Congratulations to pianist Jonathan Ware (pictured above) who has signed with Harrison Parrott. Jonathan is currently midway through a tour of North America and Europe with soprano Golda Schultz in a new programme of music by female composers .
New recordings
Nicholas Mogg and Jâms Coleman have been exploring the songs of Carl Loewe for a number of years and have now recorded a selection on their debut album for Champs Hill Records: ‘The Other Erlking: Songs and ballads by Carl Loewe’
In her review for BBC Music Magazine, Natasha Loges writes ‘Mogg is comfortable across the enormous range and demonstrates much of the timbral flexibility these songs need. Coleman’s playing is outstanding, with thrilling variety,’ whilst Hugo Shirley concludes his review in Gramophone Magazine saying that he welcomes ‘this handsome, intelligent and beautifully recorded debut from two fine artists’
Jâms Coleman also appears on cellist Laura van der Heijden’s upcoming album of Czech folk song arrangements, due out in February on Chandos Records.
Rebecca Afonwy Jones appears with Nova Music Opera Ensemble, conducted by George Vass on the premiere recording of Juliana by Joseph Phibbs, a chamber opera based on Strinberg’s ‘Miss Julie’.
House debuts
Congratulations to Jennifer France made her house debut at Bayerische Staatsoper as Zerbinetta, Ariadne auf Naxos on 18 January, and to Anush Hovhannisyan who debuted at Opéra de Paris on 26 January when she jumped into the role of Emma in Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina
BBC Music Magazine Awards
Voting now is open for the 2022 BBC Music Magazine Awards. In the opera category Lucy Crowe appears in the title role of Handel’s Rodelinda with English Concert/Harry Bicket and in the choral award, Morgan Pearse is one of the soloists with the Academy of Ancient Music in JL Dussek’s Messe Solemnelle.
Season announcements
English Touring Opera have announced dates for their spring tour, with performances across the country, including visits to Durham of the two opera productions on 9 and 10 May. In La bohème, Michel de Souza and Jerome Knox sing Marcello and Luciano Botelho is Rodolfo, whilst in Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel, Jerome Knox sings Tsarevich Afron and Amy J Payne is Amelfa. Also included in the tour are performances of Bach’s St John Passion, with Martha Jones, Tim Morgan, Jerome Knox and Bradley Travis among the soloists.
Opera Holland Park have announced their summer 2022 season. Anush Hovhannisyan sings Tatyana Eugene Onegin and in the UK premiere of Little Women by Mark Adamo, Kitty Whately is Meg and Benson Wilson is Friedrich Bhaer. Phillip Costovski is Triquet in the Young Artists cast for Eugene Onegin.
