She graduated from the Vocal Department at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music with professor Jadwiga Rappé (2012). She also finished postgraduate vocal studies (2013) and is a PhD student at the university. Freszel is also a Master of Science in Environmental Protection (Warsaw University of Life Sciences).
Her debut album, Real Life Song, was released in 2015 by DUX record label. The singer dedicated it to pieces of Polish composers. It includes compositions by Miłosz Bembinow, Aleksander Kościów, Rafał Janiak, Agata Zubel, Sławomir Zamuszka, Andrzej Borzym junior, Jagoda Szmytka and Katarzyna Szwed. The album received nominations to the Fryderyk award in 2016 in two categories and the Golden Orpheus awarded by Academie du Disque Lyrique for the best contemporary music interpretation.
One of my favourite parts of the work process is the moment when I receive the sheet music. I treat it as a magical time, I love to open the score and devour it with my eyes. I love to relish in getting to know the new music, reading the legend, getting to know all the signs, the composers, and, if I don’t know them, getting to know the story behind the work. It gives me an idea of what I can see in a sound and what it should look like. It’s a key stage in a serious and conscious preparation of a part, even when I’m preparing a small piece.
In her repertoire Freszel focuses on contemporary music, but she also draws on arias by Mozart, Donizetti and Moniuszko, cantatas by Bach and operetta repertoire. She’s not afraid to choose the most difficult repertoire, such as Mysteries of the Macabre by György Ligeti (“In the ending of the piece I could as well do 100 push-ups” – the singer said), or an exceptionally unvarying part of Psyche in Eros and Psyche by Ludomir Różycki, which she managed to interpret in a transparent and non-tiresome way.
Concerts
In 2011 she took part in the concert 'Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt' in the UNESCO house in Paris. In the very same year she debuted as Musetta in Puccini’s La Boheme (Poland), Vénus and Phrygienne in Rameau's Dardanus (Ireland, UK), Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (Poland). Next year she debuted in the Estonian National Opera as Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust and in Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville as Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte. In 2013 the soloist went on tour through Ukraine with a cycle Chantefleurs et chantefables by Witold Lutosławski and performed with philharmonic orchestras of Lviv, Odessa, Chernihiv, Donetsk and Dnepropetrovsk. In 2016 she took part in the preview performance of the opera Needles by Krzysztof Wołek in the National Forum of Music in Wrocław. Next year she debuted in the Grand Theatre in Poznań as Susanna in Langer’s Figaro gets a divorce directed by David Poutney and in the Teatr Wielki – National Opera in Ludomir Różycki’s Eros and Psyche directed by Barbara Wysocka.
Among others she took part in the 'Warsaw Autumn' International Contemporary Music Festival (2010, 2015, 2016, 2017), Festiwal Prawykonań (editor’s translation – Festival of Preview Performances) in Katowice, the Contrechamps Festival in Geneva, Saaremaa Ooperipäevad in Estonia and in the Festival of Seven Currents and Seven Premieres, organized to celebrate the Polish Composers’ Association 70th Anniversary.
She toured in Poland and abroad with many orchestras: The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfonia Iuventus, the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the Silesian Philharmonic, the Kielce Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the Capella Bydgostiensis Chamber Orchestra, the New Music Orchestra, the AUKSO Chamber Orchestra of the City of Tychy, Orkestr de ereprijs (the Netherlands), Österreichisches Ensemble für Neue Musik (Austria) or Camerata Viva Chamber Orchestra. She worked with conductors such as Jerzy Maksymiuk, Gabriel Chmura, Jacek Kasprzyk, Krzesimir Dębski, Jerzy Salwarowski, Marek Moś, Paul Esswood, Wim Boerman, Szymon Bywalec, Tadeusz Strugała, Jacek Rogala, Adam Klocek, Arturo Tamayo or Michał Dworzyński.
Prizes and awards
The artist received numerous prizes and awards in many competitions in Poland and abroad. Among others she was awarded the 2nd prize in the Halina Halska-Fijałkowska International Vocal Competition in Wrocław, the 3rd prize and a special prize in the Szymanowski Competition in Łódź, the 1st prize and three special prizes in the Reszke Vocal Competition in Częstochowa, a special prize in Belvedere Competition in Vienna and the 1st prize and a special Frankfurt Opera prize in ISA'12 – J:opera Voice Competition. She was also a finalist of the Viotti Competition in Vercelli.
Freszel was also awarded with the 2nd and a special prize for the performance of one of the Karłowicz’s songs at the first National Karłowicz Vocal Competition, the 2nd prize at the Franciszka Platówna National Vocal Competition, the 2st and a special prize for the best soprano at the first Halina Słonicka National Vocal Competition, an honorable mention at the VI Belcanto Festival, and another honorable mention and a special prize at the third National Vocal Competition 'Golden Voices of Mazovia'.
