News – Archive
Sara Hershkowitz sings Ligeti‘s Mysteries of the Macabre at the Kölner Philharmonie
The coloratura-soprano Sara Hershkowitz makes her debut with the Gürzenich-Orchestra Cologne on 28 May 2023 celebrating György Ligeti’s 100th birthday in the anniversary concert Ligeti-100 at the Kölner Philharmonie. Under the baton of conductor Matthias Pintscher she will perform the splendid arias Mysteries of the Macabre from Ligeti’s extraordinary opera Le Grand Macabre. Already in 2017, she thrilled audiences and critics alike with her own daring and controversial staging of Mysteries of the Macabre with the Noord Netherlands Orchestra, followed by further performances of this piece with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bergen International Festival in Norway as well as with the BBC Scottish Symphony in the UK.
Porter Percussion Duo: Premiere at the Bodenseefestival in Weingarten
We are delighted to announce the upcoming premiere of the new percussion-dance programme DIS:JUNCTION on 21 May 2023 presented by the Bodenseefestival at the Kultur & Kongresszentrum Weingarten.
The Porter Percussion Duo consisting of Jessica and Vanessa Porter developed a new programme together with the dancers Daura Hernández García and Stephanie Roser which focuses on Disjunction – an Either/Or situation – in our society and in our music culture.
The audio-visual programme combines contemporary music with improvisation and dance and is financially supported by the institution Deutscher Musikrat/Neustart Kultur.
Holger Falk performs Venetian Gondoliere-Canzoni at the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg
On 17 May 2023 the baritone Holger Falk will present the unique baroque-programme Il Gondoliere Veneziano – A musical voyage through Venice at the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg.
The ensemble nuovo aspetto will accompany him and the baroque Canzoni da Battello will be interspersed by the contrasting electro-acoustic Venice sounds of today by Eva Pöpplein from the Soundscape-duo Merzouga. The programme has been released on CD in 2020 (label Prospero).
Reinhard Brembeck enthusiastically resumed for Süddeutschen Zeitung:
This disc is one of the most beautiful homages to Venice.
Juliana Zara on the cover of the May edition of OPERNWELT Magazine
We are delighted that the soprano Juliana Zara is featured on the cover of the May edition of OPERNWELT! The critics raved following her riotous success of her role debut as Lulu (A. Berg) at the Staatstheater Darmstadt in the staging of Eva-Maria Höckmayr and the musical direction of Daniel Cohen. Judith von Steinburg enthusiastically states in the current OPERNWELT-edition:
The brilliant… Juliana Zara, whose soprano sounds glassy clear, high, pure and at the same time completely unstrained, plays a terrifically noncommittal Lulu who is nevertheless devoted, in that uniquely Lulu-like way. So unbelievably youthful, fit and without exaltation, she conquers the role and she does so until the end, without any tiredness that so often characterizes the role. (May 2023)
Sarah Maria Sun sings world premiere by Bernhard Lang at the Wiener Konzerthaus and concerts at Schwetzingen SWR Festival
On 11 April 2023 the soprano Sarah Maria Sun performs the world premiere of Bernhard Lang‘s new piece A Song for Rachela in two concerts (18:00 & 20:30) at the Mozart-Saal/Wiener Konzerthaus. Lorenz C. Aichner conducts the Klangforum Wien. Under the title Vanishing Point the programme also presents works by Peter Ruzicka and Galina Ustwolskaja.
On 30 April 2023 Sarah Maria Sun sings Gustav Mahler‘s Des Knaben Wunderhorn at the Schwetzinger SWR Festspiele. Peter Rundel conducts the SWR Symphonieorchester, further soloist is Dietrich Henschel (baritone).
On 5 May 2023, another concert will follow in Schwetzingen: this time the soprano will perform Franz Schubert‘s Der Tod und das Mädchen op. 7 No. 3 D 531 (arrangement for voice and string quartet) as well as Arnold Schönberg’s string quartet No. 2 F sharp minor, together with the Tetzlaff Quartett.
Vocal ensemble THE PRESENT in concerts at the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg and at ACHT BRÜCKEN Cologne
On 13 April 2023 THE PRESENT will perform the programme A theatre for the ears at the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg. The repertoire combines Luciano Berio‘s A-Ronne with vocal music by Carlo Gesualdo, Orazio Vecchi, Giovanni Gabrieli and Claudio Monteverdi and has already been successfully performed at the Künstlerhaus Salzburg. Singers are: Hanna Herfurtner (soprano), Olivia Stahn (soprano), Martha Jordan (alto), Amélie Saadia (alto), Robert Sellier (tenor), Tim Karweick (tenor), Felix Schwandtke (bass) and Florian Hille (bass).
On 30 April 2023 the ensemble will present the world premiere of Lucia Ronchetti’s Chronicles of Loneliness at the ACHT BRÜCKEN Festival at the Kölner Philharmonie. This choral opera following Giacomo Leopardi‘s Zibaldone di pensieri will be performed by THE PRESENT as well by amateur choirs such as the Knaben des Kölner Domchores, the choir of the Bach-Verein Köln and the Kölner Männer-Gesang-Verein under the direction of Mariano Chiacchiarini.
Vanessa Porter presents new solo-programme at the Osterfestival Tirol
On 29 March 2023 the percussionist Vanessa Porter will be performing at the Osterfestival Tirol. Following the performance of Dieter Schnebel‘s monodrama Yes I Will, Yes!, that Vanessa successfully performed in 2021 with soprano Sarah Maria Sun at the Osterfestival, she now returns in a solo programme. The concert programme at the Salzlager Hall presents Vanessa’s own compositions and further works written by women composers: Folie (Vanessa Porter), Glasfluss (Elanz Seyedi), TA-RYONG IV (Pagh-Paan), Enchanted Invocation (Augusta Read Thomas) and dust (Rebecca Saunders).
Sara Hershkowitz performs Hasse‘s Marc’Antonio e Cleopatra with the NDR Radiophilharmonie
On 24 March 2023 the coloratura soprano Sara Hershkowitz makes her debut with the NDR Radiophilharmonie in Johann Adolf Hasse’s Marc’Antonio e Cleopatra at the Große Sendesaal – NDR Hannover. The conductor David Stern leads this concert performance and Fleur Barron sings the mezzo-soprano part.
Sara Hershkowitz is a accomplished opera singer: she fascinated audience and press alike with her interpretation of the four women Olympia/Antonia/Giulietta/Stella in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opernhaus Wuppertal), she sang Zerbinetta in Strauss‘ Ariadne auf Naxos (Nordnorsk Opera og Symfonieorkester in Norway), Governess in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw (Teatro Comunale di Bologna/Maggio Musicale Fiorentino), Autonoe in Henze’s Die Bassariden (Teatro dell’ Opera di Roma), Snow Owl in Philip Glass‘ The Civil Wars (Holland Festival) as well as Servillia in Gluck’s La Clemenzo di Tito (Theater an der Wien).
Holger Falk sings German premiere of Czernowin‘s Atara at BR Musica Viva in Munich
On 17 March 2023 Chaya Czernowin’s Atara will receive its German premiere performed by the baritone Holger Falk, the soprano Sophia Burgos and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks under the baton of Matthias Pintscher at the Herkulessaal (Residenz Munich).
In the series musica viva of the Bavarian Radio, Holger Falk will again sing Atara, following the successful world premiere at Wien Modern 2021 with Sofia Jernberg and the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien. Atara – a lament for orchestra and two amplified voices is commissioned by Bavarian Radio’s musica viva series and Wien Modern.
In this concert, Holger Falk gives his debut at musica viva and with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
The coloratura soprano Juliana Zara makes Lulu-debut at the Staatstheater Darmstadt
Juliana Zara makes her debut in the outstanding role of Lulu on 12 March 2023 in a new production at the Staatstheater Darmstadt.Alban Berg‘s opera will be directed by Eva Maria Höckmayr, Paul Zoller creates the set and Julia Rösler designs the costumes.
Further performance dates are; 25 March 2023 and 2/8/14/21 April 2023.
Since the season 2021/22, Juliana Zara is a member of the ensemble at the Staatstheater Darmstadt and can also be seen on stage in the role of Zerlina in Don Giovanni. By interpreting Lulu, she now portrays a dream-role on her wish-list, always feeling very comfortable performing the repertoire of the 20th/21st century.
Fredrika Brillembourg sings Strasnoy-world premiere at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin
In the upcoming weeks, the mezzo-soprano Fredrika Brillembourg performs the new opera Robinson by Oscar Strasnoy (lyrics: Sigrid Behrens at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin.
The premiere will take place on 25 February 2023. Further performance dates are: 27 February 2023 & 1/3/5/7/9/11/15/13/17 March 2023.
The chamber opera is commissioned by the Staatsoper Berlin. Based on Daniel Defoes‘ classic novel Robinson Crusoe from 1719, the opera links the story to people in modern society who live in isolation. Their thoughts are condensed into reflections on aspects of life in seclusion – both the withdrawal into inner worlds or escape into parallel ones. The work explores how isolated people deal with time, their struggle against loneliness and emptiness, and their search for greater meaning in life. The director Anna Bergmann stages this production together with the set designer Lugh Wittig and costume designer Lane Schäfer.
Hymns & Laments: Sofia Jernberg to perform at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg for the first time
On 22 & 23 February 2023 Sofia Jernberg makes her debut at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg with the performance of the extraordinary programme hymns and laments together with the Ensemble Resonanz: Hmyns and laments from Africa, America, Asia and Europe in arrangements by Sofia Jernberg, Christian Karlsen, Lars Petter Hagen, Okkyung Lee and Cory Smythe come to life. This music meets arias by Henry Purcell and Zygmunt Krauze‘s ensemble piece Aus aller Welt Stammende. Sofia Jernberg once more shows her vocal artistry with this programme: voicebox singing, an archaic hymn of praise in symbiosis with avantgarde jazz, improvisation and New Music.
The Ensemble Resonanz will be conducted by Christian Karlsen, and the set designer Annette Kurz will put the performance in the limelight. Further musicians are Peter Evans (trumpet), Okkyung Lee (cello) and Cory Smythe (piano).
Sarah Maria Sun sings recital „Tell me the truth about love“ on Valentine’s Day at the Brucknerhaus Linz
On 14 February 2023 the soprano Sarah Maria Sun will be giving a recital referring to Valentine’s Day at the Brucknerhaus Linz. The intriguing and versatile programme Tell me the truth about love presents Lieder and Songs by Franz Schubert (Der Hirt auf dem Felsen), George Gershwin, Benjamin Britten (Cabaret Songs), Leonard Bernstein (What a movie! from the movie Trouble in Tahiti), Georges Aperghis (Le rire physiologique) as well as a new piece by Georg Nussbaumer for soprano and piano. She will be accompanied by her congenial partner at the piano Jan Philip Schulze and the well-versed clarinetist Kilian Herold. The trio is also invited to perform at the Klavier-Festival Ruhr this summer with a different progamme.
Vanessa Porter: Concerts as ECHO Rising Stars Artist from January to May
In the season 2022/23, Vanessa Porter will present her solo programme folie à deux in the context of the ECHO-Rising Stars series in the most renowned European concert halls. The percussionist has been nominated as Rising Stars artist by the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and the Kölner Philharmonie.
Upcoming Rising Stars concert of the season are:
21 January 2023 | The Sage Gateshead
27 January 2023 | Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
9 February 2023 | Megaron Athen
11 February 2023 | L’Auditori Barcelona
16 February 2023 | LSO St Luke’s London
19 February 2023 | Symphony Hall Birmingham
25 February 2023 | Konzerthaus Dortmund
26 February 2023 | Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
1 March 2023 | Philharmonie Luxembourg
8 March 2023 | Philharmonie Paris / Amphithéâtre (Cité de la musique)
19 March 2023 | Museu Calouste Gulbenkian Lisbon
23 April 2023 | BOZAR Palais des Beaux-Arts Brussels
14 May 2023 | Casa da Música Porto
Minimalistic, impulsive, passionate: this is Vanessa Porter’s musical world.
She transforms the stage into a sound scape of emotional experiences. The awarded percussionist presents a variety of different instruments combined with a unique sound installation and is supported by Daniel Mudrack on live electronics. Sie performs music by Georges Aperghis, Salvatore Sciarrino, Alexander Sandi Kuhn, David Lang, Emil Kuyumcuyan, Vinko Globokar and Vanessa Porter.
Sofia Jernberg: Interpretation of Pierrot Lunaire in Basel & Zurich
On 28 January 2023, the vocal artist Sofia Jernberg performs Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire op. 21 with the Collegium Novum Zurich at the Schmiedenhof Basel. On 29 January 2023, the second concert will follow at the Theatersaal Weisser Wind in Zurich. Furthermore, she will sing works for soprano and cello by Jürg Wyttenbach in the same programme. It is the first cooperation between Sofia Jernberg and the renown Swiss Ensemble Collegium Novum, an ensemble specialized on contemporary music. Sofia Jernberg is a regular interpreter of Schönberg‘s well known cycle, only recently she performed Pierrot Lunaire at the Festival d’Automne together with the Klangforum Wien and Ingo Metzmacher.
In the new year: Salome Kammer performs Swiss premiere of Hosokawa’s children piece in Zurich
On 8 January 2023, Salome Kammer will breathe life into Toshio Hosokawa’s Deine kleinen Freunde aus der Ferne (your little friends from afar) at the Tonhalle Zürich together with musicians of the Tonhalle Orchestra. The Swiss premiere will be led by Izabelė Jankauskaitė and directed by Nelly Danker. Salome Kammer already performed the successful world premiere at the Philharmonie Luxembourg in December 2021 together with the Ensemble Lucilin. She is a regular guest as narrator at renown orchestras, recently she presented Georg Friedrich Haas‘s musical tale Das Kleine Ich bin Ich to the young audience of the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden together with the Bamberger Symphony Orchestra.
Winter in Vienna: Eva Resch performs Austrian premiere of Bernhard Lang‘s Cold Trip at the Konzerthaus
On 11th December 2022 the soprano Eva Resch will perform the whole cycle of Cold Trip pt I + pt II by Bernhard Lang in one concert at the Wiener Konzerthaus and will be making her debut at the Konzerthaus. This Austrian premiere will be presented in the context of the Konzerthaus-Series Nouvelles Aventures and will be combined with lyrics of Elfriede Jelinek’s Winterreise, presented by the actress Dorothee Hartinger, member of the Burgtheater Wien. Musical partners on stage will be the pianist Eric Schneider and the guitarist Jürgen Ruck, Hubert Steiner, Silas Bischoff and Martin Dressler. Bernhard Lang transfers the original song by song into English and into sound worlds that hurry through the entire range of contemporary music in a concentrated manner. In a fraction of a second, Eva Resch has to oscillate between classical and pop styles and extended vocal techniques – and can thus show off the flexibility, changeability and expressiveness of her voice.
Christina Daletska: Anniversary concert for Philippe Manoury with the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris
On 9 December 2022, Christina Daletska will perform Philippe Manoury’s Vier Lieder from his music-theatre Kein Licht (Lamento “Das Land bebt, aber nicht vor Angst“, Der Wind, „Der alte König und das Meer“, Lamento „O Mensch!“) to celebrate the composer‘s 70th birthday. For this concert at the Cité de la musique Paris, the mezzo-soprano will again cooperate with the Ensemble Intercontemporain that will be conducted by François-Xavier Roth. Christina Daletska already sang the world premiere of Kein Licht (staging: Nicolas Stemann) at the RuhrTriennale 2017, followed by performances at the Opéra Comique Paris, the Opéra national du Rhin Strasbourg, the Croatian National Theatre Zagreb and the Grand Théâtre Luxembourg. Only recently, in the season 2021/2022, she sang the world premieres of Raphaël Cendo’s Double Cheese Passions and Eric Montalbetti’s Cavernes et Soleils with the Ensemble Intercontemporain at the Philharmonie de Paris.
Sofia Jernberg performs Pierrot Lunaire at the Festival d’Automne à Paris
The successful Wiener Festwochen-production Pierrot Lunaire will be presented on 25/26/27 November 2022 at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris at the Festival d’Automne’s invitation.
This scenic interpretation of Arnold Schönberg’s unique piece has been staged by Marlene Monteiro Freitas. The vocal artist Sofia Jernberg already received great acclaim for her performance of Pierrot together with the musicians of Klangforum Wien and conductor Ingo Metzmacher for the premiere in summer 2021: „Over the course of the 75-minute performance, Sofia Jernberg develops a broad repertoire of vocal sound, ranging from overtone singing to guttural lutes, including childlike wailing and soft, intimately-interpreted melodies. (Wiener Zeitung, June 2021)
Salome Kammer: Georges Aperghis Zeugen at the Rainy Days Luxembourg
On 19 November 2022 Salome Kammer performs Georges Aperghis‘ Zeugen at the Philharmonie Luxembourg at the Rainy Days Festival’s invitation. The actress and singer already premiered the first performance of this unique piece in 2007. With hand puppets by Paul Klee and texts by Robert Walser, the composer Georges Aperghis stages a poetic and intimate work of musical theatre in which Zeugen (witnesses) tell the audience about themselves, their stories and ideas with delicate irony. An evening dedicated to three great artists and soulmates. Musical partners again are Marcus Weiss (direction), Teodoro Anzellotti (accordion), Mathilde Hoursiangou (piano), Alejandro Oliván López (alto saxophone), Ernesto Molinari (bass-clarinet) and Françoise Rivalland (cimbalom).
Sarah Maria Sun & Holger Falk present world premieres in Basel & Erl
On 19 October 2022 the soprano Sarah Maria Sun will premiere the production Queen of Hearts by Jannik Giger, Leo Hofmann and Benjamin von Bebber at the Gare du Nord Basel. Sarah Maria Sun is not only the main performer of this monodrama but is also involved in creating the concept.
Already in 2018, the singer-actress performed the premiere of Kolik by the same artistic team in Basel to great acclaim. In Queen of Hearts the iconic BBC-interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, by Martin Bashir serves as source material to confront the complex relationships of media power and self-empowerment, public and private, politics and emotion from a contemporary feminist perspective. In a multimedia sound space for voice and electronics, the exceptional soprano Sarah Maria Sun is at the centre of the evening, using her voice to create a cosmos that explores the unspoken and the contemporary context of the interview.
Further performance dates are: 20/21/22 October 2022, 20:00, Gare du Nord, Basel.
On 5 November 2022 the new production AMOPERA – A DYSTOPIAN BALLAD – meta-opera following an idea by the Klangforumwill see its premiere at the Tiroler Festspielhaus Erl with Sarah Maria Sun and Bariton Holger Falk. The Klangforum Wien is led by conductor Bas Wiegers and the Needcompany is staged and choreographed by Jan Lauwers. AMOPERA focuses on the opera history of the last 110 years – drawn from the fund of over 90 operas. With AMOPERA, unique narratives are assembled, the abysses of LOVE and its ecstasies told in the mirror of a history of the new in music. In the course of the evening, music by Luciano Berio, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Alexander Zemlinsky, Alban Berg, E. Kloke, Benjamin Britten, Peter Maxwell Davies, Iannis Xenakis, Salvatore Sciarrino, Bernhard Lang, Beat Furrer, Rebecca Saunders, Michael Wertmüller and Sara Glojnarić will be performed.
Vanessa Porter: Kick-off as ECHO Rising Stars Artist in Cologne & Amsterdam
In the season 2022/23, Vanessa Porter will present her solo programme folie à deux in the context of the ECHO-Rising Stars series in the most renowned European concert halls. The percussionist has been nominated as Rising Stars artist by the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and the Kölner Philharmonie. On 16 October 2022, she will perform her first concert at the Kölner Philharmonie, followed by her debut at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam on 26 October 2022.
Minimalistic, impulsive, passionate: this is Vanessa Porter’s musical world. She transforms the stage into a sound scape of emotional experiences. The awarded percussionist presents a variety of different instruments combined with a unique sound installation and is supported by Daniel Mudrack on live electronics. Sie performs music by Georges Aperghis, Salvatore Sciarrino, Alexander Sandi Kuhn, David Lang, Emil Kuyumcuyan, Vinko Globokar and Vanessa Porter.
Further Rising Stars concerts of the season are:
5 November 2022 | NOSPR Katowice
8 November 2022 | Musikverein Wien
11 November 2022 | MüPa Budapest
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We welcome the American soprano Juliana Zara to Doreen Lutz Artists
We are very much looking forward to the new cooperation with the coloratura-soprano Juliana Zara who is well-versed both in the classical and in the modern repertoire. Between 2019-2021, Juliana has been a member of the Opernstudio at the Bayerische Staatsoper and sang roles such as Frasquita (Carmen), Philine (Mignon) and Mercedes (Schön ist die Welt) as well as Luciano Berio’s Sequenza III. Since 2021/22 she is member of the ensemble at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. She made her successful house debut singing the role of Daisy in Paul Abraham’s Ball im Savoy and performed Alice in Wonderland by Anno Schreier. In the season 2022/23, she will make her debut as Lulu (Alban Berg) and Zerlina in Don Giovanni.
When it comes to contemporary music repertoire, she sang Wolfgang Rihm’s Ophelia Sings at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich as well as Olga Neuwirth’s Piazza dei Numeri with the ECHO Ensemble in Berlin. In 2021, she performed the world premiere Transstimmeby Fabià Santcovsky at the Munich Biennale’s invitation as well as Singularity by Miroslav Srnka at the Cuvilliés-Theater/Bayerische Staatsoper with the Klangforum Wien.
Kate Howden performs world premiere at the Royal Opera House London
On 7th October 2022 Kate Howden will bring the premiere of Olivier Leith’s Last Days on the stage of the Linbury Theatre/Royal Opera House London. The mezzo-soprano is based in London and will make her debut at the Royal Opera House in this production. The 12 Ensemble will be conducted by Jack Sheen, the staging is created by Matt Copson and Anna Morrissey. Further soloists are Agathe Rousselle (Blake), Patricia Auchterlonie (Superfan), Henry Jenkinson (Magician) i.a.. This music-theatre production is a tribute to Kurt Cobain and his last days, making a reference to the film by Gus Van Sant (2005).
Further performance dates: 8/10/11 October 2022, Linbury Theatre/Royal Opera House.
With her own composition, Sofia Jernberg is a guest of the Ultima Festival and will give a solo recital at the Warsaw Autumn festival
On 17 September 2022, Sofia Jernberg’s composition Dreams of Our Future will be performed for the first time at the Norske Opera & Ballett Oslo at the Ultima Festival.. Under the title Hope, rainbows and fear: The dream life of today’s children, magicked into song, works by artists including Cory Smithe and Ariadne Greif will feature on the concert programme. For Sofia Jernberg’s Dreams of Our Future, pupils from Oslo were asked to recount or write down their dreams. This formed the basis for the dreamlike music that the children themselves will sing in the choir. Other interpreters of this unique performance include contemporary impro-musicians from the USA and Scandinavia.
On 22 September 2022, Sofia Jernberg will be performing a solo concert at the Warsaw Autumn – Hits the Club. She will interpret her own composition, One Pitch: Birds for Distortion and Mouth Synthesizers and Georges Aperghi’s Récitation, and improvise together with Scanner (Robin Rimbaud) – live electronics.
Christina Daletska and Daniel Gloger in productions at the Festival Musica Strasbourg
Mezzo-soprano Christina Daletska will be singing the première of Georges Aperghis’ complete cycle Migrants I-V on 15 September 2022 at the Festival Musica Strasbourg. Musical partners include conductor Emilio Pomárico, the Ensemble Resonanz, soprano Agata Zubel and contralto Geneviève Strosser. Further performances of Migrants are scheduled during the 22/23 season at the Bozar Brussels, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and the Kölner Philharmonie.
Countertenor Daniel Gloger will also be a guest at Festival Musica with the French première of Up Close and Personal (Personnel et Confidentiel) by Kaj Duncan David/Troels Primdahl at the Théâtre National de Strasbourg on 18 and 19 September 2022. This scenic solo evening has previously featured at the Eclat Festival, the Münchener Biennale and the Aarhus Festival in 2019. In it, Daniel Gloger receives the audience in his dressing room and discusses his life, dreams and ambitions, as reality and illusion gradually blur in a congenial way.
We are delighted to announce the new CD releases, FRIEDRICH CERHA: Keintate I, II with Holger Falk and Cycle.Sound.Colorfeaturing Vanessa Porter.
With his new CD, Holger Falk once again demonstrates his versatility and pure joy of interpretation. Eleonore Büning at SWR gave Friedrich Cerha’s Keintate I, II (Kairos) a rave review: “Falk is a master of nuance, a comedian by grace, (…) his Viennese sounds perfectly authentic, (…) he can truly do everything (…) this new recording with Holger Falk and the attensam quartett is a knockout”. The composer remarked on these Viennese songs penned by Friedrich Cerha to the texts of Ernst Kein: “I didn’t want to mock the models of folk music, I didn’t want to use them as a costume, as a gag, but I adopted them as a central principle and took them on in order to achieve a distance through stylisation, through alienation, often an ironic distance, and sometimes also to shine a light behind the models.”
Percussionist Vanessa Porter has recorded and now released her new album Cycle.Sound.Color (Bhakti Records) with her own works on painted images by her grandfather, David Porter. Cycle.Sound.Colour came about as an audiovisual open source art project, developed by Vanessa Porter during the time of the coronavirus lockdown. Percussion and electronics (Daniel Mudrack) lend each image an individual interpretation. The art project was exhibited on Lifaß columns in Stuttgart in the summer of 2021. The music corresponding with the images can be listened to using the QR code. From the 2022/23 season, Vanessa Porter will be a guest in the Rising Stars ECHO concert halls series throughout Europe with her new programme, folie à deux.
Fredrika Brillembourg as a guest of the Bregenz Festspiele summer festival with a new production of SIBIRIEN
On 21 July 2022, the SIBIEREN production by Umberto Giordano will be celebrating its première at the Bregenzer Festspiele festival in the Festspielhaus Bregenz. Mezzo-soprano Fredrika Brillembourg sings the part of Nikona, and is this year returning to the Festspiele Festival at Lake Constance. She has already appeared on the Seebühne as Contessa di Coigny and Madelon in the more widely-renowned opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordiano.
Further performance dates: 24 July 2022 and 1 August 2022.
Kate Howden: Oliver Knussen’s Where the Wild Things are with the Bamberg Symphony
On 1/2 July 2022, mezzo soprano Kate Howden will be giving her début with the Bamberg Symphony in the fantasy opera Where the Wild Things are by Oliver Knussen at the Konzerthalle Bamberg. The family-friendly concerts will be conducted by the winner of the 2020 Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition, Finnegan Downie Dear, and the Shadwell Opera Ensemble will play and sing. The rousing musical theatre production has already had its successful première in Great Britain, and is now set to receive its première in Germany.
Sarah Maria Sun sings Berio’s Folk Songs in Metz and performs with the MKO in Munich
On 11 June 2022, the sought-after soprano Sarah Maria Sun will be singing Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs with the Orchestre national de Metz conducted by David Reiland at Arsenal Metz. Mozart’s Ch’io mi scordi di te – non temer, amato bene, KV 505 and Antonín Dvorak’s 9th Symphony are also on the programme.
On 23 June 2022, she will be interpreting Fabio Nieder’s Vielleicht weiß es die Nachtigall with the Münchener Kammerorchesterled by Clemens Schuldt at the Prinzregententheater Munich.
NEULAND.LIED Festival, Heidelberg: Tora Augestad set to sing at an exceptional Schubert evening
On 12 June 2022, Norwegian mezzo soprano Tora Augestad will be performing Schubert Lounge by Norwegian singer/songwriter Eivind Buene at the invitation of the Heidelberg Spring Music Festival and its new Lieder festival NEULAND.LIED. Christian Eggen conducts the Oslo Sinfonietta from the grand piano, joined on stage by baritone Halvor Festervoll Melien and Eivind Buene. Schubert Lounge premièred at the Eclat Festival at Theaterhaus Stuttgart in 2019.
Buene’s newest work is based on his own previous approach to the Schubertiades from a singer-songwriter-perspective – the Schubert Lounge series – and his idea that classical music can be altered in the same way as literary material can be changed by directors and dramaturgs in classical drama, by adding or removing, thereby turning the material into something different.
Holger Falk and Rupert Enticknap: Thomas (G. F. Haas) at the JA, MAI-Festival of the Bayerische Staatsoper
The première of Georg Friedrich Haas’ Thomas in combination with Claudio Monteverdi’s Lamento d’Arianna is on the programme for 23 May 2022 at the JA, MAI-Festival of the Bayerische Staatsoper in UTOPIA Munich. Further dates are: 25/27/29 May 2022.
Baritone Holger Falk makes a return to the Bayerische Staatsoper in the main role of Thomas, having last been acclaimed there as King George in Peter Maxwell-Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King: It’s insane. (…) The way in which Falk allows his voice to sail safely through the most extreme registers and, as the performance progresses, lets the king’s slow descent into madness become palpable.(Münchner Merkur, Tobias Hell, 2021)
Counter tenor Rupert Enticknap makes his début at the Staatsoper as Dr Dürer.
Eva Resch returns to the Munich Biennale with the world première of Malin Bång
On 15th May 2022, soprano Eva Resch will be bringing her performance of Malin Bång’s The damned and the saved to the Muffathalle Munich as part of the Münchener Biennale. Further performance dates are set for 17/18/19 May 2022 in Munich along with on 16/21/26 June 2022 and 3 July 2022 at the NTM Nationaltheater Mannheim (theatre), which co-produces the work with the Biennale.
Conductor Rei Munakata leads orchestra members of the Nationaltheater Mannheim, while the director is Sandra Strunz. Other soloists include Johanna Greulich (soprano), Matthias Breitenbach (data collector), Ilya Lapich (dream interpreter), Maria Munkert and Jessica Higgins.
Eva Resch has already been a guest at the Munich Biennale in 2004 with Johannes Maria Staud’s opera Berenice.
Salome Kammer interprets Brice Pauset’s Theorie der Tränen: Louise in Arsenal Metz
Brice Pauset wrote his piece Theorie der Tränen: Louise especially for the voice artist Salome Kammer. On 18 May 2022, she will be interpreting it in Salle de l’Esplanade im Arsenal Metz with the Ensemble United Instruments of Lucilin led by Remy Durupt. Salome Kammer premièred the work back in 2009 with the Ensemble Lucilin at the Théâtre National du Luxembourg. With Pauset’s Exercises du Silence – a first version of Theorie der Tränen with electronics – Salome Kammer was a guest at the Opéra Bastille and at IRCAM Paris as well as in a scenic interpretation at the Staatsoper Berlin (directed by Reinhild Hoffmann).
The Neue Musik Zeitung praised her performance back then with the following words: When “the chamber” enters the podium, true theatre inevitably always comes to light at the same time. A matter of presence.
World première at the ACHT BRÜCKEN festival: Daniel Gloger interprets Schreber Songs
The versatile Daniel Gloger launches as piano-playing countertenor Marcus Schmickler’s Schreber Songs on 30 April 2022 at the WDR Funkhaus Wallrafplatz in Cologne as part of the ACHT BRÜCKEN Festival. His musical partners on stage will be the Ensemble Ruhr, the Kölner Vokalsolisten, Susanne Blumenthal (conductor), Marcus Schmickler (live electronics), Natasha Goldberg (soprano), Theresa Klose (soprano), Katharina Georg (alto), Leonhard Reso (tenor), Fabian Hemmelmann (baritone) and Christian Walter (bass).
The Present guests at the Thüringer Bachwochen
On 23 April 2022, The Present will be performing the programme Die Wahrheit und das Leben on the invitation of the Thüringer Bachwochen in the city church of St. Michael in Jena. The programme interweaves Luciano Berio’s A-Ronne with four eight-part motets by J.S. Bach.
The vocal ensemble consisting of Hanna Herfurtner (soprano), Olivia Stahn (soprano), Martha Jordan (alto), Amélie Saadia (alto), Benjamin Glaubitz (tenor), Tim Karweick (tenor), Florian Hille (bass) and Felix Schwandtke (bass) is accompanied by the continuo musicians Lee Santana (theorbo), Juliane Laake (viola da gamba) and Mira Lange (chest organ). In their extraordinary programmes, The Present continues to blend both traditional and modern music in a complementary way.
Sarah Maria Sun and Vanessa Porter: Dieter Schnebel’s Yes, I Will, Yes! now on CD and live at the Osterfestival Tirol and the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg
On 11 April 2022, soprano Sarah Maria Sun and percussionist Vanessa Porter will bring their outstanding monodrama, Yes, I Will, Yes! by Dieter Schnebel at the Osterfestival Tirol to the Salzlager Hall for their Austrian première.
The performance will follow on 30 April 2022 at the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg.
The recording of Yes I Will Yes on CD at Hänssler was released in early February 2022, to mark the 100th anniversary of James Joyce’s Ulysses.
The core of the work is made up by Molly’s monologue at the end of James Joyce’s novel, “Ulysses”. The composer has dedicated the work to Sarah Maria Sun. Following the first performance in 2016, she has been a guest at several locations, including the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, with Yes, I Will, Yes! With the young and aspiring Vanessa Porter, she has a highly accomplished partner at her side.
Sarah Maria Sun and Vanessa Porter: Dieter Schnebel’s Yes, I Will, Yes! now on CD and live at the Osterfestival Tirol and the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg
On 11 April 2022, soprano Sarah Maria Sun and percussionist Vanessa Porter will bring their outstanding monodrama, Yes, I Will, Yes! by Dieter Schnebel at the Osterfestival Tirol to the Salzlager Hall for their Austrian première.
The performance will follow on 30 April 2022 at the Scharoun Theater Wolfsburg.
The recording of Yes I Will Yes on CD at Hänssler was released in early February 2022, to mark the 100th anniversary of James Joyce’s Ulysses.
The core of the work is made up by Molly’s monologue at the end of James Joyce’s novel, “Ulysses”. The composer has dedicated the work to Sarah Maria Sun. Following the first performance in 2016, she has been a guest at several locations, including the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, with Yes, I Will, Yes! With the young and aspiring Vanessa Porter, she has a highly accomplished partner at her side.
Sofia Jernberg makes her début at the MaerzMusik Festival for Contemporary Music, Berlin
Voice artist Sofia Jernberg will be a guest at the Interpoiesis concert series at Maerz Musik Berlin on 24 March 2022. She will interpret Georges Aperghis’ Récitations 1-7 for the first time in this concert, which she will perform in its entirety at Maerz Musik in 2023, along with her solo piece One Pitch: Birds for Distortion and Mouth Synthesizers. Sofia Jernberg fascinates listeners with unconventional techniques and sounds such as non-verbal vocalisation, split tones, toneless singing and distortion.
Holger Falk as a guest at the Hanns Eisler song recital in the Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin
Baritone Holger Falk will be making his début appearance on 18 March 2022 at the Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, interpreting songs by Hanns Eisler in line with texts by Bertolt Brecht, including the well-known Hollywooder Liederbuch. He will be accompanied by Julius Drake on the piano and assisted by actor Burghart Klaußner as a narrator of Bertolt Brecht’s texts. Holger Falk has been lauded for his interpretation of Eisler’s songs with the German Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik prize (CD Hanns Eisler Lieder Vol. I): “You have never heard Eisler’s songs like this before, so finely and cleverly interpreted, so individually interpreted”, Niels Kaiser from hr2 enthuses.
Kate Howden performs Mahler‘s “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen“ on tour in Switzerland
Mezzo-soprano Kate Howden presents a colourful programme of Gustav Mahler‘s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Barry Guy‘s Flyways and Manuel De Fallas‘ Siete Canciones Populares Españolas in concerts between 9-13 March 2022 in Switzerland:
9 March 2022, 20:00, Kirche St. Peter Zürich
11 March 2022, 19:30, Kultur & Kongresshaus Aarau
12 March 2022, 20:00, Don Bosco Basel
13 March 2022, 17:00, Rathauslaube Schaffhausen
She will be accompanied by the Camerata Variabile Basel.
Doreen Lutz Artists celebrates its 5-year anniversary
We, the management group behind Doreen Lutz Artists, are celebrating our 5th birthday! The newly-founded artists’ agency began in February 2017 in Innsbruck, and has been representing international artists in Europe and beyond ever since. We can look back over some eventful years – also characterised, of course, by the pandemic and the challenges it posed – but above all on some wonderful concerts along with national and global premières at the Salzburg Festival, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Berliner Philharmonie, the RuhrTriennale, the Munich Opera Festival, the Theater Basel, the Zürich Opera House, the Wiener Musikverein/Wien Modern, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Donaueschingen Festival, the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music and many other venues. We would like to use this opportunity to thank all the artists and our colleagues among the promoters for their cooperation and mutual trust! We’re looking forward to spending more time together and to all the special performances to come.
Welcoming exceptional singer Sofia Jernberg as a new artist
An experimental singer, composer, improviser and performer, with a strong interest in non-verbal vocalisations, split tones, along with pitchless and distorted singing; Sofia Jernberg is difficult to sum up in straightforward categories. She boasts a vocabulary of song that often stands at odds with conventional singing styles. She has a particular focus on exploring the instrumental potential of the voice. Most recently, she was acclaimed for her interpretation of Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire at the Wiener Festwochen, directed by Marlene Monteiro Freitas and conducted by Ingo Metzmacher.
Vanessa Porter presents her Rising Stars début at the invitation of the Barbican Centre London
We are looking forward to Vanessa Porter’s Barbican début on 28 January 2022 at LSO St Luke’s London. The young artist will present her versatile Folie á deux programme in this concert, along with Vanessa Porter’s Folie, Salvatore Sciarrino’s Appendice alla perfezione, Vinko Globokar’s ?Corporel, David Lang’s Anvil Chorus, Georges Aperghis’ The Messenger*, Emil Kuyumcuyan’s Shapes** and Georges Aperghis’ Le corps a corps.
Percussionist Vanessa Porter was nominated as an ECHO (European Concert Halls Organisation) Rising Stars artist by the Kölner Philharmonie and the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, and will be a guest at Europe’s most prestigious concert halls from 2022.
New CD launches: Tora Augestad presents ESSAYS and PAST & PRESENCE
The versatile singer Tora Augestad uses her ESSAYS (GRAPPA) to present her fourth joint recording of her ensemble Music for a while. Accomplished jazz musicians Stian Carstensen, Trygve Brøske, Mathias Eick, Martin Taxt and Pål Hausken perform new sounds and interpretations with Tora Augestad. WDR Tonart evaluated the recording enthusiastically: “… unbelievably beautiful”.
The second PAST & PRESENCE (LAWO) CD places the focus on works by the Norwegian composer Henrik Hellstenius. With the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner, she interprets As if the law is everything and Dichterliebe.
Frankfurt welcomes Eva Resch and Holger Falk with the Chaplin Operas
On 27 December 2021, soprano Eva Resch and the baritone Holger Falk together with Benedict Mason’s Chaplin Operas will once more take to the stage with the Ensemble Modern. The work will be shown at the Bockenheimer Depot in cooperation with the Oper Frankfurt. Further dates: 28/30/31 December 2021.
Salome Kammer premières Toshio Hosokawa’s musical fairytale in Luxembourg
On 4th December 2021, the musical fairytale Deine Freunde aus der Ferne (based on an old Japanese fable) by composer Toshio Hosokawa will première at the Philharmonie Luxembourg with Salome Kammer as the narrator. The work can be experienced as part of the Rainy Days Festival with the United Instruments of Lucilin, directed by Nelly Danker. Two further performances are set to take place on 5th December 2021.
Sara Hershkowitz makes her début at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam with Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre
On 27 November 2021, Sara Hershkowitz will be a guest at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam for the first time. In the standard role of Venus/Chef der Gepopo, she performs in György Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the Netherlands Radio Choir/Omroepkoor under conductor James Gaffigan. Sara Hershkowitz’s own sensational production of Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre with the Noord Netherlands Orchestra met an enthusiastic reception among audiences and the press in 2017.
Sofia Jernberg and Holger Falk: World première by Chaya Czernowin at Wien Modern
On 9 November 2021, the new work Atara by Chaya Czernowin will receive its world première at the Wiener Musikverein. Vocal artist/soprano Sofia Jernberg and baritone Holger Falk will début with Atara at the Wien Modern festival, having inspired Chaya Czernowin in her composition for the vocal parts. Atara is a work commissioned by Wien Modern and BR / musica viva and is to be interpreted by the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna conducted by Christian Karlsen.
Holger Falk sings the Saariaho première at the Oper Köln
On 24th October 2021, baritone Holger Falk can be seen in the main role Jaufré Rudel in the latest production by Kaja Saariaho, L’Amour de Loin, at the Oper Köln – Staatenhaus. Director Johannes Erath sets the scene of the 12th century troubadour and prince Rudel and his Minne in a tale of love from afar. The Gürzenich Orchestra and Chorus of the Cologne Opera will be conducted by Constantin Trinks.
Further dates: 27/29/31 October 2021 and 6/10/13 November 2021.
Tora Augestad and Salome Kammer: guests at the Donaueschingen Festival 2021
To mark the 100 year anniversary of the Donaueschingen Festival 2021, the mezzo soprano Tora Augestad is set to perform on 17 October 2021, interpreting the world première of Francesco Filidei’s The Red Death – an oratorio on Edgar Allen Poe for soloists, choir and orchestra (libretto: Hannah Dübgen, dramaturgy: Patrick Hahn) in the Donauhallen. The piece can also be experienced on 20 October 2021 at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and on 21 October 2021 at the Kölner Philharmonie. On 15/16/17 October 2021, singer and actor Salome Kammer can be seen and heard in a starring role in Johannes Kreidler’s new film 20:21 Rhythms of History at the Kommunales Kino Guckloch in Donaueschingen.
New artist: Vanessa Porter
We are delighted to welcome versatile percussionist Vanessa Porter as our new artist! In her programmes, she combines current works with improvisation, electronics and performing arts, working with big-name composers such as Georges Aperghis, Zeynep Gedizlioglu and Jennifer Walshe. Whether voice, body percussion, bells or vibraphone, in her current programme Folie à deux, she designs hypnotic soundscapes caught between delicate beauty and eruptive violence. Within the framework of the ECHO-Rising Star, she can be heard in the season 2022/23 in Europe’s most renowned concert halls.
New CD launch: Holger Falk interprets songs by Arthur Honegger
With his new album, Holger Falk along with pianist Steffen Schleiermacher is once again placing a seldom-seen repertoire in the spotlight: 46 songs by composer Arthur Honeggers, a member of Groupe des Six. The “Mélodies et Chansons” CD, published by MDG, is Holger Falks’ fourth album on the composers of Groupe des Six. Four further albums are set to be recorded. The Kölnische Rundschau enthusiastically summarises: “Compact impressions, constantly-repeating figures in line with the ostinato principle and simple, haunting sound images convey the wild charm of both lullabies and siren sounds”.
Salome Kammer interprets Aperghis’ Zeugen and Zender’s Hölderlin lesen III in Switzerland
Salome Kammer is a guest in Switzerland at the start of the season: on 17 September 2021, she will interpret the world première of the new concert version of Georges Aperghis’ Zeugen at the Festival Neue Musik Rümlingen. On 29 September 2021, the work will then also be on the programme at Kunsthaus Muerz (AT).
At the Kunsthaus Zürich, Salome Kammer will interpret Hans Zender’s Hölderlin lesen III together with the Arditti Quartet on 26 September 2021. The artists released the work on CD back in 1999 and have performed it successfully several times.
Sarah Maria Sun with KILLER INSTINCTS as a guest at the Niedersächsische Musiktage 2021
Following the successful release concerts in Stuttgart in July at the invitation of the International Hugo Wolf Academy, the extraordinary KILLER INSTINCTS programme can now also be experienced in its entirety in Lower Saxony: on 16 September 2021 in Celle (CD Kaserne) and on 17 September 2021 in Alfeld (UNESCO World Heritage Fagus-Werk). Together with Paul Kleber (bass), Bernd Oezsevim (drums), Jan Philip Schulze (piano/electric organ) and Hubert Steiner (guitar), Sarah Maria Sun treads new pathways and roads spanning all genre boundaries.
Sarah Maria Sun presents her début at the Salzburger Festspiele 2021
On 15 August 2021, soprano Sarah Maria Sun will be performing at the Salzburger Festspiele for the first time, an event that will also mark her début at the Vienna Philharmonic. She will be singing the part of Compagna in the new production of Luigi Nono’s Intolleranza 1960 at the Felsenreitschule. Ingo Metzmacher will take on the musical direction with Jan Lauwers as the director overseeing stage, choreography and video design. Other partners on the stage include Anna Maria Chiuri (Una donna), Musa Ngqungwana (Un torturato), Sean Panikkar (Un emigrante) and Antonio Yang (Un algerino).
Further performances are scheduled on: 20 August 2021, 20:30 and 26/29 August 2021, 18:00 – Felsenreitschule Salzburg, Salzburger Festspiele.
Premières in June: Christina Daletska as a guest of the Ensemble Intercontemporain and Klangforum Wien
On 11 June 2021, the mezzo-soprano will be singing the world première of Raphaël Cendo’s Double Cheese Passions as part of the Festival ManiFeste-2021 at the Philharmonie de Paris – Cité de la Musique. The IRCAM’s production was brought about by Ensemble Intercontemporain under the direction of conductor Bastien Stil, and marks the second collaboration between Christina Daletska and the renowned Parisian ensemble.
The première of the music-theatre production, Das Lied von der Erde, is set to follow on 26 June 2021 and is based on Mahler’s song cycle in the chamber music version by Reinbert de Leeuw at the Wiener Festwochen. Emilio Pomárico conducts the Klangforum Wien while Michael Pflumm takes on the tenor part.
Salome Kammer and Teodoro Anzellotti bring to life a new Hölderlin programme
Salome Kammer uses her new programme, Wie mein Glück, ist mein Lied… to work with accordionist Teodoro Anzellotti, marking the anniversaries of Friedrich Hölderlin and Ludwig van Beethoven (both born in 1770). The duo are set to perform live on stage at the Gare du Nord Basel on 6 June 2021 and in the online stream of the Internationale Hugo-Wolf-Akademie Stuttgart (7 March 2021).
Nominations: Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik [German Record Critics’ Award] and International Classical Music Award
We are delighted that the recently-released DVD of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music La Dori by Pietro Antonio Cesti with Rupert Enticknap has been nominated for the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik. The opera production was performed and recorded in summer 2019 at the Tiroler Landestheater as part of the Festival Weeks, under the direction of Stefano Vizioli.
In addition, we would like to congratulate Holger Falk on the nomination for the International Classical Music Award for his current CD recording Il Gondoliere Veneziano, which has also already been nominated for the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.
A new face at Doreen Lutz Artists: Sara Hershkowitz (coloratura soprano)
We are delighted to welcome American coloratura soprano Sara Hershkowitz and look forward to collaborating with her. She was recently nominated Singer of the Year for the third time by the Opernwelt magazine for her outstanding interpretation of Soprano 1 in Luigi Nono’s Al Gran Sole Carico D’Amore at the Theater Basel. Sara Hershkowitz made a strong impression as Claire in Michael Wertmüller’s world première Diodati. Unendlich in early 2019 at the Theater Basel: Sara Hershkowitz as Claire shines as a virtuoso modern coloratura, rising to stratospheric heights in a spectacularly celebrated drum solo on stage according to enthusiastic reports by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
New at Doreen Lutz Artists: THE PRESENT vocal ensemble
We are looking forward to our new collaboration with newly-formed vocal ensemble THE PRESENT! The flexible ensemble for five to eight soloists, made up of Hanna Herfurtner, Olivia Stahn, Ida Aldrian, Amélie Saadia, Mirko Ludwig, Tim Karweick, Hiroshi Amako, Felix Schwandtke and Martin Gerke combines early and contemporary music in a special way through its extraordinary programmes. THE PRESENT brings unexpected links between the traditional and the contemporary to your ears.
Upcoming concert date:
18 October 2020, 7.30pm, Künstlerhaus Salzburg
Programme: Luciano Berio’s A-Ronne along with music of the Renaissance and early Baroque periods
Salome Kammer sings world premières at the Impuls Festival
Audiences can experience Salome Kammer at three concerts this year, at the Impuls Festival für Neue Musik Sachsen-Anhalt:
on 14 October 2020, she will be singing the German première of Sarah Wéry’s Bukkake for voice, percussion, piano and violoncello at the Steintor-Varieté in Halle. Bukkake features shells, buzzing ears, sudden breaths, songs, objects at the table and motionlessness.
The première of the new work by the Verworner Krause Kammerorchester, which was composed for Salome Kammer, will follow on 22 / 24 October 2020 at the Blitz Club Munich / Prinz Charles Berlin.
Sarah Maria Sun interprets Kurtág’s Kafka Fragments for the first time
A triple première for soprano Sarah Maria Sun: on 8 October 2020, she will interpret the challenging Kafka Fragments op. 24 for soprano and violin by György Kurtág for the first time, collaborating with the violinist Oswald Sallaberger in a completely new way. This work will also mark the soprano’s debut in the Haus der Musik, Innsbruck.
New artist: Eva Resch (soprano)
We are greatly looking forward to our new collaboration with soprano Eva Resch. Her current recording, Eden, with pianist Eric Schneider earned her the recent nomination as Singer of the Year for the Opus Klassik 2020, and she was also nominated for the German Record Critics’ Award. Eva Resch will make her debut for the 2020/21 season with the Israel Contemporary Players at Mason’s Chaplin Operas in Tel Aviv. She has also appeared with the Chaplin Operas in concerts with the Ensemble Modern and the Collegium Novum, Zurich.
Upcoming concert date:
27 September 2020, Radialsystem, Berlin
Arnold Schönberg Pierrot Lunaire op. 21
Hanns Eisler Palmström op. 5
Zafraan Ensemble, Miguel Pérez Iñesta (conductor), Eva Resch (soprano)
New CD Il Gondoliere Veneziano with Holger Falk
We are delighted about the newly released CD Il Gondoliere Veneziano with baritone Holger Falk, ensemble nuovo aspetto and the sound art duo Merzouga. The programme combines gondolier songs from the 18th century with the Venetian soundscape of the present. The Canzoni da Battello are interspersed by the contrasting electro-acoustic Venice pieces by the duo Merzouga, who use baroque fragments as motifs, transposing melodic elements into the contemporary sound language, while preserving the integrity of the baroque music. The combination of these two approaches creates a Venice soundtrack as an overall, through-composed work. The production was recorded by WDR in 2018 and now appears on the newly founded Prospero label.
Sarah Maria Sun releases outstanding new CD KILLER INSTINCTS
The soprano breaks new ground and crosses all genre boundaries on her new album KILLER INSTINCTS, which was recorded at the Bayerischer Rundfunk München 2019 and will be released on Mode Records New York in April 2020. Following Sarah Maria Sun the result is “a politically incorrect perpetrators’ study. And it is satirizing the new generation of fascist politicians, who swagger about clear enemy images and simple solutions and became a horrible new fashion. For this purpose, I assembled cynical, black-humorous monologues.” KILLER INSTINCTS is a collection of stylistically different songs, from classics, contemporary music, musicals, pop and rock, including songs such as Tom Waits’ Just the right bullets, John Kander’s When you’re good to Mama, Stefan Wolpe’s Hitler, Alan Price’s Justice, Leonard Bernstein’s There’s a law about men.
New Artist: mezzo-soprano Kate Howden
We are very delighted to announce the new cooperation with the young Australian mezzo-soprano Kate Howden. She is an inaugural member of the Hannigan’s Equilibrium Artists mentorship scheme. Having been chosen out of 350 applicants from 39 countries for Equilibrium, Kate sang Baba the Turk in Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Anthony Turnage’s Twice Through the Heart and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella at Ojai Festival in California i.a.. Further engagements have taken her to the Royal Opera House London Aldeburgh Festival, Wigmore Hall, Canberra International Music Festival among others.
Holger Falk premières new opera by Manfred Trojahn in Bonn
We are looking forward to the première of the monodrama Ein Brief by composer Manfred Trojahn, which will be performed on 8th February 2020 with baritone Holger Falk in the main role at the Theater Bonn. This world première will be combined with Ludwig von Beethoven’s oratorio Christus am Ölberge to create a scenic evening, directed by choreographer Reinhild Hoffmann. The Beethoven Orchester Bonn will be conducted by general music director Dirk Kaftan. Other performance dates in Bonn include: 14th February 2020, 12th/28th March 2020, 5th/11th April 2020 as well as at the Theater an der Wien: 29th February 2020.
Tora Augestad: Extraordinary Schubert Lounge celebrates première in Norway
Following the successful première of Eivind Buene’s Schubert Lounge as part of the Eclat Festival 2019, the outstanding project will also be going to Norway this winter. Mezzo-soprano Tora Augestad and baritone Halvor Festervoll Melien complement this extraordinary winter trip with their impressive interpretations of Schubert’s songs in German. The performances will take place on 30th January 2020 at the Nordlysfestivalen in Tromsø and on 1st February 2020 at the Ilios Festival in Harstad with the Oslo Sinfonietta and conductor and pianist Christian Eggen.
Winter in Schwetzingen: Rupert Enticknap performing with Christina Pluhar at the Rokokotheater
300 years after the world première of Georg Casper Schürmann’s opera Die getreue Alceste the work will be performed on the opera stage once again since its rediscovery in Hamburg three years ago. On 1st December 2019, Rupert Enticknap will be making his début in the role of Admetus at the Winter in Schwetzingen, which is presented every year by the Theater Heidelberg. Renowned lutenist Christina Pluhar will be the musical director and the production will be staged by Jan Esslinger. Additional dates for the production are: 5th/15th/17th/21st/23rd/27th December 2019 and 11th/16th/26th/31st January 2020.
New Year at the Elbphilharmonie: Sarah Maria Sun as Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady”
We are particularly looking forward to this special turn of the year with Sarah Maria Sun, who will be singing the role of Eliza Doolittle in Frederick Loewe’s My Fair Lady on 30th/31st December 2019 and 1st January 2020 at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. She will be performing with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, under the baton of its principal conductor Alan Gilbert. The semi-staged production will be directed by Michael Sturminger, who has already directed Sarah Maria Sun’s celebrated performance of Elsa in Sciarrino’s Lohengrin at the Salzburg Easter Festival 2017.
On 10th January 2020, the versatile soprano will then be interpreting Jörg Widmann’s Versuch über die Fuge for soprano and orchestra at the WDR Funkhaus in Cologne with the WDR Sinfonieorchester, conducted by the composer himself. The concert will be recorded and broadcast live by WDR 3.
Autumn sounds: Holger Falk & Tora Augestad to release new solo CDs
With Hanns Eisler Lieder Vol. 4, baritone Holger Falk and pianist Steffen Schleiermacher will have completed their already award-winning series of Eisler Lieder with MDG. This final CD will be available in November 2019 and explores Eisler’s Lieder from the years 1917-1929 and his working period in Vienna and Berlin, including the exceptional song cycle Zeitungsausschnitte op.11, in which Eisler consciously moves away from bourgeois concert lyrics.
On 23rd November 2019, Tora Augestad will release her new CD DIALOGUES on the label Grappa. Recorded in the Rainbow Studios in Oslo, it presents her favourite duets with fellow musicians she has been friends with for a long time, including Trygve Brøske (piano), Stian Carstensen (accordion), Mathias Eick (trumpet & piano), Christian Eggen (piano), Trygve Seim (saxophone) and many others. On 10th December 2019 the singer and her fellow musicians will celebrate the occasion with a Release Concert in the Parkteatret Oslo.
Bekannte Gefühle, Gemischte Gesichter: Tora Augestad at the Festival d’Automne Paris
After Christoph Marthaler’s celebrated Volksbühne production was recently performed at the Ruhrtriennale Bochum, de Singel in Antwerp, in Montpellier, Oslo and Moscow, Bekannte Gefühle, Gemischte Gesichter is now making its last appearance at the renowned Festival d’Automne in Paris. On 21st/22nd/23rd/24th November 2019, Tora Augestad will be performing on the stage of the Grande Halle de la Villette Paris together with Hildegard Alex, Marc Bodnar, Magne Håvard Brekke, Raphael Clamer, Altea Garrido, Olivia Grigolli, Ueli Jäggi, Jürg Kienberger, Sophie Rois, Lilith Stangenberg, Ulrich Voss and Nikola Weisse.
Sarah Maria Sun to sing Iris ter Schiphorst première in Amsterdam
After Sarah Maria Sun’s successful performance of The Seven Deadly Sins by Weill and Pierrot Lunaire by Schönberg at the Beethovenfest Bonn, her next joint project with Ensemble Modern will be on 7th November 2019: the world première of Assange by Iris ter Schiphorst at the Muziekgebouw aan’t IJ in Amsterdam. There will be another performance on 8th November 2019 at the November Music festival in the Verkadefabriek ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Daniel Gloger to appear with Ensemble Musikfabrik in Essen and Cologne
As part of the NOW! Transit festival at the Philharmonie Essen, the countertenor Daniel Gloger will be performing Stephan Winkler’s music theatre work Schweres tragend on 31st October 2019 in Essen. This will be followed by another concert in the WDR Funkhaus in Cologne on 3rd November 2019. The work for two singers, five instrumentalists and electronics will be interpreted by Ensemble Musikfabrik, conductor Bas Wiegers and soprano Sachika Ito.
Tora Augestad in operetta fever in Lucerne
On 26th October 2019, mezzo-soprano Tora Augestad will perform at the Luzerner Theater for the first time and will sing the role of Mary Lou in Paul Abraham’s Märchen im Grand Hotel. The new production is staged by Bram Jansen and the Luzerner Sinfonieorchestra will be conducted by William Kelley. Tora Augestad has worked together with Christoph Marthaler for years and specialises in exceptional productions and is now performing in another starring role in Lucerne.
Sarah Maria Sun takes Arturo Fuentes’ monodrama La habitación de Carlota to Mexico
After the successful première at Klangspuren Schwaz, soprano Sarah Maria Sun will be interpreting Arturo Fuentes’ monodrama La habitación de Carlota (Carlota’s room) on 19th and 20th October 2019 as part of the Vertice festival in Mexico City. The work is based on Fernando del Paso’s novel Noticias del imperio. The Ensamble Vértice will be playing under the baton of Christian Ghomer. On 25th October 2019, Sarah Maria Sun will also be singing a recital with works by John Cage, Wolfgang Rihm, Fausto Romitelli, Salvatore Sciarrino, Georges Aperghis, among others, at the festival at the Casa Del Lago Juan José Arreola in Mexico City.
Début at the Festival d’Automne Paris: Holger Falk to perform Mason’s Chaplin Operas at the Cité de la musique
After his performance of the Chaplin Operas at the Tonhalle Maag in Zurich in September, with the Collegium Novum Zurich, Holger Falk will be interpreting the work again on 11th October 2019 with Ensemble Modern and Johannes Kalitzke at the Cité de la musique in Paris. The concert will take place as part of the renowned Festival d’Automne à Paris and will be Holger Falk’s début at the festival. Together with soprano Eva Resch, baritone Holger Falk will bring the various crazy and lovable characters in Chaplin’s films to life.
Début at the Ópera de Oviedo: Rupert Enticknap in G. F. Handel’s Rinaldo
We are looking forward to Rupert Enticknap’s début on 6th October 2019 at the Ópera de Oviedo as Eustazio in George Frideric Handel’s Rinaldo. The Orquesta Oviedo Filarmonía will be conducted by Aarón Zapico, with stage and video direction by Kobie Van Rensburg. Staged using a blue screen, the singers are incorporated into live videos, creating an astounding visual world. The other soloists are Lenneke Ruiten as Almirena/Sirena, Xavier Sabata as Rinaldo and Matthew Brook as Argante i.a..
Other dates include: 8th, 10th, 13th October 2019.
Holger Falk: Performing at the Eroica music festival at the Alte Oper Frankfurt
Baritone Holger Falk will be performing Georges Aperghis’ monodrama Le soldat inconnu together with the Ensemble Modern under the baton of Pablo Rus Broseta in Frankfurt on 26th September 2019. The concert is taking place as part of the Eroica music festival at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, which is dedicated to works from the 20th/21st centuries and always marks the start of the new season each year. Holger Falk has already performed the Greek première in 2014 in the Megaron Athens Concert Hall, and recently successfully performed Aperghis’ oratorio Hamletmaschine at the Eight Bridges Festival at the Kölner Philharmonie.
New season start for Sarah Maria Sun: Revival of 4.48 Psychose at the Semperoper Dresden and Schönberg & Weill at the Beethovenfest in Bonn
On 7th September 2019 soprano Sarah Maria Sun will reprise the role of Gwen in the revival ofPhilip Venables’ (1979) 4.48 Psychose at the Semperoper Dresden. The German production of the music theatre work was successfully premièred in the 18/19 season in Dresden (directed by Tobias Heyder).
On 21st September 2019 Sarah Maria will then sing Arnold Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and Kurt Weill’s Die sieben Todsünden at the Beethovenfest in Bonn. HK Gruber will be conducting the Ensemble Modern and Amarcord.
Daniel Gloger to sing Gordon Kampe première at the Ruhrtriennale
On 4th and 5th September 2019, countertenor Daniel Gloger will perform the première of Gordon Kampe’s Gefährliche Operette. Eine Wiederbelebung in the Maschinenhaus Essen as part of the Ruhrtriennale. The composer is marking Jacques Offenbach’s 200th birthday by focussing on the genre of Operetta and contrasting its myth with an absurd revue-like deconstruction, constantly referring to the original format.
Rupert Enticknap returns to the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music & makes his début at the Kölner Philharmonie
The new production of Pietro Antonio’s Cesti La Dori directed by Stefano Vizioli will be performed at the Tiroler Landestheater on 24th & 26th August 2019 as part of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music. Rupert Enticknap will sing the role of Oronte with the Accademia Bizantina under the baton of Ottavio Dantone.
On 30th August 2019, Rupert Enticknap will then make his début at the Kölner Philharmonie in a concert performance of Giovanni Legrenzi’s opera La Divisione Del Mondo (1675), which was premièred in the spring of 2019 at the Opéra National du Rhin Strasbourg.
New production for the RuhrTriennale: Tora Augestad returns to Bochum with Marthaler’s Nach den letzten Tagen. Ein Spätabend
In a new version of Letzte Tage. Ein Vorabend, which was critically acclaimed at the Wiener Festwochen in 2013, Christoph Marthaler and Stephanie Carp are once again addressing the loss of democracy against a backdrop of rising national chauvinism in many countries in Europe and beyond. The world première of Nach den letzten Tagen. Ein Spätabend will take place on 21st August 2019 in the newly opened Auditorium Audimax at the Ruhr University in Bochum. Additional dates include: 22nd/24th/25th/28th/29th/30th/31st August 2019 and 1st September 2019. Last summer, mezzo-soprano Tora Augestad appeared in the successful homage to Charles Ives’ Universe, Incomplete at the Jahrhunderthalle in Bochum and in Bekannte Gefühle, Gemischte Gesichter.
Salome Kammer makes her début at the Helsinki Festival 2019 with Schönberg’s epochal Gurre-Lieder
On 16th & 17th August 2019, Salome Kammer will be performing at the Helsinki Music Centre as the narrator in Gurre-Lieder. It is her first cooperation with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and conductor Susanna Mälkki. Other soloists include: Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Klaus Narr), Katharina Karnéus (Waldtaube), Emily Magee (Tove), Gidon Saks (Bauer) and Torsten Kerl (Waldemar).
Rupert Enticknap: Opening concert with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra at the Olavsfest Trondheim
On 28th July 2019, countertenor Rupert Enticknap will sing in James MacMillan’s A European Requiem in the great Nidarosdom cathedral in Trondheim as part of the Olavsfest opening concert. The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by the composer himself and will be joined by the Trondheim Symphony Choir, the Utopia & Reality Chamber Choir and the Trondheim vocal ensemble.
World première in Munich: Salome Kammer to sing the première of Felix Leuschner’s Requiem für einen Lebenden at the Munich Opera Festival
On 21st July 2019, Salome Kammer will interpret the première of the new opera by Felix Leuschner at the Bayerische Staatsoper/Munich Opera Festival in the Reithalle Munich. Composer Leuschner, librettist Reto Finger and director Manuel Schmitt are basing the work around the uncertain situation of a death row inmate, who does not know the date of his execution. The Requiem is also being performed on 22nd/23rd/24th July 2019.
In the vocal spotlight: Holger Falk to appear at the Ludwigsburg Festival and the Wiener Konzerthaus
After recitals at Heidelberger Frühling festival and the Rathauskonzerte Regensburg, Holger Falk will be appearing at the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele twice this summer: First in the Liederoper Himmelerde at the Theaterhaus Stuttgart on 4th/5th June 2019. Then he will be singing a Hanns Eisler Lieder recital with his pianist Steffen Schleiermacher in the Musikhalle Ludwigsburg on 10th July 2019.
On 15th June 2019, he will make his début at the Wiener Konzerthaus as part of the Nouvelles Aventures series with Sofia Gubaidulina’s Perception.
Christina Daletska to sing Michael Pelzel’s première at the Zurich Opera House
Swiss composer Michael Pelzel’s (* 1978) first music theatre work, titled Last Call, will première at the Zurich Opera House on 28th June 2019. Mezzo-soprano Christina Daletska will sing the role of Johnny, returning to the venue after interpreting the role of Lucilla in La scala di seta by Gioachino Rossini. Conductor Jonathan Stockhammer will be drawing on his years of experience with contemporary music repertoire as he conducts the ensemble Opera Nova (made up of musicians from the Philharmonia Zürich), and the work will be directed by Chris Kondek.
Additional dates include: 29th June 2019 and 4th/6th July 2019, at 7 pm.
Tora Augestad to sing new oratorio by Philippe Manoury in Cologne, Paris and Hamburg
It will be her début with the Gürzenich-Orchestra of Cologne and her first collaboration with conductor François-Xavier Roth and director Nicolas Stemann: on 19th May 2019, the mezzo-soprano Tora Augestad will interpret the première of Lab.oratorium by French composer Philippe Manoury in the Kölner Philharmonie. After additional concerts there on 20th and 21st May, the partially-staged piece will be performed on 27th May 2019 in the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and on 3rd June 2019 in the Philharmonie de Paris.
World premières at the Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik festival 2019 with Sarah Maria Sun
On 12th May 2019, Sarah Maria Sun, together with the musicians Marco Blaauw (trumpet), Carl Rosman (clarinet) and Dirk Rothbrust (percussion), will première three new works at the Rudolf Steiner Schule Witten: Sasha J. Blondeau’s Atlas I: In principio, Sara Glojnarić’s Artefacts #2 and Mikel Urquiza’s Alfabet. Sarah Maria Sun has been a guest at the Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik several times before, most recently with the WDR Symphony Orchestra and the Diotima Quartet.
Holger Falk to open the Elbphilharmonie Easter Festival with Venice programme, as well as the Eight Bridges Festival in Cologne with Aperghis’ Hamletmaschine
On 17th April 2019, baritone Holger Falk will open the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg’s Easter Festival with the Il Gondoliere Veneziano programme. Together with the baroque ensemble nuovo aspetto and the sound art duo Merzouga, he will perform the première of Gondolier songs of the 18th Century in Venetian sound landscape. On 30th April 2019 the opening of the Eight Bridges Festival / Music for Cologne will take place with Georges Aperghis’ Hamletmaschine in the Kölner Philharmonie. Before that, the piece will be performed at the Muziekgebouw Aan’t IJ in Amsterdam on 25th April 2019.
Sarah Maria Sun showcases her outstanding versatility in Innsbruck, Stuttgart and Dresden
The Soprano is heralding the start of an intense musical spring: Her interpretation of Heinz Holliger’s Dämmerlicht and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 on 11th/12th April 2019 with the Tiroler Symphonieorchester under the baton of Heinz Holliger in Innsbruck will be followed right away on the 14th April 2019 by a special Lieder recital: at the invitation of the Internationale Hugo-Wolf-Akademie Stuttgart Sarah Maria Sun, accompanied by her like-minded pianist Jan Philip Schulze, will sing songs by John Cage, Wolfgang Rihm, Georges Aperghis, as well as a première by Rolf Riehm. On 26th April 2019 the singer will then interpret the role of Gwen in the German première of Philip Venables’ (1979) 4.48 Psychosis at the Semperoper Dresden.
Daniel Gloger to sing in a new production of Georg Friedrich Haas’ Opera Koma in Klagenfurt and Dijon
After the successful première of Koma, the final opera in the trilogy by Georg Friedrich Haas and Händl Klaus, which was performed at the Schwetzinger SWR Festival 2016, Daniel Gloger is now singing in the new reworked production at the Stadttheater Klagenfurt as well as at the Opéra de Dijon. The première will take place on 28th March 2019 in Klagenfurt. Bas Wiegers will be conducting the Kärntner Sinfonieorchester. The production is directed by Immo Karaman with stage and costume design by Nicola Reichert.
Holger Falk: Professorship at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz
From the summer semester of 2019, Holger Falk will start his professorship for Lied Interpretation and Performance Practice for Contemporary Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. We are delighted about his appointment to this renowned university. This is a completely new professorship for lied singing, extended to include the interpretation of contemporary music, making it unique in this form. The “Performance Practice for Contemporary Music” master’s programme was previously only available to instrumentalists. Now it will also be available to vocal students.
Tora Augestad is presented Performer of the Year 2018 prize and sings Première with Bergen Philharmonic
Mezzo-soprano Tora Augestad has been awarded the “Performer of the Year 2018” prize by the Norwegian Society of Composers, which is presented once a year. The Society of Composers paid tribute to her national and international activities spanning nearly two decades as a versatile artist and her constant dedication to Norwegian contemporary repertoire. The première of Henrik Hellstenius’ Dichterliebe, based on Robert Schumann’s cycle, as well as songs by Jean Sibelius and Gustav Mahler will be performed on 6th March 2019 in Bergen together with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. It is the continuation of a series of concerts with her hometown’s renowned orchestra. The concert will be conducted by Risto Joost.
Daniel Gloger with Olga Neuwirth’s “The Outcast” in the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
After the dialogue concert on 19th February 2019 at the Oper Frankfurt, in which Daniel Gloger interpreted Olga Neuwirth’s Nomi Songs together with the Ensemble Modern, the countertenor is making his début on 4th March 2019 in the great hall of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg with Neuwirth’s The Outcast. Hommage to Herman Melville. It is also the first collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and Ilan Volkov.
World première at the Theater Basel: Holger Falk sings Lord Byron in Michael Wertmüller’s new music-theatre work
On 21st February 2019 the curtain will go up on the première of Wertmüller’s Diodati. Unendlich at the Theater Basel. The libretto was written by Dea Loher. The Sinfonieorchester Basel will be playing, joined by the Chor des Theater Basels and conducted by Titus Engel. Baritone Holger Falk has already successfully premièred Michael Wertmüller’s Weine nicht, singe! at the Hamburgische Staatsoper in 2015 with the Swiss conductor. This is the first time he has worked together with director Lydia Steier who recently caused a sensation at the Salzburg Festival.
Countertenor Rupert Enticknap to make his début at the Opéra National du Rhin
Rupert Enticknap is appearing as Mercurio in Giovanni Legrenzis La Divisione del Mondo (1675) for the first time at the Opéra National du Rhin Strasbourg. The première will take place on 8th February 2019 at 20:00. In this context, the countertenor will also be working together with Les Talens Lyriques, conductor Christophe Rousset and director Jetske Mijn for the first time.
Sarah Maria Sun sings solo recital at the Konzerthaus Dortmund
The soprano and vocal artist Sarah Maria Sun will be showcasing her wide-ranging repertoire on 18th January 2019 and her skillful vocal expression in solo recital at the Konzerthaus Dortmund. The programme includes John Cage’s The wonderful widow of eighteen springs, Rebecca Saunders’ O for solo soprano, Georges Aperghis’ Récitations 8, 9 and 11, Luciano Berio’s Sequenza III for female voice as well as Luigi Nono’s La Fabbrica Illuminata.
Beginning the year in Norway: Tora Augestad to sing New Year’s Concerts in the Stavanger & premiere of Marcus Paus in Asker
We are looking forward to Tora Augestad’s new year concerts in her home country, Norway: The mezzo-soprano will be heralding the start of the new year with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Nick Davies and the Moderator Espen Beranek Holm. The concerts will take place on 9th / 10th / 11th / 12th January 2019, in the Stavanger Konserthus. The singer is interpreting Leonard Bernstein’s Somewhere, Kurt Weill’s Speak Low and Youkali as well as Marcus Paus’ Hate Songs.
Return to the Komische Oper in Berlin: Fredrika Brillembourg in Barrie Kosky’s new production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide
From 12th December 2018 the American mezzo-soprano Fredrika Brillembourg will be returning to the stage of the Komische Oper once again, this time as Old Lady in Bernstein’s Candide. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the composer’s birthday, Barrie Kosky is bringing a hotly-anticipated new German version to the stage.
Allison Bell: Début concert in Seoul
After her successful collaboration with the conductor Shinik Ham in Shanghai last year, Allison Bell will be making her début in Seoul on 6th December 2018 with the Symphony S.O.N.G. (Symphony Orchestra of the Next Generation) under the baton of Shinik Ham.
Portraying Passion – Tora Augestad releases solo CD with Oslo Philharmonic
We are looking forward to Tora Augestad’s new CD recording Portraying Passion, which will be released on 12th November 2018 by LAWO Classics. Together with the Oslo Philharmonic and the conductors Joshua Weilerstein and Christian Eggen she is showcasing the wide range of her repertoire: Charles Ives’ Five Songs, Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins and the song cycle Hate Songs based on Dorothy Parker’s poems, which Marcus Paus has dedicated to the mezzo-soprano.
Sarah Maria Sun and Salome Kammer invited to the Wien Modern festival
There are two concerts with our artists on the programme at this year’s Wien Modern festival:
On 24th November 2018, 19:30 pm, Sarah Maria Sun will perform the Austrian première of Peter Ruzicka’s Mnemosyne. Erinnerung und Vergessen in the Mozart Hall of the Wiener Konzerthaus.
On 25th November 2018, 11:00 am, Salome Kammer is appearing in a solo concert at the University of Vienna. She will be interpreting a vocally versatile repertoire. At the same time, the matinee is the opening for a two-day symposium with Salome Kammer, in cooperation with the University of Vienna, focussing on the topic Word – Sound – Shape.
Concerts in Amsterdam and Luxembourg: Christina Daletska with Ensemble Resonanz
After the successful concerts in the Berlin Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and the Wiener Konzerthaus in the spring of 2018, the mezzo-soprano Christina Daletska will be performing again with the Ensemble Resonanz. Upcoming dates are:
15th November 2018, 20:15, Musikgebouw aan’t IJ Amsterdam
16th November 2018, 20:00, Philharmonie Luxembourg, Rainy Days
World premières with Salome Kammer @ Impuls Festival / Festival Neue Musik Rockenhausen / Milano Musica
Salome Kammer can be seen performing two world premières in autumn:
At the invitation of the Impuls Festival – New Music for Saxony-Anhalt, she will première the works of five young composers from five countries on 30th October 2018, 20:00 in the Steintor-Varieté hall. She will then interpret the première and first performance of This is the Game for voice and electronics by the young Italian composer Daniele Ghisi: On 4th November 2018, 19:00 at the Donnersberghalle Rockenhausen in the first year of the Festival Neue Musik Rockenhausen and on 23rd November 2018, 20:30 in the Pirelli HangarBicocca at the Festival Milano Musica.
Holger Falk makes his USA début with lieder recital tour
Together with the pianist Julius Drake Holger Falk will perform three concerts –his débuts in New York City, Cleveland and Washington. The programme includes songs by Franz Schubert, Hanns Eisler, Erik Satie and Francis Poulenc.
The dates are:
21st October 2018, New York City(USA), Frick Collection
23rd October 2018, Cleveland (USA), Chamber Music Society
28th October 2018, Washington (USA), Phillips Collection
Sarah Maria Sun: Première in Basel and début at the Cervantino Festival in Mexico
In October there are two exciting projects in Sarah Maria Sun’s calendar: The world première of Rainald Goetz’s Kolik at Gare du Nord Basel and her début at the Festival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico with Dieter Schnebel’s Yes I will Yes. Kolik is a music theatre project from Jannik Giger, Leo Hofmann and Benjamin Van Bebber premièring on 18th October 2018, 20:00 at the Gare du Nord. The Mexican première of Dieter Schnebel’s extraordinary Molly Bloom soliloquy (from James Joyce’s Ulysses) Yes I Will Yes with percussionist Johannes Fischer in Guanajuata, Mexico is scheduled on 27th October 2018, 19:00.
Philharmonia Orchestra début: Salome Kammer invited to perform at the South Bank Centre
We are looking forward to Salome Kammer’s début with the Philharmonia Orchestra for the British première of Hans Zender’s Cabaret Voltaire for soprano and orchestra. The concert will take place on 27th September 2018 at 6 pm in the Purcell Room of the Southbank Centre in London. Pierre-André Valade will be conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Rupert Enticknap with Neuwirth’s The Lost Highway at the Oper Frankfurt
After his success in Gluck’s Ezio, the countertenor is returning to the Oper Frankfurt on 12th September 2018. This time he is demonstrating his versatility in the German premiere of Olga Neuwirth’s The Lost Highway in the role of the Mystery Man. It is the first collaboration with the Ensemble Modern under the baton of Karsten Januschke. Additional performance dates are: 16th/17th/19th/21st/23rd September 2018 (Bockenheimer Depot).
Carlotas Zimmer: Sarah Maria Sun with première at the Klangspuren Schwaz Festival
The Mexican composer, director and photographer Arturo Fuentes is dedicating the monodrama Carlotas Zimmerto the versatile singer Sarah Maria Sun, and the work will be premièred on 8th/9th September 2018 in Schwaz. At the centre of the drama is Princess Carlota, who for 60 years has imagined the return of her husband Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, and has been driven mad by this.
Holger Falk to make his début at the RuhrTriennale with H. W. Henze’s Das Floß der Medusa
The baritone will take over the role of Jean-Charles in Hans Werner Henze’s oratorio on 31st August 2018 in a scenic arrangement by Kornél Mundruczó and with production design by Márton Ágh in the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum. Steven Sloane conducts the Bochum Symphony, the Zürcher Sing-Akademie, the ChorWerk Ruhr and the Boy’s Choir of the Choir Academy Dortmund. More performances will take place on 1st/2nd September 2018.
Tora Augestad to give her début with Christoph Marthaler première at the RuhrTriennale
The Norwegian mezzo-soprano and actress Tora Augestad will appear at the RuhrTriennale 2018 for the first time in two productions by director Christoph Marthaler: Universe, Incomplete with music by Charles Ives and Bekannte Gefühle, Gemischte Gesichter. As artiste associé of the RuhrTriennale 2018-2020 Christoph Marthaler will be represented by various works he is directing. Universe, Incomplete will have its première on 17th August 2018 in the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum.
New Artist: The British Countertenor Rupert Enticknap
We are very pleased to announce the new cooperation with Rupert Enticknap, one of Britain’s leading young countertenors. He has performed with renown Early Music ensembles and conductors and also brings along a great passion for modern and contemporary music repertoire. In the 2018/19 season, Rupert Enticknap will return to the Frankfurt Opera for Olga Neuwirth’s The Lost Highway together with the Ensemble Modern.
Sarah Maria Sun to début with a Brass première at the Munich Opera Festival
On 13th July 2018, the soprano will sing the première of Nikolaus Brass’ new music theatre work The Passers-Byat the Munich Opera Festival. Her working relationship with the composer goes back a long way and she has already premièred several works by him, including Sommertag, Der Goldene Steig, Stimme und Tod.
Debut at the Kissinger Sommer: Tora Augestad & Music for a while
The Norwegian singer and her long-standing jazz ensemble Music for a while will be performing for the first time in Bad Kissingen. In a Late Night Concert on 12th July 2018, the artists will showcase their musical spectrum ranging from a baroque repertoire of John Dowland, G.F. Handel, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Franz Schubert to Kurt Weill and Franz Bruinier.
Fredrika Brillembourg back at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
In this season, the American mezzo-soprano will perform at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in the role of Marthe Schwerdtlein in Charles Gounod’s Faust. Philip Stölzl’s acclaimed production will resume on 23rd June 2018, with more performance dates including: 26th/29th June 2018, 19:00 and 3rd/6th July 2018, 19:00.
As on a Sunshine Summer’s Day in Halle
On 30th May 2018 the Handel Festival Halle will be hosting the new programme with Tora Augestad and the Lautten Compagney Berlin. With Georg Friedrich Handel’s English songs from HWV, the mezzo-soprano is showing her musical scope and joy of improvisation once again and will continue the successful collaboration with the Lautten Compagney.
Salome Kammer as Elsa in Sciarrino’s Lohengrin in Geneva
The vocal artist is slipping into the role of Elsa, abandoned by Lohengrin in Sciarrino’s musical monodrama. Together with the Ensemble Contrechamps and the conductor Michael Wendeberg, the work will be performed in concert on 25th May 2018 in the Victoria Hall Geneva. It is the continuation of a long-standing cooperation between the soloist and the Swiss ensemble.
Malmö Opera presents a new production of Hans Gefors’ Opera Der Park with Zoltán Nyári
Tenor Zoltán Nyári will make his début in the role of Cyprian on 5th May 2018 at the Malmö Opera. Der Park by the Swedish composer Hans Gefors was premièred in 1992 in Wiesbaden, with the libretto by Botho Strauss.
Allison Bell Down Under: Premiere in Auckland and debut at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
On 19th April 2018, Australian soprano Allison Bell will première the new work Face by New Zealand composer Ross Harris with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, tenor Henry Choo, baritone Joel Amosa and conductor Anthony Hermus in Auckland.
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Christina Daletska: Concerts with the Ensemble Resonanz
For the first time, the mezzo-soprano will be performing with the Ensemble Resonanz in spring and making her debut at the new Elbphilharmonie. Under the baton of Emilio Pomárico she sings the world première of migrants by Georges Aperghis as well as The Diary of One Who Disappeared (arranged by Johannes Schöllhorn) by Leos Janacek.
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Zoltán Nyári in Hunding’s hut
On March 24, 2018, the tenor will make his début at the Theater Chemnitz as Siegmund and will encounter his twin sister Sieglinde in Richard Wagner’s Die Walküre. It will be directed by Monique Wagemakers. Zoltán Nyári has already successfully sung the role a first time at the Staatstheater Oldenburg.
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Sarah Maria Sun to sing première of Heinz Holliger at the Zurich Opera House
Soprano Sarah Maria Sun will make her début on 4th March 2018 at the Zurich Opera House with the première of LUNEA by Heinz Holliger. She has been collaborating with the composer for some time now, and has already premièred several of his works.
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Berlin début: Allison Bell with the RSB in the Berlin Philharmonie
We are looking forward to soprano Allison Bell’s début on 4th March 2018 with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.
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Schönberg’s Gurre-Lieder at the Casa da Música in Porto
The epochal work is being interpreted by Salome Kammer (Speaker) and Christina Daletska (Waldtaube) on 24th February 2018 at the Casa da Música in Porto. Stefan Blunier is conducting the Coro and the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música.
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Baritone Holger Falk at the Oper Frankfurt with Manfred Trojahn
Holger Falk will be performing at the Oper Frankfurt once again in a new production playing the main part in Manfred Trojahn’s opera Enrico from the 21st January. Tobias Heyder is staging the opera (which premièred in 1990) in the Bockenheimer Depot, and Roland Böer will conduct the musicians of the Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester. Other dates include: 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th, 31st January, 2nd and 4th February 2018.
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Reunited with Christoph Marthaler: Tora Augestad in Zurich
On 14th December 2017, the curtain goes up at the Schauspielhaus Zürich on the new production of Mir nämeds uf öis (We take it upon ourselves) with Tora Augestad. This is the tenth joint Christoph Marthaler production that the singer is involved with.
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Salome Kammer to make a guest appearance in Christmas melodrama with the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
As part of a children’s concert on the 17th December 2017 in the Kölner Philharmonie, the vocal artist Salome Kammer will be interpreting a story from Author Andrea Karimé, which has been set to music for a small orchestra for the first time.
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Holger Falk: Elias debut in Potsdam
We are very much looking forward to the debut of baritone Holger Falk as Elias in Mendelssohn’s eponymous oratorio performed during the annual winter opera Potsdam. The director Andreas Bode will stage Elias in the Friedenskirche Potsdam and Titus Engel will conduct the Kammerakademie Potsdam.
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Tora Augestad’s debut at the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra with a world premiere of Henrik Hellstenius
Bergen born singer Tora Augestad will make her debut with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and principal conductor Edward Gardner at the Grieghallen on 23 November 2017.
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Salome Kammer with premiere at Wien Modern and the Impuls Festival
On 4 November 2017 Salome Kammer will sing the premiere of Iris ter Schiphorst’s Das Imaginäre nach Lacan at the festival Wien Modern. The singer has already premiered several works by Iris ter Schiphorst in the past years.
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Holger Falk awarded the Jahrespreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2017
We are delighted that the CD Hanns Eisler Lieder Vol. 1 by baritone Holger Falk and pianist Steffen Schleiermacher received the award. The jury for the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik chose the duo from 91 productions to be among the 12 winners of the Jahrespreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2017.
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Celebrated new CD modern lied with Sarah Maria Sun
The new CD production modern lied by soprano Sarah Maria Sun and pianist Jan Philip Schulze is being praised by critics for its exceptional choice of repertoire and successful interpretation.
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Daniel Gloger at the Berliner Festspiele with Moonparsifal
After the successful world premiere during the Wiener Festwochen 2017 the celebrated production of Moonparsifal Beta 9-23 by composer Bernhard Lang can be seen on stage on 15 / 16 / 18 October 2017 at the Berliner Festspiele. The experienced countertenor Daniel Gloger has been widely celebrated for his performance of the leading role.
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World premiere Kein Licht by Philippe Manoury at the Ruhrtriennale
On 25 August 2017 the soprano Sarah Maria Sun and the mezzo-soprano Christina Daletska sang the world premiere of Philippe Manoury’s light opera Kein Licht at the Ruhrtriennale.
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Tora Augestad to perform at the Lower Saxony Music Festival
Together with the Lautten Compagney Berlin the Norwegian mezzo-soprano Tora Augestad presents her new programme Wistful dream of times at the Lower Saxony Music Festival. The concerts will take place on 27 September 2017 in Obernkirchen and on 28 September 2017 in Bad Grund.
Zoltán Nyári: Debut as Siegmund in Oldenburg
We are very much looking forward to the debut of tenor Zoltán Nyári as Siegmund in Wagner’s Die Walküre at the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater in a production by Paul Esterhazy.
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ECHO-Klassik laureate Holger Falk releases first Hanns Eisler CD (04.07.2017)
The recently released CD Hanns Eisler Lieder Vol. 1 has been nominated for the Award of the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik on its Longlist. In a four-part CD edition, Holger Falk and Steffen Schleiermacher present the lied œuvre by Hanns Eisler.
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The coloratura-soprano 
We are delighted to announce the upcoming premiere of the new percussion-dance programme DIS:JUNCTION on 21 May 2023 presented by the 
On 17 May 2023 the baritone 
We are delighted that the soprano 
On 11 April 2023 the soprano 
On 13 April 2023 
On 29 March 2023 the percussionist 
On 24 March 2023 the coloratura soprano 
On 17 March 2023 
Juliana Zara
In the upcoming weeks, the mezzo-soprano 
On 22 & 23 February 2023 
On 14 February 2023 the soprano 
On 28 January 2023, the vocal artist 
On 8 January 2023, 
On 11th December 2022 the soprano 
On 9 December 2022, 
The successful Wiener Festwochen-production Pierrot Lunaire will be presented on 25/26/27 November 2022 at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris at the 
On 19 November 2022 
On 19 October 2022 the soprano 
On 5 November 2022 the new production AMOPERA – 
Vanessa Porter: Kick-off as ECHO Rising Stars Artist in Cologne & Amsterdam
We are very much looking forward to the new cooperation with the coloratura-soprano 
On 7th October 2022 
Mezzo-soprano 
with the French première of Up Close and Personal (Personnel et Confidentiel) by Kaj Duncan David/Troels Primdahl at the Théâtre National de Strasbourg on 18 and 19 September 2022. 
With his new CD, 
Percussionist 
On 21 July 2022, the SIBIEREN production by Umberto Giordano will be celebrating its première at the 
On 12 June 2022, Norwegian mezzo soprano 
progresses, lets the king’s slow descent into madness become palpable.(Münchner Merkur, Tobias Hell, 2021)
On 15th May 2022, soprano 
On 23 April 2022, 
On 11 April 2022, soprano 
Mezzo-soprano 
An experimental singer, composer, improviser and performer, with a strong interest in non-verbal vocalisations, split tones, along with pitchless and distorted singing; 
The versatile singer 
On 4th December 2021, the musical fairytale 
On 27 November 2021, 
On 9 November 2021, the new work 
We are delighted to welcome versatile percussionist 
New CD launch: Holger Falk interprets songs by Arthur Honegger 
Salome Kammer interprets Aperghis’ Zeugen and Zender’s Hölderlin lesen III in Switzerland 
Sarah Maria Sun with KILLER INSTINCTS as a guest at the Niedersächsische Musiktage 2021
Sarah Maria Sun presents her début at the Salzburger Festspiele 2021
In addition, we would like to congratulate 
We are looking forward to our new collaboration with newly-formed vocal ensemble 
Audiences can experience 
A triple première for soprano 
We are greatly looking forward to our new collaboration with soprano 
We are delighted about the newly released CD 
We are very delighted to announce the new cooperation with the young Australian mezzo-soprano Kate Howden. She is an inaugural member of the Hannigan’s Equilibrium Artists mentorship scheme. Having been chosen out of 350 applicants from 39 countries for Equilibrium, Kate sang Baba the Turk in Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Anthony Turnage’s Twice Through the Heart and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella at Ojai Festival in California i.a.. Further engagements have taken her to the Royal Opera House London Aldeburgh Festival, Wigmore Hall, Canberra International Music Festival among others.
We are looking forward to the 
Following the successful première of 
300 years after the world première of 
With 
On 23rd November 2019, 
After Christoph Marthaler’s celebrated Volksbühne production was recently performed at the Ruhrtriennale Bochum, de Singel in Antwerp, in Montpellier, Oslo and Moscow, Bekannte Gefühle, Gemischte Gesichter is now making its last appearance at the renowned 
After 
As part of the 
On 26th October 2019, mezzo-soprano 
After the successful première at Klangspuren Schwaz, soprano 
We are looking forward to 
Baritone 
On 4th and 5th September 2019, countertenor 
In a new version of Letzte Tage. Ein Vorabend, which was critically acclaimed at the Wiener Festwochen in 2013, Christoph Marthaler and Stephanie Carp are once again addressing the loss of democracy against a backdrop of rising national chauvinism in many countries in Europe and beyond. The world première of 
On 16th & 17th August 2019, 
On 28th July 2019, countertenor 
Swiss composer Michael Pelzel’s (* 1978) first music theatre work, titled Last Call, will première at the 
It will be her début with the Gürzenich-Orchestra of Cologne and her first collaboration with conductor François-Xavier Roth and director Nicolas Stemann: on 19th May 2019, the mezzo-soprano 
After the successful première of Koma, the final opera in the trilogy by Georg Friedrich Haas and Händl Klaus, which was performed at the Schwetzinger SWR Festival 2016, 
Mezzo-soprano 
