Jamie Petutschnig

What was your musical awakening?

As a child, I was able to discover a whole world of music through my parents’ record collection, CDs and the radio in our living room. I loved dressing up at home and making up stories to go with the music. Back then, Le Nozze di Figaro was definitely my favourite opera, even though I didn’t understand a word of it. At kindergarten, we performed The Magic Flute to mark the Mozart Year, and I played Papageno. I really came into my own in that first role, but then I wanted to play a princess as well sometimes.

When were you first enchanted by (musical) theatre?

I can’t recall any one specific moment, but rather a series of influences. For example, my first Magic Flute – I was four or five – at the St. Margarethen quarry, with a fire-breathing snake that has really stuck in my memory. Or a video cassette of Don Giovanni, which I used to love watching over and over again during the holidays at my great-aunt’s in Carinthia.

Which three productions do you particularly value?

Three productions that I found particularly rewarding are:  

Don Pasquale 2025 at mdw in the Schönbrunn Palace Theatre (directed by Etelka Polgar) holds a special place in my heart. It was not only my debut as Norina, but also a truly wonderful and inspiring collaboration. Etelka brought a clear, innovative vision of Don Pasquale, which created a wonderful space in which we were all able to contribute. It was lovely to see how each of us grew a little beyond our limits during the production process and how we were able to have fun our diversity.

Turn of the Screw 2023 at mdw (directed by Benedikt Arnold) was a brilliant production and my first major opera role (Flora) on stage with an orchestra. That’s why it meant so much to me to share this experience with good friends and brilliant colleagues.

Alfa Romeo (und die elektrische Giulietta) at Tangente Festival in St. Pölten and later at the Holland Festival (Kollektiv Wunderbaum, Landestheater Niederösterreich) was not only a piece developed with wonderful people from whom I learnt a great deal, but also the first production in which I was able to collaborate with the composer Annelinde Brujis on a world premiere. When I think back on that time, I can’t help but smile: how on earth did we all end up at the International Theater Amsterdam with a play about cars? What a brilliant experience!  

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Born in 

Carinthia, Austria

Education

BA Voice at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, graduated with honors in 2025 (class of Laura Aikin)

MA Stage Performance (Opera and Musical Drama) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (class of Roland Schwab/Christoph Meier, Laura Aikin

Acting Foundation Course, 2022 at Oxford School of Drama   

Important engagements

Così fan tutte, W.A.Mozart - March, 2026
Despina - mdw, Director: Roland Schwab, Musical Director: Christoph U. Meier 

Don Pasquale, Donizetti - 2025
Norina - mdw, Director: Etelka Polgar, Musical Director: Daniel Linton-France

ORF Lower Austria Charity Concert “Licht ins Dunkel” - 29.07.2025

Kyoto International Music Students Festival - 2025

Hänsel und Gretel, Humperdinck - 2024
Gretel - mdw, Director: Robert Simma, Musical Director: Daniel Linton-France  

Insel von Tulipatan, J. Offenbach - 2024
Alexis - Federal Academy for Young Musical Theatre, Rheinsberg

Turn of the Screw, Britten - 2023
Flora - Director: Benedikt Arnold, Musical Director: Hartmut Keil 

Holland Festival, Amsterdam - 2024
“Alfa” at the International Theater Amsterdam with Wunderbaum

Alfa Romeo und die elektrische Giulietta - Premiere: 11.05. 2024
Landestheater Niederösterreich, Wunderbaum collective  

Other

“Worüber man lacht, wenn es nichts zu lachen gibt“, M. Wurmitzer:
Culture Summer Vienna 2025, Wortwiege Festival 2025; Director: Ira Süssenbach 

Watzmann ermittelt, Episode: “Die graue Lola” - 2026

Donna Ex Machina - 2024
Max Reinhardt Seminar; Director: Lukas Schöppl 

Website

Instagram: jamie.petutschnig