Iwona Hossa, born in 1973 in Poznań, is a graduate of the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań, where she studied singing with Ewa Wdowicka (diploma with distinction in 1998). She has taken part in many masterclasses, including those given by Helena Łazarska, Leopold Spitzer, Jerzy Marchwiński, Ewa Podleś, Sylwia Geszty and Ryszard Karczykowski. Her honours include the Grand Prix at the International Maria Callas Vocal Competition in Athens (1999) and Third Prize and the Mozart Special Prize at the 6th Ada Sari International Vocal Competition in Nowy Sącz, Poland (1995). She has held study grants from the Ministry of Culture and Art (1995) and the City of Poznań (1998).
In 1996, while still a student, she made her operatic debut as Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata at the Grand Opera in Poznań. She has been
a soloist in the Poznań company since then, appearing as Hanna
in The Haunted Manor and Zuzia in Verbum Nobile by Stanisław Moniuszko, Rosina in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Philippe in Penderecki’s The Devils of Loudun, and Norina in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. She has also taken leading roles with the National Opera in Warsaw (Violetta in La Traviata, Hanna in The Haunted Manor, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Priestess in Verdi’s Aida) and Szczecin Opera (Constance in Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio). She has sang at such major events as the Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland (2000), the Rossini Festival in Pesaro (2000), the Festival in Carcassonne (1999) and the Bydgoszcz Opera Festival (1997, 1998). She received the Andrzej Hiolski Award for the best female role of the 2000/01 season (Hanna in The Haunted Manor at the National Opera). As a concert singer, she performs regularly in oratorios, cantatas and chamber music concerts.