Elise Agati

My connection with the performing arts began at a very early age: my parents, who were musicians and restaurant owners, introduced me to music and during the musical evenings organised every weekend at the restaurant, I began singing even before I could read. I then trained for over ten years in piano and classical singing at the Conservatoire cantonal du Valais, where I obtained a certificate and then a post-certificate in singing in 2022. As if to follow this path, I also spent a year in the pre-professional singing class at the ZHdK (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste) after completing my high school in 2020. However, the lack of openness to other art forms bothered me, so I chose to pursue a university degree, whilst continuing to develop my artistic projects.

Dance has also played an important role in my life. From the age of 7 to 15, I competed in rhythmic gymnastics at national level, which gave me a solid foundation in ballet. Tired of the excessive rigour, I then turned to more artistic style of danse, liste modern jazz, and later to contemporary dance, notably under the guidance of the Valais-based artist Florence Fagherazzi. During an Erasmus exchange in Andalusia in 2023, I discovered flamenco, which I continue to explore to this day. This art form resonates deeply with me: combining technique and passion, discipline and emotion, it transcends both the dancer and the audience through an almost mystical energy, at the crossroads of several art forms.

Over the years, I have built my performing career at this very crossroads, between music and dance. I have taken part in several productions in Valais, notably with the Ouverture Opéra association; I sang in the chorus for La Belle Hélène in 2018, Die Zauberflöte in 2022 and Dido & Aeneas in 2024. In these productions directed by Olivia Seigne, I was amazed by the power of the collective and enjoyed performing solo dance moments. I also discovered more theatrical projects, such as Don Quichotte ou le possible chevalier impossible, the city of Sion’s summer production in 2019, which opened up a new perspective for me: theatre.

The director of this latest project, Stéphane Albelda, invited me to join his professional theatre company in 2021 – the Compagnie Hussard de Minuit – for my first project as a musician and actress in the play Saint-Exupéry, volé au ciel. Created in 2021, it was performed more than 40 times in French-speaking Switzerland until 2024. Another project by the same company followed in its footsteps: American Princess, premiered in 2025, in which I played several roles and which is currently continuing its tour in French-speaking Switzerland. Through these projects, I have come to realise the challenges associated with being an artist, but also the beauty of working on stage.

I also enjoy projects that allow me to explore other disciplines and that blend the professional and amateur worlds. In 2021 and 2025, I took part in Florence Fagherazzi’s contemporary dance performances, PLURI.ELLES and RUPTURES. These deeply meaningful projects have enriched me through their generosity, their passion and the sense of freedom they have given me.

Alongside my work on stage, I continued my studies and obtained a Bachelor of Arts, followed by a Master of Arts in French and Spanish at the Université de Fribourg in 2026. In 2025, drawing on all these experiences, I decided to pursue this artistic path and enrolled on the pre-professional drama course at the Conservatoire de Fribourg.

Between music, theatre and dance, I aim to explore the links between these different disciplines and to create more opportunities for them to engage in dialogue on stage. I enjoy moving from one world to another, learning new things and continuing to develop an artistic practice that remains in constant motion.