Swedish baritone Peter Mattei makes his role debut as Wozzeck in a new production at the Metropolitan Opera, staged by William Kentridge and led by the Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The opening night of Wozzeck is on December 27, with further performances on Jan 2, 7, 11, 16, 19 and 22.
Peter Mattei has last spring appeared in one of his favourite roles, Don Giovanni, at the Met and at Wiener Staatsoper. He will this spring concentrate on concert performances, beginning with Schubert's Winterreise at Carnegie Hall, together with pianist Lars David Nilsson.
Last autumn, Peter Mattei and Lars David Nilsson went on a Nordic tour with Winterreise, resulting in a recording, now nominated for the Swedish Grammis award. Peter will this spring also sing St Matthew's passion with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and will sing Kindertotenlieder with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon. Peter and Lars David also performs Winterreise again in May at Oper Frankfurt.
Malin Byström and Peter Mattei has both been nomitated for the Swedish Grammis - the Swedish music industries equivalent of tha Grammy Award. Malin Byström for her debut solo album Orchestral Songs and Peter Mattei for his recording of Winterreise, together with pianist Lars David Nilsson.
Malin Byström recently released her first solo album Orchestral Songs which was recorded with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra led by Stefan Solyom. Malin's debut album is released on the label Swedish Society and will be distributed by Naxosand we hear Malin Byström interpret Alban Berg's Sieben frühe Lieder and a selection of orchestral songs by Duparc och Rangström
The Swedish record label BIS has earlier this year released the recording of Winterreise with Peter Mattei and pianist Lars David Nilsson that was made in connection with last years' highly praised Nordic tour of the Schubert song cycle. Peter Mattei and Lars David Nilsson's Winterreise was also recorded in a special tv-version at Confidencen, Ulriksdal Royal Theatre by filmmaker and producer Bengt Wennehorst and has been sent on Swedish Television. This winter Peter and Lars David are looking forward to performing the song cycle together in one of the most prestigious stages, when they in January enter the stage in Zankel Hall / Carnegie Hall in New York. Winterreise will also be performed later this spring at Oper Frankfurt.
The Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm presents a revival of Carmen, staged by Johanna Garpe. As Carmen we hear Katarina Leoson and Daniel Johansson appears in the role of Don José. We also hear Johanna Rudström as Mercedes. The opening night is on December 18 and Carmen will be played until March 2 this spring, with Daniel Johansson's last performance on February 13.
Daniel Johansson has earlier this season appeared as Apollo/Dionysos in Manfred Trojahn's Orest at Wiener Staatsoper, a production with which he made his house debut at Wiener Staatsoper last spring. Daniel has begun this season at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm with Fritz in Schreker's opera Der ferne Klang. Daniel has previously performed the role of Don José in several productions; at Bregenzer Festspiele, Semper Oper in Dresden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, The Finland National opera, and the Norwegian National Opera.
Katarina Leoson is a soloist at the Royal Swedish Opera's ensemble where she previously has appeared as Maddalena in Rigoletto, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Olga in Eugen Onegin, Erda in Das Rheingold and many more. Katarina has also been a guest at the Metropolitan i New York as Maddalena in Rigoletto and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro. Katarina has appeared as Lucia Vingradito in Rossini's La gazza ladra at Oper Frankfurt and she has sung Cornelia in Händel's Giulio Cesare at the Finland National Opera.
The Norwegian Opera in Oslo presents Verdi's Rigoletto staged by Ole Anders Tandberg. As Gilda we hear Sofie Asplund who makes her house debut with this role. Rigoletto will be played on December 19, 28 and 30 and on January 5, 7 and 10.
Sofie Asplund was chosen to sing at this year's Nobel Prize ceremony on December 10 at the Stockholm Concert Hall, with live tv broadcasts in Sweden and abroad, where she performed pieces by Gounod and Sibelius together with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra led by David Björkman.
Sofie Asplund has earlier this season sung Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro at the Göteborg Opera. The previous season ancluded Constance in Dialogues des carmélites and Zerlina in Don Giovanni, both at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. Sofie also appeared as Anne Truelove in The Rake's Progress led by Barbara Hannigans in her ’Equilibrum young artists’ project, with performances in Munich with the Münchner Philharmoniker, as well as a European tour with the Ludwig Orchestra to Amsterdam, Paris. Hamburg, Dresden and Dortmund.
Peter Mattei has been chosen as the 2020 Vocalist of the Year by Musical America International Directory of the Performing Arts. The awards will be presented in December at the annual awards ceremony in Carnegie Hall, New York.
"The lyric beauty of his voice is just the beginning: He never allows us to forget what his characters are feeling. Berg’s Wozzeck, his tenth Metropolitan Opera role, will test the Swedish baritone’s skill at finding beauty while delving into the dark side."
Peter Mattei will this winter make his role debut in the title role of Alban Bergs Wozzeck at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. This spring include concert performances of Schubert's Winterreise together with pianist Lars-David Nilsson in Carnegie Hall and at Oper Frankfurt. He will also sing Bach's St Matthew Passion with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and he'll perform Mahler's Kindertotenlieder with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lissabon.
The young Swedish soprano Christina Nilsson makes her Wagner debut with the role of Elsa in Lohengrin at Theater Dortmund. The premiere was on November 30 with further performances on December 8 and 14, January 12, March 22, April 10 and May 22.
Christina Nilsson has this autiumn appeared in several concerts. She has sung Strauss' Vier letzte Lieder with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and she has been on tour in Germany with the Swedish choir Orphei Drängar. In February Christina will make another role debut when she sings Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm.
"Die junge schwedische Sopranistin Christina Nilsson, übrigens eine Stipendiatin u.a. der Birgit-Nilsson-Stiftung, legte als Elsa eine mehr als beachtliche Talentprobe ab. Ihr lyrischer Sopran, gleichwohl auch in dramatischeren Regionen belastbar, reicht rollentechnisch von der Mozart-Contessa bis zur Ariadne. Da kommt Elsa gerade recht. Sie bemühte sich nach Kräften, diese Konzeption auch mit roten Blutkörperchen anzureichern. Respekt!" Read the entire review of Lohengrin by Karl Masek in Online Merker through the link below
"Christina Nilsson als Elsa mit ihrem schönen lyrischen Sopran macht eine ungeheure Entwicklung durch. Unter schwerer Anklage des Brudermords stehend erträumt sie sich einen Retter, der nach einer enormen auch musikalisch dramatischen Steigerung auf mysteriöse Art erscheint und sie in einem Kampf mit ihrem Ankläger Telramund rehabilitiert.
„Nimm alles, was ich bin“ – sie verspricht ihm bedingungslose Liebe. „Elsa, ich liebe dich“, antwortet Lohengrin, knüpft an die Ehe aber die Bedingung des Frageverbots. Wie sie Lohengrin in der Brautnacht zusetzt und Telramund mit dem Messer ersticht ist eine großartige Emanzipationsgeschichte. Auch hier ein vielversprechendes Rollendebut." Ursula Hartlapp-Lindemeyer / Red. DAS OPERNMAGAZIN
The Göteborg Opera presents Die Walküre staged by the Göteborg Opera’s Artistic Director for Opera/Drama 2013–2019, Stephen Langridge and led by Evan Rogister, Principal Conductor of Washington National Opera.
As Brünnhilde, we hear AnnLouice Lögdlund, Wotan is sung by Anders Lorentzson and Matilda Paulsson appears as Siegrune.
The opening night of Die Walküre is on December 1st with further performances on December 7, 15, 21 and 29 and January 3, 11 and 19.
The Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm present a new production of La traviata staged by Swedish director Ellen Lamm. In the role of Violetta Valéry we hear Ida Falk Winland, who sings the part for the first time. Participating in the production are also Markus Schwartz as Baron Douphol, Jonas Degerfeldt as Gastone and John Erik Eleby as Doktor Grenvil. The Royal Swedish Orchestra and Choir will be led by Domingo Hindoyan alternating with Vincenzo Milletari.
The opening night is on November 23 and La traviata will be played until February 10.
Ida Falk Winland has this autumn appeared as Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Göteborg Opera. Last season included three role debuts; Contessa and Nedda in Pagliacci in Gothenburg and Gilda in Rigoletto in Stockholm.
Markus Schwartz is currently a guest soloist at the Royal Opera in Stockholm where he this season appears as Alidoro in La Cenerentola, Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Baron Douphol/La traviata and Ibn-Hakia in Tchaikovsky's Jolanta.
Malin Byström has, together with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra led by Stefan Solyom, recorded orchestral songs by Alban Berg, Henri Duparc and Ture Rangström. Malin's Debut solo album is released on the label Swedish Society and will be distributed by Naxos. We hear Malin Byström interpret Alban Berg's Sieben frühe Lieder and a selection of orchestral songs by Duparc och Rangström.
Malin Byström is participating in another recent record release - a live recorduing of her first Salome at De Nationale Opera in Amsterdam, with the Concertgebouw orchestra led by Daniele Gatti. In March next year, Malin will make her debut at Teatro alla Scala in the same role.
Malin Byström har under hösten framträtt i rollen som Donna Anna i Don Giovanni på Royal Opera House Covent Garden, en föreställning som även livesänts på biografer runt om i världen. I maj lägger hon ytterligare en roll till sin repertoar, då hon sjunger Minnie i Puccinis Flickan från Västern på Kungliga Operan i Stockholm.
The Göteborg Opera presents a revival of Carmen originally staged by Sir David McVicars for Glyndebourne in 2002. In the role of Don José we hear Joachim Bäckström who sang the part in the production's Gothenburg premiere in 2016. The opening night is on November 1st with further performances until December 19.
Joachim Bäckström has the previous season been a guest at the Finland National Opera in Helsinki where he sung his first Erik in Der fliegende Holländer. Joachim made two more role debuts the same season with Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana, followed by the role of Michel in Martinůs Trois fragments de Juliette, both at the Göteborg Opera.
In the spring of 2020 Joachim will make another role debut when he sings Sigmund in Die Walküre at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, followed by the same role at the Finland National Opera.
The Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm presents a revival of Die Zauberflöte, staged by Norwegian director Ole Anders Tandbergs. In the role of Pamina we hear Hanna Husáhr, who also sang the role in this production in 2017. Hanna has previously appeared as Pat Nixon in John Adam's opera Nixon in China.
The opening night of the revival of Die Zauberflöte is on October18 and it will be played until December 4th.
Hanna Husáhr began this season at Den ny Opera in Denmark where she sang Woglinde in Das Rheingold. Later this autumn, Hanna sings First Niece in Peter Grimes together with the Bergen Symphony Orchestra with concerts and recording in Oslo, Bergen at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The previous spring Hanna was a guest at the Bergen National Opera in Norway, where she appeared in the role of Sophie in Werther.
The Concertgebouw orchestra performs works by Gerald Barry and Thomas Adès, led by Adès himself and performed for the first time in the Netherlands. Gerald Barry has set to music August Strindberg's The Stronger in English translation and as a soloist we hear Swedish soprano Kerstin Avemo. The concerts take place on October 10 and 11 at Concertgebouw i. Amsterdam.
The Orchestra will also perform an orchestral suite from Thomas Adès opera Powder her face, an opera in which Kerstin Avemo has performed the role of the Maid at La Monnaie in Brussels and at the Polish National Opera. Kerstin has performed another role in Thomas Adès' operas when she sang the role of Leticia Meynar in Adès Exterminating Angel at the Danish premiere at the Royal Danish Opera inCopenhagen in 2018.
Kerstin Avemo has the previous season created a highly praised role portrait of the Woman in Poulenc's La Voix Humaine at the Göteborg opera and she appeared as Leilah/Lilith in the world premiere of Bohlin's opera Tristessa at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. Kerstin was also a guest at the Grand Théâtre de Genève with the role of Oscar in Un ballon in maschera. This spring, Kerstin will sing the role of Mimì in La Bohème in Gothenburg.
The Swedish record label BIS has released the recording of Winterreise with Peter Mattei and pianist Lars David Nilsson that was made in connection with last years' highly praised Nordic tour of the Schubert song cycle.
Peter Mattei and Lars David Nilsson's Winterreise was also recorded in a special tv-version at Confidencen, Ulriksdal Royal Theatre by filmmaker and producer Bengt Wennehorst and has been sent on Swedish Television.
This winter Peter and Lars David are looking forward to performing the song cycle together in one of the most prestigious stages, when they in January enter the stage in Zankel Hall / Carnegie Hall in New York.
We are very happy to announce that Swedish soprano Malin Byström during the coming season 2019-2020 will make her house debut at Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Malin will sing the title role in a new production of Salome, staged by Damiano Michieletto and led by Mo. Riccardo Chailly.
Malin Byström was in 2018 awarded the prize as Female singer of the Year at the International Opera Awards in London for her role interpretation of Salome at De Nedarlandse Opera in Amsterdam in the summer of 2017. Malin has since then returned to the role of Salome which she performed at the Royal Opera House in London the following year.
The season 2019-2020 also include the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at the Royal Opera House and Minnie in Puccini's La fanciulla del West at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm.