News & Updates

Conductor Vincent de Kort is going to conduct Le Nozze di Figaro in Lithuanian Opera in November 2014, L'elisir d'amore and Schaliapin Festival in Tatar State Acedemic Opera in Kazan in September 2014 and February 2015, Gala Concert in Bolshoi in April 2015 and the Opera Siren Song at Hawaii Opera in March 2015.

Fabio Mastrangelo will conduct 4 performances of Aida at the world famous Arena di Verona on 26,31 of August and 04, 09 of September 2014 with an international star cast.

Luthando Qave, the young South African baritone has joined Ascolta Artists as general management.Hugely talented with easy high notes and a rich dark voice, he has already proven himself in repertoire such as Belcore, Guglielmo, Leporello, Valentin and Figaro (Mozart and Rossini) in houses such as the MET, Finnish National Opera, Royal Opera Stockholm, Drottningholm and Teatro Real in Madrid.

World star tenor José Cura is going to Vilnius in Lithuania to sing and conduct at the New Year Gala Concert on the 31st of December 2014 in Lithuanian National Opera And Ballet Theatre.A versatile program ranging from verismo opera to famous French highlights will ensure a spectacular evening for the audience to enjoy.

Ascolta Artists is happy to welcome the promising tenor Magnus Vigilius. He recently moved into the German tenor fach of among others Lohengrin and Walter von Stolzing, and a testament of his success is his 2nd prize and Orchestra prize in the 2014 "Lauritz Melchior Singing Competition" where one reviewer wrote:"Magnus Vigilius sang Siegfried at the forge and Walther von Stolzing‘s Price Song from the third act of ”Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” as if he were a student of Richard Wagner himself, with a declamation and expression, which also includes the Italian bel canto sensation. His Walther von Stolzing was the musical highlight and finest Wagner experience of the competition."

Awards and prizes are raining on the young Danish soprano Sofie Jensen. Recently she recieved a spezial prize at Classical Danish Radio Chamber Music Competition for best interpretation of a living Danish composer (Søren Siegumfeldt).On top of that she got Folmer Jensens Memorial Scholarship of 100.000DKK and concert with Joseph Calleja (15 August), a Reumert nomination as "Singer of the Year in Denmark" for her interpretation of "Oldmaiden and the thief" in the role of Letitia and latest she recieved Aalborg Opera Award which include a concert with Aalborg Symphony Orchestra.

Successful bass-baritone Simon Duus will sing Winterreise at Schubertiade in Roskilde (Denmark) on 12th of August 2014 and has been invited for the next two upcoming festivals as well, sing in Romeo et Juliette on the 27th of July at Copenhagen Opera Festival, Figaro in Le Nozze in Odense, and Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore.On the 3rd of October 2014 he will have his debut as Colline with Danish National Opera Singing 20 performances and recently he received one of the most prestigious recognitions the "Music Reviewers Artist Prize"

After his first successful role at Deutsche Oper Am Rhein, Conny Thimander has been reinvited to sing in the opera "Vom Mädchen das nicht schlafen wollte" in the fall 2014. He will also appear as tenor in Messiah with Aalborg Symphony Orchestra in december 2014.

Ascolta Artists is happy to expand its field of work with the leading international lighting designerThomas C. Hase who is recognized for his dynamic designs in opera, new theatrical productions and avant-garde dance. He has worked all over America with houses such as LA -, Seatle-, Dallas-, and Boston Lyric Opera and in Europe with Finnish-, Dutch National-, Malmö Opera, Opera de Marseille and Bavarian State Opera among others.

Soprano Lana Kos will sing one of her most celebrated roles, Violetta from G. Verdi's "La Traviata" at the Royal Opera Stockholm in spring 2015.

Giancarlo del Monaco, one of the most important and sought after stage directors of his generation has joined Ascolta Artists. He has staged productions in all the most important opera houses of the world including MET, München, La Scala, Unter den Linden and Zürich as well as the major festivals such as Bregenzer Festspiele, Savolinna and Festival d’Orange.

The young soprano Lana Kos have joined Ascolta Artists. Her specific warm timbre and a vocal range spanning three octaves places her among the most interesting young sopranos. Her most acclaimed roles goes from Violetta over Mimì and Desdemona to Giulietta. She has already had her debut in important houses and festivals such as Arena di Verona, München, Lausanne, Palermo and Greece State Opera.

Soprano Yana Kleyn and baritone Ola Eliasson are singing their last performance of Donna Anna and Don Giovanni at Royal Opera in Stockholm on the 27th of April after 14 successful shows both of them recieving brilliant critics from the reviewers.

Stage Director, Dmitry Bertman will have premiere of his spectacular production of Richard Strauss' Rosenkavalier on the 26 of April 2014 in Malmö Opera, Sweden. Other performances are on:30 April; 4,11,16, 20,28 and 31 of May 2014.Conductor will be Leif Segerstam. For video press "More details".http://www.malmoopera.se/forestallningar/rosenkavaljeren-1

Swedish tenor Conny Thimander will sing at Deutsche Oper am Rhein in the modern opera "Gegend der Wand" in June and October 2014.

Bas baritone Simon Duus is getting many new engagements including New Year Concert and recording of Carl Nielsen's "Maskerade" with Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Cäcilien Mass in Heidelberg, Messiah in Aalborg and Maskerade in Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

Soprano Miina-Liisa Värela will have her role debut as Rosalinde in Fledermaus at Helsinki Opera in 14/15 season

Four singers from Ascolta Artists, Sofie Jensen, Annette Markert, Conny Thimander and Simon Duus will sing 3 concerts of Messiah with Aalborg Symphony Orchestra in December 2014.

The young Lithuanian bass Tadas Girinkas joins Ascolta Artists. With his strong well projected bass voice he is well suited for the belcanto and Verdi repertoire and has already enjoyed success in Roles such as Raimondo, Attila, De Silva (Ernani) and Sparafucile.

One of the most influential stage directors in Russia, Dmitry Bertman, has started his cooperation with Ascolta Artists.He is greatly in demand all over the world and has a huge production list counting more than 100 productions in both festivals and opera houses. He is also the founder and General Manager of the Helikon Opera in Moscow. Among his present and upcomming productions are Rosenkavalier (Malmö Opera), Lady Macbeth of Msinsk (Teatro Communale di Bologna), Rossignol (Beirut Festival) and Rake’s Progress (Helsinki Opera).