Danielle de Niese celebrates the release of The Mozart Album

Danielle de Niese celebrates the release of
The Mozart Album
with appearances at
Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out and (le) Poisson Rouge

"De Niese has a voice made for Mozart: bright, beautiful, agile and creamy." National Public Radio

New York, NY – On September 8th, 2009, Decca releases The Mozart Album, the hotly anticipated second solo recording from soprano Danielle de Niese. To celebrate the release, Danielle de Niese will be making two special appearances in New York City where she is in town to perform at the Metropolitan Opera as Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro from September 22nd-October 9th. On September 10th, Van Cleef & Arpels will welcome Danielle de Niese to perform in their showroom as part of Vogue magazine’s Fashion’s Night Out, a global celebration of fashion with special events happening at designer showrooms throughout the city. On October 6th, Danielle de Niese will make a rare appearance off the opera stage at (le) Poisson Rouge in New York’s Greenwich Village to perform selections from The Mozart Album together with pianist Cameron Stowe.

An Australian–born American soprano of Dutch and Sri Lankan heritage, the exotically beautiful de Niese has been captivating audiences since childhood, when she was a fixture of Los Angeles local television hosting a weekly arts showcase for teenagers, for which she won an Emmy Award. De Niese was just 18 when she was accepted as the youngest artist ever into the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera. She made her Met debut as Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, alongside Renée Fleming, Bryn Terfel, and Cecilia Bartoli and led by James Levine. On September 22nd of this year, de Niese returns to the Met to perform the leading role of Susanna in the same Jonathan Miller production of Le Nozze di Figaro in which she made her debut over a decade ago.

From the age of 19, when Danielle de Niese made that auspicious Metropolitan Opera debut it was clear that she was destined to be a major Mozart singer, given her extraordinary ability to communicate emotion through her beautiful crystalline voice, personal charisma, star quality and the irresistible force of her personality. So Mozart is a natural next step for de Niese in her recording career following up on her chart-topping debut album of Handel arias released in 2007. The selections on The Mozart Album reflect her career on stage, as well as her own favorite Mozart arias. De Niese was honored to work with Sir Charles Mackerras, a world authority on Mozart, who leads the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

In addition to her engagement with the Metropolitan Opera, the 2009-10 season sees Danielle de Niese performing as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Lyric Opera of Chicago under the direction of Edward Gardner. She also sings the title roles in both L’incoronazione di Poppea with the Teatro Real and Semele with Théâtre des Champs Elysées. Additionally, Ms. de Niese will tour Europe with the period instrument group Il giardino armonico with an all Handel program with performances in Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin and Madrid.

Visit Danielle de Niese on her website at www.danielledeniese.com and join her more than 1000 friends at www.myspace.com/danielledeniese.

Danielle de Niese at Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out
WHEN: Thursday, September 10th at 7:45 pm
WHERE: Van Cleef & Arpels 744 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street
Open to the Public
www.vancleef-arpels.com

Danielle de Niese performs at (le) Poisson Rouge
WHERE: Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street, between Thompson & Sullivan, NYC 10012
WHEN: Tuesday, October 6th at 7:30 pm
TICKETS: $15
Phone: 212 505 FISH (3474)
Ticket Hotline: 866 55 TICKETS
Website: www.lprnyc.com

Soprano Measha Brueggergosman recovering well

Soprano Measha Brueggergosman recovering well and will return to performing in August

Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman underwent emergency open-heart surgery on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009.

After experiencing acute pressure in her throat, Ms. Brueggergosman was rushed by ambulance to a Toronto hospital where she was diagnosed with high blood pressure and hypertension and subsequently released. The following day she reported to her family doctor with continued pains in her chest. Her doctor sent her immediately back to the hospital.

Further tests revealed she had a dissection in her aorta and doctors immediately performed open-heart surgery to repair it. Currently, Ms. Brueggergosman is recovering well and is resting under doctor’s orders.

As a result, Ms. Brueggergosman was forced to cancel her three appearances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as well as performances as Bess in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess with Maestro Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Styriarte Festival in Graz, Austria.

Ms. Brueggergosman is expected to enjoy a full recovery and will return to performing on August 9, 2009 at the Shaw Festival’s presentation of An Enchanted Evening.

Laitman's Early Snow in Rising Soprano's Carnegie Debut June 18

Lori Laitman is one of America's most prolific and widely performed composers of art song. She has composed nearly 200 songs, setting the words of classical and contemporary poets. Her cycle, Early Snow, to three poems by Pulitzer Prize winner Mary Oliver, will be presented as part of a program celebrating American song by rising American soprano Courtney Huffman in her solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall on June 18, 2009.


The cycle, commissioned by Dr. Adelaide Whitaker for soprano Jennifer Check, was completed by Laitman in 2003 and saw its premiere at the Juilliard School of Music in April 2003. It was released on Laitman's CD "Becoming a Redwood" in 2006 on the Albany Records label.


The poetry of Mary Oliver, in the words of Steve Brockman and John Campbell of Artsong Update online magazine "...has a psychological subtlety rarely found in romantic poets of the past. These poems... are about being fully alive in this moment and open to present experience." The poems in this cycle reflect on nature, and in speaking about these settings, Laitman says: "My goal in all settings is the primacy of the text. This means that meters shift constantly to follow the natural rhythms of the poem, melodies are structured to emphasize the most important words in a phrase, tempos are flexible and harmonies change to color the emotional content. In this way, every word in every poem is bound inextricably to the music."


Since launching her career in 1991, Laitman's music has been performed frequently in the U.S. and abroad. Some recent US venues include The Frye Art Music and Benaroya Hall in Seattle, WA; The Kennedy Center and The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC; Weill Recital Hall and Merkin Hall in New York, NY; and The USC Fisher Art Gallery in Los Angeles, CA. Her discography also continues to grow, with releases on Albany Records, Naxos, Channel Classics and other labels, showcasing the talents of some of today's top musicians.


Laitman recently completed her first full-length opera, "The Scarlet Letter," to poet David Mason's new libretto, based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's literary masterpiece. The opera was commissioned by The University of Central Arkansas and premiered on November 6, 2008 to critical acclaim. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote of the opera: "Composer Lori Laitman has written gorgeous music that works hand-in-glove with the words of librettist David Mason and underpins the very essence of this psychological-social drama...the few arias are at key moments and are stunningly effective."


Early Snow will be performed by soprano Courtney Huffman, the 2008 NATS Artist Award winner, in a program of works by American composers Dominick Argento, Irving Berlin, Tom Cipullo, George Gershwin, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lee Hoiby, Charles Ives, Lori Laitman and Libby Larsen. A consummate vocalist, Huffman made her professional operatic debut to critical acclaim in June 2008 with the Intimate Opera Company of Pasadena, California, as Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata. She reprised the role with the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra in February 2009 and tackled the demanding role of Teutile in Vivaldi's Motezuma with the Long Beach Opera in 2009 to rave reviews. The soprano made her international debut in Shanghai and Hong-Kong in 2006, followed by a performance of Dalbavie's Sextine Cyclus at the Aspen Music Festival. Her repertoire includes Betty in Lowell Liebermann's Miss Lonelyhearts, Frasquita in Carmen, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Drusilla in L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Johanna in Sweeney Todd. She has appeared with the Aspen Opera Theater Center, USC Thornton School of Music Opera, and the Illinois Opera Theatre, among others. Courtney Huffman is scheduled to perform a winner's recital at the NATS National Convention in Salt Lake City, UT in July 2010.


Courtney Huffman's Carnegie Hall Debut Solo Recital, with pianist Tali Tadmor.

Date: Thursday, June 18 at 8:00 PM

Place: Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall)

Address: 154 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

Tickets: (212) 247-7800 or order online at: www.carnegiehall.org

Les Idées heureuses - Concert annuel de la Passion - Vendredi saint

Concert annuel de la Passion : le Vendredi saint 10 avril 2009 à 17 h à l'Église du Gesù

avec la soprano Suzie LeBlanc

Montréal, le 19 mars 2009 — À l'occasion de la semaine sainte qui commémore la Passion du Christ, Les Idées heureuses présente un concert le Vendredi saint 10 avril à 17 h à l'Église du Gesù. Suzie LeBlanc, la célèbre soprano canadienne, est l'une des interprètes vedettes de ce programme de musique religieuse baroque. Matthew Jennejonh, hautbois d'amour, se joint comme soliste aux musiciens de l'ensemble des Idées heureuses dans plusieurs pièces de ce programme. Depuis 2005, Les Idées heureuses souhaite établir une tradition au centre-ville de Montréal en présentant dans sa série régulière les Vendredis saints après-midis, un concert dont les pièces se réfèrent au Carême et à la Passion.

Suzie LeBlanc

Partageant son temps entre le concert, la scène lyrique, l'enregistrement, l'enseignement et la recherche, Suzie LeBlanc a exploré et enregistré nombre de répertoires inédits, notamment une collection d'airs romains du 17^e siècle, Amor Roma (ATMA Classique) et Lagrime Amare (Teldec). Sa discographie récente comprend des lieders de Mozart avec Yannick Nezet-Seguin (ATMA), Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) avec La Petite Bande (BAYER) et Membra Jesu Nostri de Buxtehude (ATMA) avec Les Voix Baroques sous la direction d'Alexander Weimann, gagnant du Prix Opus pour la musique ancienne, ainsi que Chants de terre et de ciel (Olivier Messiaen), disponible en octobre 2008 sur ATMA Classique. Elle assure la direction artistique de l'ensemble Le Nouvel Opéra en résidence au Conservatoire de musique de Montréal et enseigne le chant baroque à la Faculté de Musique de l'Université de Montréal. Le récent film de Rodrigue Jean, Lost Song, dans lequel Suzie LeBlanc joue le rôle titre féminin a remporté le Prix du meilleur long métrage canadien du Festival international du film de Toronto (FIFT) et le Prix de la meilleure œuvre acadienne moyen ou long métrage au Festival international de cinéma francophone en Acadie.

PROGRAMME

Cette année, le programme fait place à trois compositeurs baroques allemands majeurs et contemporains : J.S. BACH (1685 – 1750), C. GRAUPNER (1683 – 1760) et G.P. TELEMANN (1681 – 1767). Il met l'emphase sur le hautbois d'amour (un hautbois en la, c'est-à-dire à la tierce mineure inférieure par rapport au hautbois) dont la sonorité sombre et chaleureuse, douce et envoûtante, convient particulièrement au temps liturgique de la Passion. Son qualificatif "d'amour" provient de sa tendresse un peu mélancolique qui se marie si bien avec la musique à caractère pastoral. Son épanouissement se fait surtout en Allemagne dans la première moitié du XVIIIe siècle et sa première utilisation référencée avec son nom est dans une cantate Graupner composée en 1717 (un an avant la cantate au programme).

C. Graupner

De C. Graupner, Les Idées heureuses interprétera une cantate composée en 1718 pour le quatrième dimanche du Carême, pour soprano solo, cordes et hautbois d'amour obligé. Le poème de Conrad Lichtenberg est basé sur le psaume 102. Il s'agit de la 26^e cantate de Graupner du répertoire de l'ensemble depuis 2002. On entendra aussi des extraits de la cantate pour le Vendredi saint composée la même année pour la même formation. Compositeur prolixe de musique d'église (mille quatre cent vingt-trois cantates), Graupner joue sur une grande intériorité, où l'écriture mêle austérité et accents intimes.

G.P. Telemann

G. P. Telemann a écrit au fil de sa vie 46 Passions sur les textes des évangélistes Marc, Matthieu et Luc. Un air avec flûte à bec obligé et soprano de sa Passion selon saint-Luc de 1737 est au programme.

J.S. Bach

La suite en do mineur pour clavecin de J.S. BACH peut sembler hors-propos, mais ses différents mouvements (prélude – fugue – sarabande – gigue et double), intercalés entre les pièces vocales se révèleront être de véritables moments de méditation. Selon la brillante thèse du musicologue québécois Guy Marchand^[1], la fugue de cette suite serait en fait un microcosme de la Passion selon saint-Matthieu et le cœur emblématique de la pensée musico-religieuse de Bach. Le « complexe thématique » de cette fugue illustre l'interprétation luthérienne de la Passion. Le thème de la sarabande s'avère par ailleurs une paraphrase du dernier chœur de la Passion selon Saint-Matthieu.

Église du Gesù

L'église du Gesù (Jésus en italien), où Les Idées heureuses se produit pour la première fois, est la seule église entièrement de style baroque à Montréal. Elle a été construite en 1865. Ce cadre magnifique, dans le centre-ville de Montréal, convient parfaitement au moment de recueillement musical proposé en ce jour de commémoration de la mort du Christ.

Les Idées heureuses

Fondé en 1987, Les Idées heureuses a produit plus de 100 concerts dans dans sa série régulière au centre-ville de Montréal. Une centaine d'autres concerts ont été diffusés dans les maisons de la culture de l'île de Montréal, aux États-Unis, ainsi que, depuis 2004, dans les plus importants festivals de musique baroques européens (Bruges, Bruxelles, Ambronay, Pontoise, Picardie, Modena, etc.). Placé sous la direction artistique et musicale de Geneviève Soly, Les Idées heureuses se distingue par sa recherche de répertoire baroque inédit, interprété devant un public séduit par la redécouverte et par ses concerts commentés.

Oeuvres
C. GRAUPNER : Choral Jesus dein Kreutz will ich halten et Air Ans Kreutz zum Todt pour soprano, hautbois d'amour et continuo, extraits de la cantate Christus hat uns erlöset - pour le Vendredi saint (Darmstadt, 1718) ; Herr, höre mein Gebet, cantate pour soprano, hautbois d'amour, 2 violons, alto et continuo pour le dimanche Laetare (1718) ;

J.S. BACH: Suite en do mineur (BWV 997) ;

G.P. TELEMANN : Aria Bringe mich zu deinen Herden pour soprano, flûte à bec soprano, cordes et continuo, extrait de la Passion selon Saint-Luc (Hamburg, 1737).

Interprètes
Suzie LeBlanc, soprano, Hélène Plouffe et Olivier Brault, violons - Jacques-André Houle, alto - Isabelle Bozzini, violoncelle - Nicolas Lessard, contrebasse - Natalie Michaud, flute à bec - Matthew Jennejohn, hautbois d'amour - Geneviève Soly, orgue continuo, clavecin solo et direction musicale.

Église du Gesù, 1202 rue de Bleury, métro Place-des-arts

Billets : régulier : 30 $ - aîné (65 ans et plus) : 25 $ - étudiant : 10 $

INFORMATION : 514 843 5881 - www.ideesheureuses.ca

Edith Wiens Voice Masterclasses

Order of Canada soprano presents masterclasses at Faculty of Music

TORONTO – The Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto presents renowned soprano Edith Wiens in masterclasses with students of voice and opera. On Monday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 24, the soprano will coach students singing opera, oratorio, and Lieder repertoire. Other stops on Wiens' 2009 teaching tour include masterclasses at Juilliard and the Royal College of Music in London.

*Edith Wiens was born in Saskatoon and educated at Oberlin, making her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1981. As a soprano in the concert field, Wiens has performed with such conductors as Daniel Barenboim, Colin Davis, Charles Dutoit, Sir Neville Marriner, and Sir Georg Solti, and appeared at many major music festivals. She has sung with many major London and North American orchestras, as well as the Israeli Philharmonic, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Dresden State Orchestra. In Canada Wiens has sung with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic, the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Highlights of Wiens' busy recording career include Bach cantatas and the St. Matthew Passion with conductor Helmuth Rilling, multiple recordings of Mozart's Mass in C Minor, numerous discs of German song, and the album Ae Fond Kiss with CBC Records.

In recital, Wiens favoured works by Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, and Strauss, but her repertoire extended to Gershwin, Stephen Foster, and North American folksongs. She made her Toronto recital debut in 1994, a year in which she also gave masterclasses at the University of Toronto. She was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2000.

Monday, March 23, 12:10 pm, Walter Hall, and
Tuesday, March 24, 12:10 - 2:30pm, Geiger Torel Room
Edward Johnson Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queens Park. Free admission.

*with materials from www.edithwiens.com and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada

Jeri Brown, soprano & Roddy Ellias, guitar

IN CONCERT FOR THE FIRST TIME!

Jeri Brown, soprano & Roddy Ellias, guitar

The Concordia University Department of Music is proud to present Improvised Musical Journeys ­ A Concert for Voice and Guitar, with Jeri Brown & Roddy Ellias. The concert will take place at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall (7141 Sherbrooke Street West) on March 11, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

Internationally acclaimed jazz vocal artist Jeri Brown teams up with poetic guitarist Roddy Ellias for the first time in a long overdue collaboration of improvised musical journeys. Repertoire will be drawn from compositions of contemporary composers, songs from the great American songbook as well as original compositions. Sound designer Mark Corwin will record the concert for future CD release.

Tickets for Improvised Musical Journeys ­ A Concert for Voice and Guitar are
available on the Admission network (514-790-1245 € www.admission.com) and at the concert hall box office: $15 regular, $10 for University staff, $5 for seniors and non-Concordia students, and free for Concordia students with ID (service charges applicable). For more information, call 514-848-4848.

Shannon Mercer & Skye Consort - Chansons galloises - AN2 9965

Montréal, le 24 février 2009 ― Shannon Mercer, l'une des étoiles montantes les plus brillantes de l'univers lyrique canadien, qu'on retrouve notamment sur l'enregistrement Analekta Bach et l'année liturgique, en nomination pour un Juno 2009, nous propose ici une incursion dans la musique folklorique galloise en compagnie du Skye Consort.

Pour ceux qui connaissent Shannon Mercer comme chanteuse classique, ce choix peut sembler étrange. Pourtant, cette culture a modelé sa vie. « Cette musique, cette culture et ce patrimoine gallois sont justement les raisons pour lesquelles je suis devenue chanteuse, explique-t-elle. Mon père avait toujours démontré sa passion et son amour de la musique. Il découvrit l'Ottawa Welsh Society et commença à chanter avec les Gwalia Singers. Petite fille, j'ai pu poursuivre cette tradition et, à l'âge de 15 ans, j'ai voyagé jusqu'à Llangollen, au Pays de Galles pour participer au Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. »

Les chants choisis pour cet enregistrement datent du début du XIX^e siècle et se veulent un mélange de pages familières et moins connues. Ils transcendent les époques et les genres, mais surtout racontent le périple d'un peuple passionné, à travers des thèmes de jeunesse innocente et d'amour, de joie et de peine, de naissance et de mort. Ils abordent aussi bien les multiples visages de l'amour – comme dans Y Deryn Pur, Fenyw Fwyn ou la célèbre berceuse galloise Suo Gân – que l'importance des souvenirs dans le folklore gallois – comme le démontrent Y Gŵydd, dans lequel une vieille femme évoque ses épreuves que dans le lancinant Dafydd y Gareg Wen. Les arrangements de ces airs, certains conçus pour être chantés et d'autres dansés, ont été travaillés par Seán Dagher afin de redéfinir harmonie, contrechant et rythme.

Encensée par la critique internationale pour son étonnant talent, Shannon Mercer a été saluée comme « l'une des plus prometteuses jeunes sopranos au Canada » et l'une des « Leaders du futur » (Maclean's). On a décrit sa voix comme chatoyante, lumineuse et scintillante ainsi que souligné la finesse, l'esprit et le piquant de son jeu. Au cours de la saison 2008-2009, Shannon a participé à plusieurs productions de La Flûte enchantée à Hamilton, Toronto, Victoria et London (Ontario) mais a aussi chanté avec le Vancouver Chamber Choir, Symphony Nova Scotia, Les Violons du Roy ainsi qu'en concert lors de la OffCentre Series de Toronto.

Fondé en 1999, Skye Consort se produit en tournée, participe à des festivals de musique de chambre et à des séries de concerts dans l'est du Canada et aux États-Unis. L'ensemble s'est fixé pour but d'insuffler l'esthétique et l'intérêt de la musique savante à des musiques du monde de diverses traditions.

www.analekta.com

Shannon Mercer & Skye Consort - Wales, The Land of Song - AN2 9965

Montreal, February 24, 2009 ― Shannon Mercer, one of Canada's most promising brilliant rising stars, featured recently on the Analekta recording Bach and the Liturgical Year, nominated for a Juno, invites us to discover the Welsh folksong repertoire with the Skye Consort.

To those who know the singer as a classical vocalist, this album may seem odd but this is the culture that shaped her path in life. "This music, this Welsh culture and heritage is the reason I became a singer," she explains. "My father always showed a passion and love for music. He discovered the Ottawa Welsh Society and began to sing with the Gwalia Singers. As a girl, I was able to carry on this inherited tradition when, at the age of 15, I travelled to Llangollen, Wales to sing in the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod."

The folksongs presented on this recording, a mix of familiar and not-so-familiar, date back to the 1800s. They transcend time and gender, melding themes of innocent youth and love, joy and sadness, birth and death and tell the journey of an honest and passionate people. Love is a common theme – as in Y Deryn Pur, Fenyw Fwyn or the famous Welsh lullaby Suo Gân–as memory, as in the old maid who is tediously weaving on the loom as she recalls her hardships in Y Gŵydd or the tragic and haunting Dafydd y Gareg Wen. Many of these songs, whether song melodies or dance tunes, are very well-known and Seán Dagher spent a great deal of time deciding which elements of previous arrangements (harmony, counter-melody, even rhythm) to keep and which to set aside.

Critically acclaimed by the international press for her musical artistry, Shannon Mercer has been hailed as "one of Canada's most promising young sopranos" and a "Leader of Tomorrow" (Maclean's). The 2008-2009 season features Shannon in multiple productions of The Magic Flute including performances in Hamilton, Toronto, Victoria, and London (Ontario). Season highlights include concerts with the OffCentre Series in Toronto, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Symphony Nova Scotia, and Les Violons du Roy.

Skye Consort was formed in 1999 and since then has toured and participated in music festivals and concert series across eastern Canada and the United States. The group's goal is to bring art-music aesthetic and interest to the music of different world traditions.

www.analekta.com

Cecilia Bartoli: 2nd Show Added

Roy Thomson Hall’s 08-09 International Vocal Recitals

1^st show SOLD OUT; 2^nd performance added

Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano

With Orchestra La Scintilla of Zürich Opera

On Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 7 PM / Roy Thomson Hall

(Sunday, March 1 at 2 PM is sold out)

Tickets on sale to FriendsFirst members Friday December 12 at 10 AM

To the Public on Monday, December 15 at 10 AM

$195 - $75 - Call 416-872-4255 or online at www.roythomson.com

Or visit the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office

Due to the very high demand for tickets to Cecilia Bartoli's concert on March 1 at 2:00 pm, Roy Thomson Hall is pleased to announce that Ms. Bartoli has agreed to perform a 2^nd concert the same day at 7:00 PM. Tickets go on sale to the public on Monday, December 15 at 10 AM.

Cecilia Bartoli is one of the world’s most cherished and celebrated classical artists and undisputedly the most famous mezzo-soprano of her generation. Her two upcoming recitals, 2 PM and 7 PM, at Roy Thomson Hall on March 1, 2009 celebrate the life and roles of 19^th century opera diva Maria Malibran (1808-1836), a superstar of her era and muse for such composers as Rossini and Donizetti.

Ms. Bartoli is joined by the 25-member Orchestra La Scintilla of Zürich Opera, a distinguished period instrument ensemble, for a program drawn from Ms. Bartoli’s award-winning album Maria, and includes works by Garcia, Persiani, Mendelssohn, Rossini, Donizetti, Balfe, Beriot and Malibran. The orchestra will be led by concertmaster Ada Pesch.

The 2 PM performance is sponsored by RBC

Contemporary soprano artist Sarena Paton releases her latest CD, La Carissima

Contemporary soprano artist Sarena Paton releases her latest CD, La Carissima, bringing a new genre of classical-crossover to Canada.

Toronto – December 09, 2008

Contemporary soprano artist Sarena Paton releases her latest CD La Carissima, bringing a fresh and compelling genre of classical-crossover to Canada. After the success of her two albums Remember and Almost Like Love, La Carissima offers a mix of classical and cosmopolitan flair, available at iTunes this February 2009.

This March/April 2009, Sarena embarks on her Southern/Central Ontario tour, followed by her maritime tour, slated for this July/August. In addition, Sarena is collaborating with international EMI recording artist, counter-tenor Fernando Lima (who is currently touring with Sarah Brightman), as well as Welsh-born West End musical ­­­theatre star Peter Karrie (Phantom of the Opera, Man of La Mancha and Les Misérables).

Trained as a classical soprano, Sarena Paton developed a fascination for foreign languages and repertoire. La Carissima is a collaboration with Nashville producer/writer Terry Sawchuk (who also produced the albums of Matt Dusk), uniting her classical background with a more contemporary vibe.

La Carissima, features classical arias in Italian and Latin and breathtaking crossover compositions in Italian, Spanish and English, penned by Paton and top Canadian and American songwriters in the classical-crossover genre. Recorded with the rich bold, sound of a Russian orchestra, La Carissima appeals to classical and pop lovers alike.

This December 23, 2008, Sarena will sing the national anthem at the World Junior Hockey Championships at Copps Coliseum, Hamilton. For the second year, she joined tenor John McDermott and Cape Breton songstress Rita MacNeil on their annual Christmas tours. Sarena recently appeared in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and performed throughout southern Ontario, including an engagement at Queen’s Park (Toronto), as part of Remembrance Day ceremonies.

With a long-standing interest and involvement with the WWII Veterans, Sarena released her previous album Remember, produced by J. Richard Hutt, in honour of the veterans and peacekeepers of the past and present, especially those serving in Afghanistan. Aside from producing her own concerts, Sarena is one of the founding team members of the Remembrance Day concert tradition, which takes place at the Ronald V. Joyce Centre (Hamilton Place) every year.

Sarena’s commitment to the veterans attracted the attention of Veterans Affairs Canada and she was invited to perform at the prestigious Senate Ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa during Veterans Week in 2006. Sarena has been honoured to sing one of her singles Honor Thy Fallen, written for fallen soldiers, firefighters, O.P.P. officers and RCMP, at a number of memorial services.

At the age of sixteen, Sarena made her first appearance as a soprano soloist with the Boris Brott National Academy Orchestra. The following year, she presented her debut recital with songs in 6 languages. She appeared at the 8th International Mozart Festival in Salzburg, Austria; she took the stage alongside Jim Witter in Memories of a Winter’s Eve; and she performed the role of Christine Daae in the Canadian Phantom Unmasked tour with Peter Karrie.

Sarena Paton has performed as a part of a backup ensemble for international music icons such as Susan Aglukark, Paul Anka, Sarah Brightman, Reba McEntire, Frank Mills, The Nylons, Roch Voisine and Michelle Wright.

Sarena toured France, Switzerland and Germany with a 20-piece band, playing the Montreux Jazz Festival, ZMF Festival and the Juno Beach Memorial. Last year, she was the soloist at the 2007 World Synchronized Skating Championships and the 2007 Canadian International Military Tattoo.

Sarena Paton is also a recognized actress who recently completed filming Sons of Eden, a short independent film by writer/director Izabela Ciesinska. In summer 2009, Sarena begins shooting the feature film Bounce, with director/writer/producer Kenneth Olsen. In her youth, Sarena played the recurring role of Velma Bugle on the Canadian classic television series Road to Avonlea. In addition to her 5-year spot on the renowned CBC children’s series Mr. Dress-Up, she also appeared in Ready or Not, Katts and Dog and the feature film Fly Away Home.

For more information, visit www.sarenapaton.com and www.myspace.com/sarenapaton.

The late Birgit Nilsson donates biggest Prize in classical music history

The late Birgit Nilsson donates biggest Prize in classical music history

Stockholm, December 5th, 2008 – The Birgit Nilsson Foundation announces today the establishment of the Birgit Nilsson Prize as the biggest prize in classical music history. It was the wish of the legendary Swedish dramatic soprano Birgit Nilsson to award outstanding achievements in the international field of opera and concert with a prize in the amount of one million dollars. The first Prize winner will be announced in 2009.

In the early eighties, towards the end of her long and distinguished career, the legendary Swedish dramatic soprano Birgit Nilsson decided to establish a foundation for a Prize to be awarded every second or third year in the amount of one million dollars for outstanding achievements by:

– A singer in the field of opera and/or concert and/or oratorio

– A conductor in the classical field of opera and/or concert

– A specific production by an opera company, as long as this production is outstandingly cast and conducted and, most importantly, staged in the spirit of the composer.

The name of the first prize winner, chosen by Birgit Nilsson herself, is being kept in a sealed envelope until the official announcement to be made in early 2009.

According to the provisions of the Birgit Nilsson Foundation, its Council shall appoint a jury consisting of prominent figures in the classical music field for a three-year term. The jury shall give its recommendation to the Foundation Council, which will make the final decision. In keeping with Ms Nilsson's wishes, the Prize may be given to two designees, in which case the Prize is split in half. Also, the Prize may never be awarded to the same person twice.

Birgit Nilsson (1918–2005) was the world's leading dramatic soprano of her time, excelling in the operas of Wagner (“The Ring Cycle”, “Tristan und Isolde” “Tannhäuser” and “Lohengrin”), Strauss (“Salome”, “Elektra” and “Die Frau ohne Schatten”), Puccini (“Tosca” and “Turandot”), Verdi (“Aida”, “Un Ballo in Maschera” and “Macbeth”) as well as many other operas.

During her legendary career, she performed regularly at major opera houses like

Stockholm, Bayreuth, Vienna, Milan, London, Paris, Munich, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Buenos Aires and others.

Following her debut at the Stockholm Opera in 1946, her international career began in the early fifties with debuts in Glyndebourne, Bayreuth, Vienna and Munich, to be followed by debuts in North and South America in the mid-fifties. Her opening of La Scala season 1958 as Turandot, her 1959 New York debut as Isolde at the Metropolitan Opera and her performances as Isolde and Brunhilde in Wieland Wagner's productions in Bayreuth were considered milestones in her career.

Ms. Nilsson took her farewell from the operatic stage in the role of Elektra in 1982.

Further information on the Birgit Nilsson Prize and pictures of Birgit Nilsson on

www.birgitnilssonprize.org.

Aria from Lori Laitman's 'The Scarlet Letter' to Premiere in London England

Aria from Lori Laitman's 'The Scarlet Letter' to Premiere in London England


British Mezzo-soprano Katherine Marriott will perform the "Witch's Dance" aria from Lori Laitman's new opera, 'The Scarlet Letter'. The opera saw its world premiere at The University of Central Arkansas a mere month ago, and has already been hailed as a significant and exciting new work. "This great story seems be on its way to becoming great opera...." said Ellis Widner of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette following the opera's world premiere in November.


Katherine Marriott selected the aria for inclusion for her upcoming recital titled 'Seduction and the Dark Arts' to be performed on December 5th at The Red Hedgehog in Highgate, London, England. Upon receiving the aria from the composer, she reflected: "The aria is fabulous to sing, a real tour-de-force. The witch is gloriously, not simply, a catalyst. It's easy to find a strong personality in there, and the writing lends itself to finding many different colours in the tone… And David Mason is wonderful as the librettist - strikes exactly the right balance or lyricism and "speaking" tone, so it sounds neither dated nor banal! "

Recital celebrates 50th anniversary of Lois Marshall in Russia

FACULTY VOICE RECITAL CELEBRATES HISTORIC TOURS OF LOIS MARSHALL TO THE FORMER SOVIET UNION

TORONTO - Lois Marshall was one of the best known Canadian sopranos of her generation. She has sung in the world’s finest performance halls under such conductors as Toscanini, Sargent, Beecham, MacMillan, Stokowski, and Barbirolli. In October 1958, Marshall became the first North American singer ever to tour the Soviet Union exclusively as a recitalist, and her route took her from Moscow to Riga, Leningrad, Kiev, and back to Moscow. On Friday, November 14, the University of Toronto is proud to present Russian Nights, a voice recital celebrating the 50th anniversary of that historic event. Featuring faculty soprano Lorna MacDonald and pianist Che Anne Loewen, the program is a compilation of Marshall’s Russian tours between 1958 and 1977, including lieder by Schubert, Britten and Richard Strauss; arias by Handel and Puccini, as well as folksong arrangements.

The recital takes place at 7:30 pm in Walter Hall in the Edward Johnson Building at 80 Queen’s Park. Tickets ($25 adults and $15 seniors/students) can be purchased at the box office in person or by calling 416-978-3744.

Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy at the University of Toronto, soprano Lorna MacDonald holds the Lois Marshall Chair in Voice Studies and is head of Voice Studies at the Faculty of Music. She enjoys a career of distinction as a lyric-coloratura soprano and voice teacher, and has sung across Canada and the US, in Wales, Taiwan, France, Ireland, the UK, Germany, and Bermuda. Her acclaimed performances have been broadcast on CBC, PBS and NPR. The Halifax Chronicle-Herald has praised her performances of Mozart and Buxtehude as having “freshness of tone…clarity of style and diction…beautifully expressive musicianship…served by a perfection of technical mastery.” As a teacher, Lorna initiated many successful and innovative additions to the voice studies curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her record has been recognized with Ontario’s prestigious OCUFA Award for “teaching excellence and outstanding contributions to university teaching”.

Che Anne Loewen, originally from Steinbach, Manitoba, is a collaborative pianist of breadth and authority. She has performed throughout Canada and in Europe with many singers and instrumentalists, including Jean Stilwell, Catherine Robbin, Gary Relyea, and Measha Brueggergosman. She has been heard many times over the CBC and has been praised in the press for “her brilliant support” (The Globe and Mail), “truly exquisite articulation” (Fredericton Daily Gleaner) and “her subtlety and nuance” (Halifax Chronicle-Herald).

Featuring music faculty members, the Faculty Artist Series has a long tradition of presenting some of Canada’s most celebrated artists and is considered one of the finest recital series in Toronto. For more information on this or other Faculty of Music concert series, please visit our website at www.music.utoronto.ca or contact the Box Office at 416-978-3744.

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Ticket sales and general inquiries:
Faculty of Music Box Office
Hours: 1 – 7 pm, Monday to Friday, with extended hours on performance nights.
Phone: 416-978-3744
Address: Lobby level, Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park, Toronto ON M5S 2C5

L'Orchestre Internazionale d'Italia à Montréal !

Directement d’Italie et
pour la première fois au Canada

L’Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia
Avec artistes invités :
Francesca Ruospo, soprano
Claudio Marcotulli, guitare

10 novembre 2008, 20 h
Église St.James United
460, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montréal
Métro Place-des-Arts

Billets : 25 $ régulier / 20 $ Étudiant-Aîné
Billetterie et renseignements : 514.848.9696
www.cshow.ca

Montréal, 3 octobre 2008 – De la grande visite s’amène à Montréal le 10 novembre prochain ! En effet, pour célébrer le 150e anniversaire de naissance du célèbre compositeur Giacomo Puccini, le réputé Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, dirigé par le chef d’orchestre canadien Kerry Stratton présentera un concert à l’Église Unie Saint-James dans le cadre de la toute première tournée canadienne de l’orchestre.

Se joigneront à l’orchestre le talentueux guitariste italien Claudio Marcotulli ainsi que la soprano Francesca Ruospo, présentée avec la permission de l’Accademia Teatro Alla Scala.

Au programme, quelques-uns des plus célèbres airs de Puccini, Rossini et Rodrigo, ainsi que deux œuvres présentées en grande première canadienne de deux compositeurs italiens, commandes de RAI trade. Une soirée magique aux effluves d’Italie à ne pas rater !

Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia
www.oidi.com
Fondé en 1986, l’Orchestre international d’Italie (Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia) est une émanation de l’Orchestre mondial des Jeunesses Musicales. Il s’est produit un peu partout en Europe, en Amérique latine et an Asie, tant dans des festivals que dans les salles les plus prestigieuses. Il a donné à ce jour plus de 900 concerts et participé à de nombreuses productions lyriques. Il a été dirigé par plusieurs chefs réputés et accompagné des solistes qui comptent parmi les plus célèbres de notre époque. En 1997, il a reçu le Prix européen de la culture pour les orchestres. Son port d’attache est l’antique et magnifique cité de Fermo située dans les Marches au cœur de l’Italie, tout près de l’Adriatique. Depuis 2003, il est l’orchestre en résidence du Teatro Venditio Basso à Ascoli Piceno. L’orchestre nous arrive tout droit d’Italie où il a donné des concerts sous la direction de Maestro Stratton les 24, 25 et 26 octobre.



Francesca Ruospo
Lauréate de nombreux prix, la soprano Francesca Ruospo s’est formée à l’Académie de la Scala de Milan. Elle a chanté dans plusieurs villes italiennes, ainsi qu’à Londres, Chicago, Abou Dhabi, Pékin et au Parlement européen. Elle fait ses débuts au Canada peu de temps après avoir tenu le rôle de La Comtesse dans une production des Noces de Figaro présentée à la Scala.

Claudio Marcotulli
www.claudiomarcotulli.it
Le guitariste italien Claudio Marcotulli, est considéré comme l’un des guitaristes les plus exceptionnels de sa génération pour la qualité de ses exécutions et de son captivant choix de répertoire. En 1984, il fut lauréat du concours René Bartoli ainsi que le premier prix à la compétition F. Tarrega d'Espagne. Claudio Marcotulli participé à plusieurs tournées mondiales et compte plusieurs albums à son actif sous étiquette Tres. Il a notamment donné plusieurs concerts avec l’Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia et le grand ténor italien Luciano Pavarotti.

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Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia
Tournée canadienne :

2 novembre: Port Hope, Ontario
3 novembre: Toronto, Ontario
4 novembre: Welland, Ontario
5 novembre: Orillia, Ontario
6 novembre: Markham, Ontario
7 novembre: Milton, Ontario
8 novembre: Barrie, Ontario
9 novembre: Richmond Hill, Ontario
10 novembre: Montréal, Québec

La tournée canadienne de l’Orchestra Internazionale d’Italie est présentée par International Touring Productions et le International Resource Centre for Performing Arts.

Giorgia Fumanti en concerts au Québec pour le temps des Fêtes

Après avoir fait un malheur aux Jeux olympiques de Beijing

Giorgia Fumanti

nous revient pour une

série de concerts du temps des Fêtes!

Montréal, le 30 octobre 2008 – De retour à la maison après avoir électrisé des millions de Chinois à l’occasion de mémorables prestations livrées aux Jeux olympiques de Pékin et au Nanning International Folk Song Art Festival, voilà que l’envoûtante soprano québécoise d’origine italienne Giorgia Fumanti est à mettre au point les derniers préparatifs en vue d’une mini-tournée de concerts aux couleurs du temps des Fêtes, qu’elle s’apprête à effectuer dans quelques salles et églises de la Belle province. Une occasion en or (et… en art!) de voir et, surtout, d’entendre de près celle qui a désormais l’habitude de briller devant plusieurs milliers de spectateurs, sur les scènes comptant parmi les plus prestigieuses au monde.

Si elle est des plus fières d’offrir prochainement aux Québécois un tout premier album de langue française (Je Suis, en magasin le 18 novembre), reste que son ultime plaisir réside dans ce partage d’émotions qu’elle vit avec son premier public, le public d’ici, lorsqu’elle ne fait qu’un avec la scène. Pour l’heure, les dates et les endroits suivants de cette « rentrée » québécoise ont été confirmés :

Le samedi 29 novembre | 20 h – Église de la Purification

445, rue Notre-Dame, à Repentigny
Infos : Isba Music, Édith Provost 450.669.4088

Le dimanche 30 novembre | 15 h – Église Saint-Joseph-de-Chambly

164, rue Martel , à Chambly
Infos : 450.658.1568 ou 819.679.0313

Le samedi 6 décembre | 20 h – Chapelle Saint-Édouard

364, Chemin Knowlton, au Lac Brome
Infos : 450.242.2870 – Sans frais : 1.877.242.2870

Le dimanche 7 décembre | 15 h 30 – Église de Val-Morin

6149 rue Morin, à Val-Morin

Infos : Isba Music, Édith Provost 450.669.4088

Le dimanche 21 décembre | 19 h – Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne

866, rue Saint-Pierre, à Terrebonne

www.theatreduvieuxterrebonne.com

Billets en vente : À la billetterie du Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne
450.492.4777 – Sans frais : 1.866.404.4777

Par internet : www.admission.com, ou au 514.790.1245