Leila Pfister, born in Basel, Switzerland, studied at Musikhochschule Zurich and Hochschule der Künste Bern. She accomplished her studies in Prof. Harmut Höll‘s Meisterklasse für Liedduo and attended various Masterclasses with Pierre Boulez, Christoph Prégardien, Irwin Gage, KS Brigitte Fassbaender a.o.
The Mezzosoprano was award winner both in Switzerland and on several International Vocal Competitions; she was nominated 'young singer of the year' in renowned Opera Magazine 'Opernwelt' critics poll 2011 for her interpretation of 'La Cenerentola'.
In her first engagement at the Aachen Theatre she sang for instance Mrs Quickly, Suzuki, Ljubov in Tchaikowsky's Mazeppa and the title role in Rossini's Cenerentola.
After 2011 she was part of the Staatstheater Nuremberg Ensemble, where she debuted as Magdalene in Wagner's Meistersinger, as Dorabella, as Hédwige in Rossini's Guillaume Tell a.o., followed by a well-acclaimed Carmen Debut; Erda and Waltraute in Nuremberg’s new production of Wagner’s Ring and Ulrica (Ballo in maschera) at the Coburg Landestheater.
She sang under conductors like Paul Agnew, Fabrice Bollon, Marcus R. Bosch, Andrey Boreyko, Howard Griffiths, Enoch zu Guttenberg, Péter Halász and Alexander Liebreich; with Sinfonieorchester Aachen, Berner Sinfonieorchester, Capriccio Basel, Klangverwaltung, Münchner Kammerorchester, Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra and Zürcher Kammerorchester.
She worked with directors like Werner Düggelin, Peter Konwitschny, Stefan Otteni, Joan Anton Rechi, Georg Schmiedleitner, Laura Scozzi, Alexander von Pfeil.
Recitals brought her to Tonhalle Zürich, Liederhalle Stuttgart or the Lucerne Festival; concerts f.e. to Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Herrenchiemsee Festspiele, Berliner Philharmonie. Pfister's dedication to contemporary oeuvres lead to performances at international festivals like 2D2N Odessa, Melos-Étos Bratislava, World New Music Days Lucerne or the Munich Biennial.
Her CD with Judit Polgár, Piano (Songs by Schönberg, Berg, Honegger, Debussy) was released by Oehms Classics; on a Guild Records CD with Admir Doçi (Guitar) she performs Canciones by Joaquin Rodrigo. The DVD with the Nuremberg Production of Wagner's 'Meistersinger' was released by Coviello Classics, and in 2013 she recorded a CD with songs by the Richard Strauss - contemporary Ludwig Thuille for Label Capriccio (Release 2015).