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NEWS SEPTEMBER |
September is here, and it's bringing a cascade of extraordinary performances from our artists that promise to enchant and inspire. We begin the month with a mesmerizing concert at Holmens Church on September 3rd, where the gifted countertenor STEFFEN JESPERSEN will fill the sacred space with his ethereal voice. The picturesque town of Ribe hosts the Rued Langaard Festival, celebrating one of Denmark’s most intriguing composers. Soprano LOUISE McCLELLAND is this year’s artists in residence, and can be experienced over three days from September 6th-8th. Immerse yourself in a festival that blends history, innovation, and pure vocal brilliance. Opera aficionados, this one’s for you! Verdi’s Don Carlos premieres September 8th at The Royal Danish Theatre with a stellar cast, including baritone JENS SØNDERGAARD as Posa, TAE JEONG HWANG as the deceased emperor Carlo V, MARLENE METZGER as Tebaldo and JENS CHRISTIAN TVILUM as Count Lerma. This production promises to be a grand exploration of love, power, and politics—an unmissable evening of drama and passion. Journey to the American West on September 13th with Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West at Landestheater Detmold, featuring the talented baritone JONAH SPUNGIN as the Sheriff Jack Rance. Saddle up for an evening of sweeping melodies and thrilling action! On September 19th is the premiere of the opera OREST. A modern retelling of ancient myth, comes to life at The Royal Danish Theatre, and among the voices that haunt Orest, you will hear SIBYLLE GLOSTED, FREDERIKKE KAMPMANN, FRANCINE VIS and KIRSTEN VOSS. Join Copenhagen Phil for an unforgettable rendition of Bach’s B-Minor Mass. Baritone JENS SØNDERGAARD and tenor CONNY THIMANDER will be bringing their profound interpretation to one of the greatest works in the choral repertoire. Experience the grandeur and spirituality of Bach’s masterpiece on September 27th. Closing the month on a high note is the premiere of Siegfried, featuring the remarkable soprano TRINE MØLLER as Brünnhilde, at Theater Basel on September 28th. Wagnerian drama doesn’t get more thrilling than this—prepare to be captivated! Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and prepare to be swept away by the magic of live performance when we can again cosy up inside of theaters and concerts halls everywhere. |
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NEWS AUGUST |
It is already August and our artists have a busy month ahead, as opera houses are beginning to prepare for the new season. But before opening their doors for real, there are still plenty of summer festivals going on this month. On August 4th Baritone JONAH SPUNGIN sings Tsargo in the opera “Adriana Mater” at Savonlinna Opera Festival. On August 9th is the long awaited premiere of the opera “La Fanciulla del West” at Opera Hedeland, with no less than 16 artists represented by Ascolta Artists on the poster for this production. You can read the entire cast list here, but to highlight a few, we have the Ukrainian soprano KSENIYA BAKHRITDINOVA as the female lead Minnie, baritone LARS FOSSER (represented by Ascolta Artists for this production) as Sheriff Jack Rance, tenor JENS CHRISTIAN TVILUM sings the role of the bartender, Nick, bass-baritone SIMON DUUS is Sonora, bass STEFFEN BRUUN will be singing Ashby and tenor FABIAN DÜBERG is going to be singing both Trin and the Pony express rider. The opera will be conducted be CARLO GOLDSTEIN. Aalborg Operafestival will take place this month, with tenor ANDERS KAMPMANN singing a concert on August 10th, in the Rhododendron Park of Brønderslev. Soprano SOFIE JENSEN sings Mimì and TEIT KANSTRUP is Schaunard in a concert version of Puccini’s beloved opera on August 17th in the grand concert hall of Musikkens Hus in Aalborg. From August 16th-25th Copenhagen will be buzzing with opera when the Copenhagen Opera Festival will fill the streets, squares and stages with opera in all shapes and sizes; On August 17th tenor JAESUNG KIM and soprano SOFIE LUND will be singing the Grand Opening concert at the Festival Stage, Den Røde Plads. SOFIE LUND is also receiving this years’ Talent of the Year award, with a concert in Christians Church on August 22nd. Mezzo-soprano CLÁUDIA RIBAS will be performing a concert with the A’dam ensemble at the Festival Stage on August 18th. She is also to be experienced in a modern and very re-interpreted version of Carmen “The undoing of Carmen”, dealing with the serious issue of violence and femicide against women in close relationships on August 18th and 19th at Theatre Edison. And finally baritone JENS SØNDERGAARD will be this years’ Artist in Residence, giving both a concert on August 16th as well as a masterclass on August 17th-18th which will be culminating in a concert on August 19th at the Festival Stage. In Esbjerg the opera company Den Ny Opera will be doing a Danish version of “Die Zauberflöte” as well as a small opera festival with mezzo-soprano FRANCINE VIS as the Third lady/Third boy, soprano FREDERIKKE KAMPMANN as Papagena and soprano LOUISE MCCLELLAND as Pamina. The premiere is August 23rd. Also starring in the festival is baritone JENS SØNDERGAARD who will be performing songs by Franz Schubert on August 28th. And finally August will close with the premiere of the opera “Mozart vs. Salieri” at Aarhus Sommeropera with baritone TEIT KANSTRUP as Salieri and tenor CHRISTIAN DAMSGAARD portraying Mozart. The premiere is on August 30th. We hope you will get a chance to experience our artists this summer! |
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NEWS JULY |
As the season 2023/24 in opera houses everywhere come to a close, there’s a buzz and a stir as the opera festivals of the summer will soon open! Soprano LOUISE MCCLELLAND, recently awarded the Sonning talent prize, Else Brems travel grant and the Memorial scholarship of Elisabeth Dons, will be celebrated by the Danish Broadcasting corporation, with a new podcast series in five episodes, as part of her receiving the P2 talent of the year award. She will also be featured in the segment “the P2 concert” on July 2nd with a brand new composition, partly composed using brand new AI technology. Make sure to tune in to DR P2. You can also find it all in the app DR LYD July 3rd you can catch LOUISE MCCLELLAND live in concert, when she offers a recital with songs by Rued Langgaard at the Hindsgavl Chamber Music Festival The Carlo Coccia Theater Foundation of Novara has also made it’s way out of the theater when Verdi’s masterpiece "Aida" is to be set at the Amphitheater Giovanni Paolo II near Sordevolo. Tenor GABRIELE MANGIONE will be singing the part of Radamès in this grand production, opening on July 5th Further north, in Savonlinna, Finland, soprano JOHANNA NYLUND makes her debut at the Savonlinna Opera Festival singing Anna in the opera “Nabucco”, when the festival opens on July 6th. Ms. NYLUND will also be appearing as Donna Anna in “Don Giovanni” later in the festival on July 13th. Baritone JONAH SPUNGIN make as appearance as well later in the festival as Tsargo in the opera “Adriana Mater” by Kaija Saariaho on august 4th At the end of July the long awaited production of Bellini’s “Norma” opens at Opera på Skäret with soprano ALINA TKACHUK in the title role (28 juli, 4 aug, 10 aug, 15 aug, 18 aug, 25 aug) and with mezzo-soprano and recent third place winner in the Wilhelm Stenhammer International Singing Competition, MATHILDA BRYNGELSSON singing the role of Clotilde. The opera premieres in July 27th. Toi, toi, toi, to you all! |
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NEWS JUNE |
We are closing in on the final shows of the season 2023/24 as theaters prepare to close down for the summer. But fret not, because our artists are still out and about on the many classical music summer festivals, and here are some highlights of June On June 5th soprano LOUISE MCCLELLAND will take on the gorgeous soprano solo in Gustav Mahlers 4th symphony with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In Basel rehearsals for the Ring Cycle continue, and the two first operas, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, will be playing on June 8th and 9th with soprano TRINE MØLLER as Brünnhilde A rather new festival, with not so new music, is the baroque festival in Copenhagen “Stenbroens Barokdage” beginning on June 14th with the opera “La Serva Padrona” and bass STEFFEN BRUUN as the old Uberto looking for a wife. And on June 16th the opera power couple FREDERIKKE and ANDERS KAMPMANN offers an outdoor opera gala concert with Ensemble Storstrøm at the Gisselfeld Cloister. We hope you will get a chance to experience some of our artists in June! |
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NEWS MAY |
As temperatures rise outside, things are definitely heating up in concert halls and opera houses as well. Here is what our artists are up to this month. It's award season and the Danish “Reumert Awards” just announced their nominees, which include productions in which quite a few of our talented singers have sprinkled their stardust. The newly composed opera “Hjem” (Home) is nominated for “Opera of the Year”, and the multifaceted performance of Monteverdi’s “L’Orfeo” is nominated for “Special performance of the Year” Congratulations to our singers JENS CHRISTIAN TVILUM, STEFFEN BRUUN, FREDERIKKE KAMPMANN and CONNY THIMANDER! We will be crossing our fingers and looking forward to the Reumert Award show on June 20th! On May 5th the Royal Danish Opera will do a concert performance of “Madama Butterfly” in Aalborg featuring our singers JENS SØNDERGAARD (Sharpless) and TAE JEONG HWANG (the imperial Commissioner). The concert will take place in “Aalborg Kongres og Kulturcenter”. “Die Zauberflöte” returns to the Royal Danish Opera on May 16th with bass-baritone SIMON DUUS as Papageno and soprano LOUISE MCCLELLAND as Pamina, with coloratura soprano SVETLANA MOSKALENKO joining them, in the production by Barrie Kosky, as Queen of the Night, on May 28th May 18th is a big premiere day; We have singers in three premieres this day! Our tenor FABIAN DÜBERG will sing Truffaldino in Prokofjew’s opera “The Love for the Three Oranges” with Theater Bremen. The very same day in Denmark, baritone JENS SØNDERGAARD sings Kurwenal in a new production of “Tristan and Isolde “, opening at The Royal Danish Opera. A bit further south, tenor GABRIELE MANGIONE will be singing Luigi in “Il Tabarro” when Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar premieres their production of “Il Trittico”. Soprano LOUISE MCCLELLAND will be joining Copenhagen Phil in concert on May 23rd for their concert series “MESTERSTYKKER” (masterpieces), singing beautiful arias by Mozart and Bizet in the great concert hall of Tivoli in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stage director NOA NAAMAAT is creating a new production of “La Traviata”, opening on May 24th at the festival “Alden Biesen Zomeropera” in the Netherlands. This production will be playing throughout May and June (final performance on June 21st) Toi, toi, toi to everyone! |
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NEWS APRIL |
There’s suddenly a buzz in the air and the trees are slowly awakening from their winter slumber. Our artists are in two world premieres this month, and have several concerts and performances to look forward to. On April 5th the opera “Fjordenes Drømmespil (HOLOGRAMMET)” (Dream vision’s of the Fjords (THE HOLOGRAM)) will see its World Premiere in no other place than in the city mall of Randers in Jutland, Denmark. Our Tenor CHRISTIAN DAMSGAARD in singing the tenor part in this newly written piece by composer Katinka Fogh Vindelev and performed by Randers Kammerorkester. Mezzo-Soprano FRANCINE VIS is getting ready to board the pirate ship as the Captain in the newly written opera “Nalle Havsöga” (Teddy Bear Sea Eye), about the teddy bear pirates who have strandede on a deserted island, and who discover that their tears might be their rescue. This Children’s opera can be experienced at the Malmö Opera’s small stage, Operaverkstan from April 6th In Aarhus on april 11th soprano FREDERIKKE KAMPMANN and Mezzo-Soprano SIDSEL ERIKSEN will portray the Elf King’s daughter and the Mother in Niels W. Gade’s grandiose orchestra piece “Elverskud” (Elf King’s Daughter) as well as a newer orchestra piece “Synderjysk Sommersymfoni” (Symphony of Southern Denmark) by Bo Holten, with Aarhus Symphony Orchestra. Soprano SOFIE JENSEN will sing the soprano part in Leonard Bernstein’s “Songfest: A Cycle of American Poems for Six Singers and Orchestra” with Copenhagen Phil on April 12th. The long awaited premiere of Gluck’s opera “Orphée et Eurydice” will open in a travel friendly format on April 13th in the Wilminktheater in Enschede, with our tenor YAROSLAV ABAIMOV in the leading role of Orphée. On April 28th soprano AYLIN SEZER will sing a wonderful display of various art songs by Barber, Grieg, Poulenc and Ravel with pianist Ed Spanjaard at a Sunday Morning matinée in the concert hall Musis in Arnhem. Happy spring to all of our wonderful artists! |
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NEWS MARCH |
Spring is undeniably getting closer as our artists prepare various performances and concerts this month.
Soprano ALINA TKACHUK will be touring the Netherlands as Rosina in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” with the Moldova opera. They will visit cities as Nieuwegein, Amstelveen, Hoorn, Tiel, Rotterdam and more. The tour is from February 29th-March 22nd
Recent nominee for the Icelandic Music Award as “Singer of the Year” (Íslensku tónlistaverðlaunin), icelandic baritone HRÓLFUR SÆMUNDSSON will be singing the 1st SS officer in the opera “Die Passagierin” opening on March 1st in Teatro Real in Madrid.
On March 7th, Danish soprano SOFIE JENSEN will visit Aalborg Symphony Orchestra with the demanding orchestra and soprano piece “Let me tell you”, composed by Hans Abrahamsen, a composition which was awarded the Nordic council music prize in 2016.
As we approach Easter, many of our artists will be performing Easter related music and oratorios this month: FREDERIKKE KAMPMANN and STEFFEN BRUUN will team up as Adam and Eve in the creation by Joseph Haydn March 10th in Viborg, March 16th in Holstebro and March 17th in Aarhus. Counter tenor STEFFEN JESPERSEN will be singing the Alto part in St. John’s passion with the Aarhus Bach Society on March 10th. On March 16th PAVEL KOLGATIN sings the tenor part in the C minor mass by Mozart in the concert called “the gift of the youth” with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Tenor CONNY THIMANDER travels to Lisbon in Portugal to sing the evangelist and tenor solo in three sold out performances of the Bach’s St. John’s passion, with the Gulbenkian Music Foundation on March 26th, 27th and 28th. Soprano JOHANNA NYLUND will be performing in a completely newly composed version (by Bent Sørensen) of the St. Matthew's Passion with the Danish broadcasting corporation orchestra on March 28th.
This is also the month where the highly anticipated and playful production of “Ariadne auf Naxos” by director Katie Mitchell (which first opened in Aix en Provences in 2018) will be premiering on March 13th at The Royal Danish Theatre, with three of our singers on the cast list: SIMON DUUS (Truffaldino), MARLENE METZGER (Najade), and IAN BJØRSVIK (An officer)
And finally, we're looking forward to our new mezzo-soprano CLÁUDIA RIBAS singing Cornelia in “Giulio Césare” which will premiere on March 24th at Oper Frankfurt. Yet another month full of music from our magnificent artists! |
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NEWS FEBRUARY |
2024 is already a month old and our artists have a lot of exciting productions to look forward to in February. There's still time to catch the last production of “Flurry Tale” at Malmö Opera with KRISTINE NOWLAIN. The final performance is on February 4th. On the 2nd of February, a very exciting and grand scale production of Giuseppe Verdi’s immortal opera “Aida”, will be having its world premiere in Hamburg. We have three singers in this production; bass STEFFEN BRUUN as Il Re, soprano YANA KLEYN as Aida herself and NORA SOUROUZIAN as Amneris. This huge scale production will be playing in the biggest arenas and concerts halls in Europe, so don’t miss this amazing opportunity of an opera experience out of the ordinary. Read more about the cast and production here: www.aida-opera.live/en/ Another exciting premiere is Norrlandsoperan’s production of “Stolthet och fördom” (Pride and Prejudice) with our tenor FABIAN DÜBERG as Mr. Wickham. This opera will be playing from february 3rd - march 2nd. Also happening on February 3rd is the Premiere of “Turandot” at Malmö Opera. In this production is our young baritone JONAH SPUNGIN as Ping and tenor CONNY THIMANDER as Pong. The Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen also still has their production of “Die Zauberflöte” by Barrie Kosky, with soprano LOUISE MCCLELLAND (Pamina) and colouratura SVETLANA MOSKALENKO (The Queen of the Night) returning in the cast. Find specific dates at the Royal Theaters website here: www.kglteater.dk At the Royal National Finnish opera and Ballet brilliant soprano AISTE PILIBA will be singing Tatiana in “Eugen Onegin”. The production premieres on February 9th. Bass-baritone SIMON DUUS, will be singing a wonderful lied-concert on February 6th with pianist Magnus Wenzel Most, performing repertoire by Vaughan Williams, Barber and Finzi in the beautiful church, which was drawn by Danish Architect Jørn Utzon, Bagsværd Kirke. The opera “Madama Butterfly” will premiere on February 25th at The Royal Danish Opera, starring Bass baritone JENS SØNDERGAARD as Sharpless. We look forward to a wonderful month for our artists! |
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WELCOME CHRISTIAN DAMSGAARD |
TENOR CHRISTIAN DAMSGAARD JOINS OUR ROSTER! We are very excited to welcome Danish tenor Christian Damsgaard to the roster. Christian is one of Denmark's most sought after tenors, with a wide repertoire. Managing Director Jonas Fosdal says about signing Christian to the roster: "A well established Danish tenor with international experience, covering a wide range of character tenor roles and oratorios with a warm, flexible tenor voice and a strong theatrical presence is always a welcome addition to any roster!" Learn more about Christian Damsgaard here |
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NEWS JANUARY |
We are excited to begin a new year, and our artists are busy right from the get go, ringing in the new year with lots of magnificent concerts. Tenor MIKE BRACEGIRDLE will sing concerts with the South Denmark Philharmonic in various cities in Southern Denmark January 4th-8th, soprano FREDERIKKE KAMPMANN will go on a national tour with Promenadeorkesteret all over Denmark on January 3rd-17th, soprano SIBYLLE GLOSTED is performing concerts with Ensemble Storstrøm from January 6th-20th and mezzosoprano SIDSEL ERIKSEN sings with Randers Kammerorkester on January 10th and 12th Not only are we ringing in the new year with style, our dramatic soprano TRINE MØLLER will also give a stunning performance of “Elektra” at Theater Lübeck, in the much awaited staging by legendary mezzo-soprano Brigitte Fassbaender, premiering on January 27th We are looking forward to welcome a bright 2024 with lots of wonderful performances. |
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