July/August 2010
The 3rd Schloss Laudon Festival Vienna featuring the aron quartett and guests opens on August 16, 2010. For more information: www.schlosslaudonfestival.at
Music Curator and producer Michael Haas opens his most recent exhibition at the Jewish Museum Vienna on composer Ernst Toch on June 23. The exhibition runs through October 31, 2010.
sono extends heartfelt congratulations to all singers who won the 29th Hans Gabor Belvedere International Singing Competition in early July!
sono artists who competed in the competition:
- Alon Harari, countertenor (Semi-Finalist)
- Marko Spehar, bass (Semi-Finalist)
- Marko Mimica, bass (Semi-Finalist)
Soprano Csilla Boross will appear in Regensburg as Abigaille in Verdi's Nabucco on 16 and 17 July and 24 July in Locket, CZ.
Tenor Arturo Chacon-Cruz sings Mahler's Das Klagende Lied in Mexico City with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria on July 8,10,11 2010
Countertenor Matthew Shaw sings the Israeli Messenger/Priest in Händel's Judas Maccabaeus at the Berkshire Choral Festival on July 17.
Roy Cornelius Smith makes a role debut as Pollione in Bellini's Norma at the Chatauqua Festival on July 17, and in August is heard as Calaf in Puccini's Turandot in Seoul under the baton of Lorin Maazel.
Tenor Saimir Pirgu appears at the Ravinia Festival as Ferrando in a concert performance of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte under the baton of James Conlon on August 5th with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Soprano Rebecca Nelsen will appear in a concert of the Schloss Laudon Festival with songs of Walter Arlen accompanied by the renowed pianist Henri Sigfridsson on August 17, 2010.
sono announces the following contracts for its young singers from the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna:
- Soprano Brigitta Simon appears as Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni under the baton of Niels Muus with the Steyr Festival in Austria in July and August
- Soprano Elisabeth Wimmer joins the ensemble at the Nationaltheater Weimar beginning September 2010.
- Mezzo Chrysanthi Spitadi appears as a guest at the Staatstheater Wiesbaden in September 2010 in the role of Federica in a new production of Verdi's Luisa Miller. She also appears this summer in the title role of Carmen with Oper Klosterneuberg in July and August.
June 2010
Countertenor Matthew Shaw performs the title role of Giulio Cesare with Oper Kiel on June 10. Matthew appears on the Journal cover of this month's Orpheus Magazine in Germany, and speaks about his career in an interview: http://www.orpheusoper.de/pdf/Journal.pdf
Roy Cornelius Smith appears as Calaf at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on June 5.
Arturo Chacon-Cruz appears as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata under the baton of Lorin Maazel on June 1, 3, and 6 at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.
Soprano Csilla Boross appears as Elettra in Idomeneo at the National Theater Prague on June 5, 29. She will also be heard as Tosca at the Festival Litomysl on June 24.
Soprano Justine Viani sings Salome on June 18, 22 at Theater Heidelberg.
Tenor Saimir Pirgu appears at the Farewell Gala of Ioan Holender at the Vienna State Opera on June 26.
May 2010
Bass-baritone Igor Bakan appears at Opernhaus Zurich in Schrecker's Der Ferne Klang on May 13, 20, 22 and June 2, 6, 9.
Csilla Boross makes her debut on May 6 as Elettra in a new production of Mozart's Idomeneo directed by Yoshi Oida at the National Theater of Prague. Further performances: 9, 13, 16 May; 5, 29 June. Boross will also sing Abigail in Verdi's Nabucco in Brno on May 30.
Tenor Arturo Chacon-Cruz performs the role of Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto with Opera Florentine of Milwaukee on May 21, 22, 23.
Saimir Pirgu returns to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata on May 11. Further performances: May 14, 19, 21, 24.
Soprano Rebecca Nelsen returns to the Semperoper Dresden as Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata on May 24, 26, 29.
April 2010
Countertenor Matthew Shaw to take over performances of Endimione in La Calisto at the Grand Théâtre de Genève on April 18, 20, 22, 26, 28
Interview with tenor Arturo Chacon-Cruz - Associated Content by Smorg
Tenor David Ho-Chul Lee and bass-baritone Igor Bakan are 2 out of 20 candidates selected for the 1st Savonlinna International Singing Competition, to take place from July 20-25, 2010.
Soprano Nadine Koutcher will compete in Placido Domingo's Operalia 2010 in Milan from April 22-May 2.
Hungarian soprano Csilla Boross receives the prestigious Thalia Award for 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNuru-PCeD0&NR=1 This month she will also be heard as Fiordiligi at the National Theater Prague and as Tatiana in Eugene Onegin in Brno.
On April 10, soprano Justine Viani makes her debut at Theater Heidelberg in the title role of Salome, conducted by Cornelius Meister. Click this link for the sensational reviews (only available in German for the moment)
Justine Viani as Salome
Baritone Peter Mazalan will join the Opera Studio of the Bayerische Staatsoper for the 2010/11 season.
Tenor Brandon McReynolds sings Alfredo in La Traviata at Volktheater Rostock on April 3 and 3 performances of Mozart's Mass in C minor on April 17, 18 and 19.
Tenor Saimir Pirgu sings in a gala concert at the Salle Pleyel in Paris on April 8. Cond. P. Fourniller. Pirgu will also appear on April 15, 16, 17 at Santa Cecilia as Rinuccio in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi cond. by V. Jurowski.
Bass-baritone Igor Bakan will sing the role of Totengräber in the IOS Opernhaus Zurich production of Offenbach's Blaubart on April 22, 24, 27, 30 and May 2, 6, 9. He will also make his Figaro debut in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro at Staatstheater Darmstadt in September 2010.
Tenor Gustavo Porta sings the role of Faust in Boito's Mefistofele at the Opéra de Montpellier on April 29.
Soprano Alexandra Reinprecht sings Adina in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'amore at the Wiener Staatsoper on April 14.
March 2010
Bass-baritone Igor Bakan will join the ensemble of the Der Vlaamse Opera for the 2010/11 season and will be heard as Oroe in Rossini's Semiramide, Vittelius in Massenet's Herodiade, Einäugige in Strauss' Frau Ohne Schatten, Monteverdi's Il Ritorno d'Ulysse in Patria, and Il Re (cover) in Aida.
Tenor Arturo Chacon-Cruz will appear as the Duke of Mantua in a new production of Verdi's Rigoletto at the Opera Royale de Wallonie in Lièges: Performance dates: March 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 and April 3 (Charleroi) and 9 (Heerlen, Netherlands). www.arturochaconcruz.com
Soprano Nadine Koutcher was invited to participate Placido Domingo's Operalia Competition in Milan from April 25 - May 2, 2010
Baritone Peter Mazalan will participate in the prestigious Académie of the Aix-En-Provence Festival in Summer 2010.
Soprano Rebecca Nelsen stars as Julia de Weert in Eduard Künneke's Der Vetter aus Dingsda at the Vienna Volksoper. Performance dates: March 19, 22 and April 31.
Saimir Pirgu appears in Ancona as Don Ottavio at the Teatro delle Muse on March 19 and 21, under the baton of Asher Fisch.
Countertenor Matthew Shaw will appear for a guest performance with Oper Kiel in the title role of Handel's Giulio Cesare on June 10.
The 3rd Kammermusikfestival Schloss Laudon presented by Vienna's aron quartett will take place from 16-22 August, 2010. Rebecca Nelsen is featured as a guest on one of the evenings. Tickets can now be reserved. More information at: www.schlosslaudonfestival.at
February
Bass-baritone Igor Bakan sings the role of Pfleger des Orest and Orest (cover) (Elektra) at the Teatro Comunale di Ferrara conducted by Gustav Kuhn on 13, 14 February.
Soprano Csilla Boross appears as Tatiana (Eugene Onegin) in Brno on Feb 4 and Fiordigli (Cosi Fan Tutte) at the National Theater in Prague on Feb 9. She will also be heard in the title role of Aida in Brno on February 13.
Tenor Saimir Pirgu celebrates great success in his role debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Hamburg State Opera. Last performances: Feb 2& 6. Pirgu will also appear in the title role of Idomeneo at Opernhaus Zurich under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt on Saturday Feb 20, 23, 25, 28 and March 2,4 and 7.
Matthew Shaw makes spectacular debut as Giulio Cesare at Theater Dortmund:
Review - Ruhr Nachrichten (german)
Interview with Matthew Shaw (in german)
January 2010
The Sono Team wishes everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!!
Tenor David Ho-Chul Lee is one of 6 contestants chosen to compete in the Emmerich Smola Competition in Landau, Germany on January 16, 2010. More information: http://www.swr.de/musikdebuet
Countertenor Matthew Shaw makes his premiere in the title role of Giulio Cesare at Theater Dortmund on January 31.
Tenor Saimir Pirgu makes a role debut as Edgardo in Lucia de Lammermoor at Staatsoper Hamburg on January 17. Further appearances: Jan 20, 23, 27, 30 Feb 2, 6
Baritone Davide Damiani appears as Lescaut in Puccini's Manon Lescaut at Teatro La Fenice in Venice on Jan 30 and Feb 3.
Soprano Csilla Boross makes her debut in the title role of Aida at the National Theater in Brno (new production) on January 22 and as Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte on Jan 25 at the National Theater in Prague.
Soprano Rebecca Nelsen appears at the Semperoper Dresden as Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) on January 17, 19, 25 and makes a role debut there as Blonde (Entführung aus dem Serail) on January 7. Further performances as Blonde: January 9, 11
Bass-baritone Igor Bakan sings the role of Pfleger des Orest and Orest (cover) (Elektra) at the Teatro Comunale Bolzano conducted by Gustav Kuhn. Premiere: January 15 at 8pm. Additional performances: Jan 16 more information http://www.ntbz.net/13v2295d2324.html
December 2009
Tenor Carlo Ventre appears at the New Theater of Toyko as Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca. Performances: 2, 5, 8, 11, 13 December 2009.
Soprano Rebecca Nelsen to take over all performances of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Semperoper Dresden in January 2010: 17, 19 and 25 at 7pm.
Soprano Nadine Koutcher jumps in for an indisposed colleague to sing a performance of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata at the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg.
Josef Fuchs, associate manager at sono, makes his Theater an der Wien debut in the role of Cavaliero in Haydn's Il Mondo della Luna, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt in a new production by Tobias Moretti. The production will be released on DVD.
November 2009
Saimir Pirgu makes his Metropolitan Opera debut on November 20 in the role of Rinuccio in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. Additional performances: November 25, 28 & December 1, 5, 9, 12
Roy Cornelius Smith sings the lead role of Haman in Hugo Weisgall's Esther in New York City Opera's season opening production on November 7. Cond. George Manahan. Additional performances: 13, 15, 17, 19
Countertenor Matthew Shaw will star in the title role of Giulio Caesare in a new production directed by Lukas Hemleb at Theater Dortmund. Premiere: Jan 31, 2010
October 2009
Saimir Pirgu is a sensation in the new film of Puccini's La Boheme produced by Swiss TV in Bern. The commercial release of the DVD is expected in 2010.
Soprano Rebecca Nelsen takes over the premiere of Verdi's La Traviata as Violetta on October 4th in a new production of Andreas Homoki at the Semperoper under the baton of Fabio Luisi.
''At least the audience got lucky with the Violetta of Rebecca Nelsen. ....she quickly overwhelmed with her dreamlike security and captivating piani.'' Roberto Becker - Neues Deutschland 17 October 2009
Ms. Nelsen also makes her Semperoper role debut as Susanna in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro on October 26. Additional performances: October 30 & Nov. 7, 12
Tenor David Ho-Chul Lee is one of 6 singers chosen to compete for the next Emmerich Smola Förderpreis. The Musik-Debut competition will take place January 16, 2010. For more information:
Carlo Ventre celebrated success in the role of San-Lui in the premiere of Leoni's L'Oracolo (new production) and Roberto in Puccini's Le Villi at the Frankfurt Opera on October 4. Additional performances: 8, 11, 17, 29, 31 & November 5, 8, 19
September 2009
Tenor Saimir Pirgu will sing his first Rodolfo in a live transmission on Swiss Television on September 29, a production to take place in Bern. The production will also be broadcast on ARTE.
Rebecca Nelsen makes her La Fenice debut on September 11 and appears as Violetta alongside Vittorio Grigolo's Alfredo in the Robert Carsen revival on September 11. Further performances for the soprano are September 15, 17, 19.
Lyric Tenor Ho-Chul Lee begins his two-year ensemble contract at Nationaltheater Mannheim.
Bass-baritone Igor Bakan begins his one-year contract at the IOS at Opernhaus Zurich. Bakan will also sing 8 performances of Pfleger des Orest and Orest (cover) in Elektra under the baton of Gustav Kuhn in Bolzano, Modena, Piacenza and Ferrara in January and February 2010.
American tenor Brandon McReynolds makes his European debut as Alfredo in La Traviata at the Volkstheater Rostock Germany. Performance dates: 26 Sept (premiere), 1- 9- 30 Oct, 28 Nov, 3-16 Dec, 10-20 Jan 2010, 6 Mar 2010.
July 2009
Tenor Carlo Ventre returns to the Arena di Verona to sing performances of Radames in Aida on July 12, 16, 22, 26, 28, and 31.
American soprano Rebecca Nelsen makes her La Fenice debut as Violetta in the Robert Carsen revival of La Traviata in Venice on September 15, 2009. Additional performances: Sept. 17 & 19. Ms. Nelsen will also appear in this role at the Semperoper Dresden this year under the baton of Fabio Luisi, and as Blonde and Susanna at the Semperoper in 2009/2010.
American tenor Brandon McReynolds makes his European debut as Alfredo in La Traviata at the Volkstheater Rostock Germany. Performance dates: 26 Sept (premiere), 1- 9- 30 Oct, 28 Nov, 3-16 Dec, 10-20 Jan 2010, 6 Mar 2010.
Tenor Saimir Pirgu made a sensational debut at the Santa Fe Opera as Alfredo in a Laurent Pelly production of Verdi's La Traviata opposite Natalie Dessay on July 3, 2009:
The Hanns Eisler exhibition at the Jewish Museum in Vienna, curated by music producer Michael Haas, is extended through September 2009.
June 2009
Carlo Ventre celebrates great success as Cavaradossi at the San Francisco Opera in Tosca. The June 5th performance was transmitted live into the AT&T Baseball Stadium in San Francisco in front of an audience of 27,000 people.
Ventre as Cavaradossi in the San Francisco Opera production(photo: Terrence McCarthy)
"As Mario Cavaradossi, her artist-rebel of a lover, tenor Carlo Ventre was the cast's most eruptive singer, tender then lusty, with a generic heart-throb edge to the lustiness. His voice is well-oiled and secure, and he let it rip." - San Jose Mercury News
"He [Ventre] caught a few deserved ovations, what with an elegant, burnished tenor which shone in e lucevan le stelle." - SFist
"As her lover, the fiery political activist and painter of religious art Mario Cavaradossi, tenor Carlo Ventri also lent a sturdy and sometimes beautiful sound to his performance. His gorgeous handling of the beloved solo in Act III, "E lucevan le stelle...." - Bay Area Reporter
"Cavaradossi is played by Carlo Ventre, who sings the part with a rugged lyric spinto, and delivers his top notes with a lushly broad, bronze tone. He excelled in his "E lucevan le stelle," but perhaps was even better in the arioso that follow, "O dolci mani."- The Opera Critic
May 2009
Music producer and curator Michael Haas is awarded the Theodor Koerner Prize for his work as curator of the exhibition, "Hanns Eisler: Individualist and collectivist" at the Jewish Museum Vienna, which runs through July 12, 2009. The City of Vienna's Theodor Koerner Prize for advancement of Arts and Sciences is a significant recognition of achievement in the arts and sciences in Austria.
The internationally renowned aron quartett and Frau Mag. Renate Brauner, Vice-Mayor of the City of Vienna, will open the 2nd Schloss Laudon Chamber Music Festival in Vienna, Austria on August 18, 2009. The 4-concert festival includes works by emigre composers from England and the Soviet Union such as Joseph Horowitz, Vilem Tausky, Mieczyslaw Weinberg, and Dmitri Schostakowitsch. Joseph Haydn, Bohuslav Martinu, Kurt Weill, and Erich Wolfgang Korngold are also on the program.
Bass-baritone Igor Bakan joins the IOS at Opernhaus Zurich for the 2009/2010 season. Mr. Bakan was also invited to participate in Placido Domingo's 17th Operalia competition this summer in Budapest.
Tenor Gianluca Terranova makes his debut as Tonio in La Fille du Regiment at the Teatro Verdi Trieste on May 9, 2009.
Tenor Carlo Ventre made his successful return to the San Francisco Opera as Cavaradossi in Tosca at on June 2, 2009. On Remaining performances: June 5, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26
Tenor Roy Cornelius Smith will make his Deutsche Oper Berlin debut as Calaf on June 29, 2009.
Lyric tenor Ho-Chul Lee jumps in as Malcolm in Macbeth at Staatstheater Mannheim in June 2009, and in September will begin a 2-year contract as an ensemble member of the Staatstheater Mannheim.