Adrian, an indigenous Sami, was raised with the name Angelica Voje in Tromsø, in northern Norway. Voje studied opera singing in Norway and Denmark, at the International Opera Studio in Zurich, the Royal College of Music and the Benjamin Britten International Opera School in the UK.
Voje, a mezzo-soprano, gained two special prizes at the 2009 Queen Sonja International Music Competition, and made a debut at the Bregenze Festival in July 2010. Major roles were as Carmen at Opera Trondheim and the title role in Handel’s Taseo. Concert appearances included Peer Gynt with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Beethoven’s Symphony no.9 with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.
In July 2016 Norwegian law permitted those 16 or over to change legal gender without diagnosis or medical treatment. Voje changed his name to Adrian Angelico, obtained top surgery and a new passport. However he did not take testosterone because it would affect his voice. He remained androphilic. “Some might think it was easier for me to be a woman and a heterosexual, because it is less sensational, but it is not. It is easier for me to be authentic.”
In March 2017 Adrian made his first transition performance in Ariadne auf Naxos with the Nordnorsk opera and symphony orchestra. Opera houses across Europe which had booked a female mezzo-soprano had been informed that a man was coming instead.He has been working since. He specialises in ‘trouser roles’, male roles requiring a soprano or falsetto voice, initially played by castrati, and later by women. A male mezzo-soprano is ideal to be cast thus. Adrian also accepts female roles which he plays in drag.
- “Angelica Voje Mezzo-Soprano”. Royal Opera House, Online.
- “Angelica ble til Adrian: – Sjelen min har alltid vært gutt”. NRK, 18.mars 2017. Online Translation.
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