News Release - Measha Brueggergosman at Stratford Summer Music, August 7-10, 2008

Stratford, Ont… John A. Miller, Artistic Producer of Stratford Summer Music, has announced that renowned Canadian soprano and Deutsche Grammophon recording artist Measha Brueggergosman returns to Stratford Summer Music to perform four recitals accompanied by German collaborative pianist Justus Zeyen from August 7 – 10, 2008 at St. Andrew’s Church, 25 St. Andrew Street, Stratford. Repertoire for the recitals will be drawn from the works of Benjamin Britten, Arnold Schoenberg, Francis Poulenc, William Bolcom and Erik Satie.

In 2005 Ms. Brueggergosman made her Stratford Summer Music debut, performing four exclusive concerts as well as a joint appearance with Detroit’s Brazeal Dennard Chorale in the festival’s closing night gala.

Award-winning soprano Measha Brueggergosman is in great demand as an opera and concert artist. Originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick, she has performed with some of the world’s most prestigious symphony orchestras and in many of the world’s renowned concert halls. In April the Canadian soprano made her Mozart opera debut as Elettra in Opera Atelier’s production of Idomeneo; critics and the public were unanimous in their praise for her work in this sold-out production. Her other operatic roles have included Madame Lidoine in Poulene’s The Dialogues of the Carmelites for the Vancouver Opera; Juno in Aeneas in Karthago at the Staatsoper Stuttgart and both Liu in Turnadot and Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking for the Cincinnati Opera.

Measha, as she is fondly known by her fans, signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon and released her debut recording Surprise with the label in North America in autumn 2007; she is also featured on the label’s recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 recorded by The Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by music director Franz Wesler-Möst. She has two recordings with CBC Records: So Much to Tell which includes works by Copland, Barber and Gershwin, and Extase which features music by Massenet and Berlioz.

Brueggergosman’s Stratford Summer Music recitals will be performed at 11:15 a.m. on August 7, 8 and 9 and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 10. Tickets are $35 and are available on line at www.stratfordsummermusic.ca or by calling the box office at 1-800-567-1600. Stratford Summer Music runs from July 21 to August 17, 2008.

For complete concert information log on to the website or call 519-271-2101.

Measha Brueggergosman, Elena Bashkirova and Yannick Nezet-Seguin on Art & Fine Living with Jona in April and May, 2008

Celebrated Canadian Soprano, Measha Brueggergosman, who is currently performing the role of Elettra in Mozart's Idomeneo in Toronto, was a guest on the radio program. The lively conversation covered impressions of her visit and performances in Israel in 2007 and her first Mozart opera role with a major opera company. Conductor of Orchestre Metropolitain de Grand Montreal, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, also made a guest appearance on the show, to elaborate on his recent appointments as the principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and as the guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Acclaimed pianist Elena Bashkirova joined Jona Rapoport for a conversation about her musical journey and the foundation of the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival a decade ago.

Art & Fine Living with Jona can be heard live on Radio Shalom CJRS 1650 AM on Sundays at 7pm and on Wednesdays at 3pm. All programs can be accessed world-wide on the radio website at: www.radio-shalom.ca, or retrieved on the archives of the host's page.

Over the past six years, Jona Rapoport's unique show has evolved from four separate programs dedicated to the arts to its present format. Ms Rapoport combines enlightening interviews with artists, presenters and trend-makers from around the world, with a lively presentation of music and updates on upscale lifestyle trends. Her guests have all expressed strong support and admiration for her tireless efforts and commitment to the arts.

Previous guests on the show include: Cinema: Mike Newell, George Weiss; Photography: Varda Pollack-Sahm; Dance: Callye Robinson, Lina Cruz, Margie Gillis, Shen Wei; Visual Arts: Boaz Kaizman, Sandra Grant-Marchand, Joanne Lamoureux; Classical Instrumentalists: Violinist James Ehnes, Pianist Elena Bashkirova, Violinist Jonathan Crow, Pianist Lang Lang, Violinist Gil Shaham, Cellist Denise Djokic, Cellist Yuli Turovsky, Violinist Sophie Dugas; Composers: Thomas Beveridge, Ofer Ben-Amots, Lori Laitman; Classical Vocalists: Bass Denis Sedov, Soprano Hasmik Papian, Soprano Natalie Dessay, Soprano Manon Feubel, Mezzo Michèle Losier, Tenor Ben Heppner, Tenor Richard Margison, Tenor Frederic Antoun, Tenor Marc Hervieux; Specialists: Michel Beaulac (Opera), Pierre Vachon (Opera), Chantal Lambert (Opera); Jazz/World: Carol Welsman, Sophie Milman, Harry Connick Jr, Alain Caron, Walter Blanding, Imani Gonzales, Sean Lennon; Conductors: Yuli Turovsky, Jacques Lacombe, Rolf Bertsch, Yannick Nezet- Seguin, Ascher Fisch; Theatre: Daniel Lillford, Vittorio Rossi, Peter Hinton, Quincy Armorer, Daniel Brooks, Ben Gonshor, Elan Kunin , Caroline Cave ,Bryna Wasserman, Mark Watty, Roy Surette; Travel: George Deeb, Marian Marbury; Fine Living: Joel Giberovitch, Chef Paul Little; Publisher and antique expert,Terry Kovel.

Producer and host Jona Rapoport is also the manager and publicist of American art song composer, Lori Laitman.

For more information, visit www.jonarapoport.com.

Contact: jonarapoport@gmail.com