypsy Baron” and as Fürstin Bozena Guddenstein in “Gräfin Mariza”, where she is able to share her comedic talents in a variety of roles.