Biography
Josephina Louise Hoogstad
The Dutch soprano Josephina Louise Hoogstad is building an international career in which opera and concert work continually complement one another. Her artistic training led her from the Netherlands to Italy, and from there to stages across Europe and South America. This path has steadily deepened both her repertoire and her voice.
She studied singing at Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg with Harry Ruijl. In her graduation year she was nominated for the Jacques de Leeuw Prize; an eleven-member jury unanimously awarded her first place in the performing category, an early recognition of her artistic potential.
After graduating, Josephina continued her training in Italy, a country that has played a lasting role in her artistic development ever since. Under the direction of conductor Claudio Desderi she made her role debut as La Contessa in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Teatro Alessandro Bonci in Cesena, followed by the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. These debuts marked the beginning of an operatic career that deepened further in Italy: at the international singing competition Concorso Luciano Neroni she won both first prize and the audience prize, and as Italy's representative she performed at the Maria Callas Festival in Greece.
From this Italian base, her operatic career expanded to South America. In Santiago de Chile she debuted in the title role of Puccini's Tosca, where she also performed Christine in The Phantom of the Opera and Micaëla in Bizet's Carmen.
In 2026 she made her debut at the Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania, where, under the direction of conductor Fabrizio Maria Carminati, she was heard with the theatre's orchestra in Menotti's Il telefono.
Alongside her operatic work, Josephina moves with natural ease within international concert productions. She has collaborated with the Metropole Orkest and performed in major venues such as the Ziggo Dome and the Johan Cruijff ArenA. With the orchestra of Lucca she performed at Buckingham Palace, confirming her versatility as a concert singer, alongside and in service of her operatic career.
Her voice has also been heard beyond the classical stage: Josephina made her film debut as a soprano in Jim Taihuttu's feature film De Oost.
Since 2026, Josephina Louise Hoogstad has been represented internationally by Punto Opera Artist Management.