MENU
7th edition
2017
Conductor, founder and artistic director of the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Sopot. He was born in Warsaw, where he studied at the Higher State School of Music in the class of Bogusław Madey (diploma with honours). Thanks to a scholarship, he was able to study at the Hochschule für Musik Köln in Cologne and participate in masterclasses in Vienna.
He began his career as a conductor in 1971 at the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera in Warsaw with the ballet Giselle by Adam. At the same time, from 1974 to 1978, he was the conductor and artistic director of the Grand Theatre in Poznań. From 1978 to 1980, he was the first conductor of the Orchester der Beethovenhalle Bonn. In 1982, he established the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Sopot and has been performing with it ever since in the greatest concert halls all over the world. In 1993–2006, Wojciech Rajski was the artistic director of the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (now Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Warsaw), with which he actively performed and registered many recordings for the Polish Radio.
In 1993, he launched his pedagogical career at the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe, where he received the title of professor. In 1998–2014, he was a conducting professor at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main; in 2008–2020, he ran a conducting class at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk.
In addition to his regular co-operation with Polish orchestras, Wojciech Rajski has performed as a guest conductor with numerous orchestras in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Mexico, England, Sweden, Greece, Spain and Germany, e.g. the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Geneva), the NDR Radiophilharmonie (Hannover) or the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Munich). He has led many world-renowned soloists, including Mstislav Rostropovich, Henryk Szeryng, Sabine Meyer, Ivo Pogorelić, Aleksandra Kurzak, Roberto Alagna, Piotr Beczała or Krystian Zimerman, with whom he has toured Germany twice.
Mr Rajski has participated in such international festivals as the Prague Spring, the Flanders Festival, the Gran Canaria Festival, the Festspiele Europäische Wochen Passau, the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival as well as in festivals in Evian, Montpellier, La Chaise-Dieu and Copenhagen. Originator and artistic director of the Sopot Classic International Music Festival.
Wojciech Rajski’s recording output includes over 80 albums released by such labels as Sony Classical, DUX, EMI, Universal Music, Le Chant du Monde, Claves, Thorofon, Tacet, Midas, Bis, Wifon, Koch and many others. He records for radio and television both in Poland and abroad. He has received many distinctions and decorations, e.g. the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2002), the Silver Medal for Merit to Culture ‘Gloria Artis’ (2005) or the Pomeranian Artistic Award (2008); in 2022, he was awarded the Gold Medal for Merit to Culture ‘Gloria Artis.’
In year 2016 he graduated from The Frederic Chopin University of Music in Warsaw on the Symphony and Opera Conducting in the class of Maestro Antoni Wit. During that time he made debut with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. He studied with Maestro Jorma Panula and Jacek Kaspszyk during international masterclasses. The special point in his career was participating in “Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy” in Ravenna, guided by prominent and world class conductor Riccardo Muti.
In 2016 Dawid Runtz won second prize at 6th Witold Lutosławski Conducting Competition in Bialystok. In 2013, he won second prize and special prize at 1st Adam Kopyciński’s National Competition for Students of Conducting in Wroclaw. In 2014 he was invited to participate in the 1st International Forum of Young Conductors in Zielona Gora, individually representing Poland.
Besides conducting achievements Dawid Runtz succeeded as a composer. In 2010 he won his first prize at Nationwide Competition for Young Composers Uczniowskie Forum Muzyki in Warsaw under the patronage of Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, for the work ‘Evolution’ for chamber orchestra. In followed year he won prize at International Young Composers Competition “Euritmia” in Italy for the work ‘Capriccio per flauto solo’.
In 2015 he received a scholarship of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education Republic of Poland as well as scholarship of Marshal of Pomeranian Province. In years 2008 – 2015 he received a scholarship of district governor of Wejherowo. For his education achievements in years 2012-2016 he was beneficiary of a scholar of The Frederic Chopin’s University of Music Rector. Moreover twice he received President’s of Wejherowo City Award for achievements in music.
Since 2014/2015 season he has been cooperating with the Grand Theatre-National Opera in Warsaw as an assistant conductor. Since 2017, due to scholar of Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Republic of Poland, he has become an assistant conductor to Maestro Jacek Kaspszyk in Warsaw Philharmonic. In current year he participated in prestigious masterclass in conducting led by Maestro Daniele Gatti with The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. In July he made his conducting debut in Japan during “Pacific Music Festival” in Sapporo, due to an invitation given by Director of the Festival, Maestro Valery Giergiev.
Since 2017 Dawid Runtz has been represented by Ludwig van Beethoven Association.
one of the finest brass ensembles in the world to come out of Germany. As a pioneer among brass ensembles, German Brass has not only written music history since its founding in 1974, but continues to perform its own success story.
German Brass has succeeded in creating “diversity in unity”, i.e. to work the miracle of producing a unique, unmistakable collective sound with ten individualists and renowned soloists from outstanding first-class German orchestras. As an ensemble they play transparent chamber music but at the same time with symphonic magnificence and dynamics that only brass instrumentalists can produce.
The repertoire of German Brass includes all stylistic directions and kinds from Scheidt to Shostakovich, from Dixieland to Bossa Nova. It contains unabashedly classical and “timeless”, serious and entertaining elements. In their concerts the ensemble nurtures and surmounts the division in two kinds of musical styles with professionalism and fun: the programs contains arrangements of classical works as well as adaptations and compositions of musical evergreens which have mostly been arranged and composed specially for GERMAN BRASS and pay tribute to the typical sound and the technical brilliance of the ensemble.
Listening to one of the concerts of German Brass, presented by Klaus Wallendorf of the ensemble with inimitably witty and entertaining comments as well as to one of the many recordings on CD is quite an experience.
In the year 2013 the ensemble plays 45 concerts all over Germany and visits South-Korea, Luxemburg, Russia and Poland. Beside this German Brass recorded two more CDs. The CD “Celebrating Wagner” is a homage to the famous german composer Richard Wagner. “Fantastic Moments” combines classical music from Gioacchino Rossini and Wolgang Amadeus Mozart with music from Cole Porter and Harry James.
is one of the most outstanding young Polish sopranos. She studied at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wroclaw under Professor Danuta Paziuk-Zipser and at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna.
Aleksandra Kubas-Kruk’s many competition successes have included Special Prize at the International Vocal Competition in Toulouse, First Prize and the Award for the best coloratura soprano at the St. Moniuszko International Vocal Competition in Warsaw, First Prize and Special Prize at the Karol Szymanowski International Vocal Competition in Lodz, and in the Halina Halska-Fijałkowska Polish Vocal Competition, First Prize at the Solomiya Krushelnytska International Competition of Opera Singers in Lviv, Special Prize at the Toti dal Monte International Vocal Competition in Treviso, and the Prize for the youngest finalist and the Audience Prize at the International Vocal Competition in Malmö. She received the Jan Kiepura Award for the best female singer in Poland and the Wroclaw Music Award for excellent performances of the Wroclaw Opera House. In 2015, she also was honored with the Award of the President of Wroclaw for the outstanding artistic achievements in 2014.
Aleksandra Kubas-Kruk made her professional operatic début as Gilda Rigoletto at the Wroclaw Opera and her international début as Kunegonde Candide in Lucca, Ravenna, Livorno and Pisa under the baton of Maestro Elio Boncompagni. Her début at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow as Queen of Shemakha The Golden Cockerel by Rimsky-Korsakow was followed immediately by a return invitation to sing Die Königin der Nacht Die Zauberflöte. At the Bolshoi Theatre she also performs Feu, Princesse, and Le Rossignol in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges. She has also sung at the Theater Bonn in the title role of Lakmé.
As a resident Principal of the Wroclaw Opera she has sung Lucia Lucia di Lammermoor, Gilda Rigoletto, Adina L’elisir d’amore, Nanetta Falstaff, Oscar Ballo in Maschera, Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, Pamina Die Zauberflöte, Hanna Straszny dwor, Olimpia Les contes d’Hoffmann, Angel Angels in America, Sophie Der Rosenkavalier, Violetta La Traviata and many others. Her operatic repertoire also includes Baronessa La vera costanza (Haydn), Rosina Il barbiere di Siviglia, Sofia Il Signor Bruschino. She also is being invited by Opera Baltycka in Gdansk, where she performs Violetta in La Traviata and Hanna Straszny dwor.
In March 2015 she made her debut at the National Opera in Warsaw as Gilda in Rigoletto and in April she returned there as Hanna in Straszny dwor.She has sung under the baton of: J.Lopez Cobos, V.Sinaisky, P.Eötvös, E.Boncompagni, J.Axelrod, S.Blunier, Ch.Moulds, J.Kaspszyk, A.Yurkevych, Ł.Borowicz, T.Kozłowski, T.Strugała, E.Michnik, P.Klinichev, M.Pijarowski, M.Klauza, J.M.Zarzycki, S.Chrzanowski.
In 2015 she recorded several opera arias with Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw. She also cooperates regularly with National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Poznan Philharmonic and National Forum of Music in Wroclaw.
Aleksandra Kubas-Kruk has an extensive repertoire of oratorio and concert works, Lieder and song in several European languages. She has performed in concerts and festivals in Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, and Italy.
Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà is and extraordinary orchestra formed in Venice that has been successfully continuing traditions of the 17th century band with the same name. It was created based on a model of the famous Antonio Vivaldi Orchestra which compositions and artistic level made it very famous in a very short time and turned it into one of the most recognized orchestras in the world.
Nowadays the Cappella is connected with Fondazione Cini which carries in Venice research into Vivaldi’s music. The Cappella is made of international groups of young and full of passion artists from Italy, Poland, France and Holland who specialize in playing historic instruments from baroque period and perform music of Venetian masters. Reinstitution of the Cappella took place in 2013 and was initiated by Stefan Plewniak – a graduate from the Conservatory in Cracow, Maastricht and Paris.
The orchestra performed in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Poland and in the future they are planning concerts in other European countries, the USA and Asia. In 2016 Ëvoe Music released the Cappella’s debut album „Carnevale di Venezia” with participation of recognized soloists including Jakub Józef Orliński, Miriam Albano and Natalia Kawałek. The Cappella will be performing one of the most significant sacral compotitions by Vivaldi – Juditha Triumphans oratory and violin concerts connected with promotion of the newest album L’Eleganza Capricciosa.
Stefan Plewniak received his initial violin training in is hometown, Krakow, where he studied with professor Barbara Śliwicka-Wysocka at the Krakow Academy of Music. He continued his studies under professor Robert Szreder at Maastricht Conservatory in the Netherlands and professor F.rancois Fernandez at Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris.
His interest in playing the baroque violin was sparked during collaboration with Les Gôuts Reunis ensemble in the Netherlands. Subsequently, he has performed in many significant ensembles and orchestras, such as Cappella Cracoviensis, Warsaw Polish Radio Orchestra, Krakow Philharmonic, Kammeroper Köln and Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. He has participated in numerous music festivals: Baroque Musique Festival d’Auvergne, Wildwood Festival, UM Maastricht Festival and Baroque Musique Festival d’Auberville, as well as Bach Festivals and Oude Muzik Festival Utrecht.
He collaborated with many renowned ensembles as a concertmaster, including Contrasto Armonico in the Hague, Marguerite Louise Ensemble in Paris and Orchestra 1756 in Salzburg. He also performed with other major orchestras in Europe such as William Christie’s Les Arts Florissants in Paris and Jordi Savall’s Le Concert des Nations in Barcelona.
He is the founder and leader of the Cantate.fr ensemble in Paris, Il Giardino d’Amore orchestra in Vienna/ Krakow and Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà. Stefan Plewniak was supported by the Meyer Foundation, Gouvernement Francais and Société Générale de Paris. Since 2013 he recorded CD’s with Jordi Savall & Le Concert des Nations, Marco Vitale & Contrasto Armonico, as well as with his orchestras Il Giardino d’Amore and Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà.
He performed as a soloist and leader in many important festivals and venues, among others the Oude Muzik Festival (Utrecht), Bach Festival (Vienna), Tartini Festival (Pirano), Styriarte Festival (Graz), Early Music Celebration (New York), Mozarteum Salzburg and Carnegie Hall. Stefan Plewniak regularly presents Masterclasses in Oslo, Norway as well as at the University of South California in L.A. and San Diego, Roosevelt University Chicago.
He is specializing in the opera and ballet repertoire from baroque era to 19th century repertoire. In 2015 /2016 Stefan Plewniak was conducting the opera productions during the Opera Festivals in Bydgoszcz and Warsaw as well as the Tchaikovsky ballet production in Norway. In 2017 – 2018 he is invited again to conduct in Warsaw and Oslo.
BALLET AND REHEARSAL MASTER
(Cádiz) She began her dance studies at the age of 6, continues with the teacher Jareño and perfection lessons with Victoria Eugenia. Titled in dance, with 14 years old, with honours, studied later with María Magdalena, Ciro, Juana Taft, Pedro Azorín, Juanjo Linares, Aurora Pons, Ana Baselga, Aurora Bosh, Granero, Fernando Bujones and Rosella Higthtower, among others.
In 1975, she participated in the creation of the National Folkloric Ballet under the direction of Pilar López. Later, she dances as soloist in Goyescos Company, “Antología” ballet, under the direction of Alberto Lorca, in Siluetas ballet directed by Antonio José and Luisa Aranda and in the companies of Maria Rosa, Rafael de Córdova and Luisillo.
She joined the Ballet Nacional de España in 1981, directed by Antonio, which managed to be prima ballerina in 1985, under the direction of Maria Avila. Throughout her career in this company acts as protagonist in the following works: Doña Francisquita and Ritmos from Alberto Lorca, Homenaje from Felipe Sánchez, Castilla, El sombrero de tres picos, Laberinto, Martinete and Don Juan from José Antonio, Sonatas del Padre Soler, Allegro de Concierto and “El sombrero de Tres Picos” from Antonio, Sonatas para la Reina de España from Ángel Pericet, “A ritmo y a compass” from Currillo, “Bolero de Ravel” and “Leyenda” from José Granero, and in “Danza y Tronío” de Mariemma. She interprets “Bodas de Sangre” with Antonio Gades on the X anniversary of the creation of the BNE.
She premiered choreographies created exclusively for her, as Chacona, in Athens, and Goyescas in the Teatro de la Zarzuela of Madrid, both from Victoria Eugenia. Premieres in Moscow with the role of “Taranta” of “Los Tarantos” from Felipe Sánchez, at the Teatro Albéniz Madrid Medea, from José Granero and Manolo Sanlúcar, and at Teatro Real of Madrid the role of “La Celestina” at the homonymous work of Ramón Oller, with the direction of stage by Adolfo Marsillach.
She was guest artist of Adrian Gaul Company in her production “En clave flamenca”, invited by Miguel Narros to participate in the tribute to Margarita Xirgu in the Spanish Theatre of Madrid, and at the Festival of Cante y Baile de las Minas (La Unión). In 2003, interprets “El Sur” with his composer, Dorantes, in the Tokyo Opera and the role of Medea in the XXV anniversary of the BNE. That same year receives the APDE Prize for her artistic career, with Antonio Gades, Manolete and Matilde Coral.
In 2005, she interprets as protagonist the work with Israel Galván and Currillo, Lysistrata with music by Dorantes and screenplay by Miguel Narros. Throughout 2006, she teaches courses for teachers of ACADE, participates in the “Galadel International Day of Dance in Madrid and as guest artist at the Bienal of Seville in tribute to Granero Master directed by Antonio José.
She presides over the Jury of the IX Choreographic Contest of Spanish Dance and Flamenco in Madrid (2000) and she is a member of the Artistic Commission of the Andalusian Flamenco Ballet. IN 2011 was awarded National Prize of Culture “Cultura Viva” .The Professional Conservatory of Cadiz calls Maribel Gallardo in 2007. Recently, choreography with Currilllo and Antonio Canales, the show “Los Flamencos bailan Opera”, premiered at the Tokyo Opera Theater (2013). Currently in the BNE, he interprets the character of Medea as a special collaboration
Nowadays, she is Repetiteur Mistress of the Ballet Nacional de España.
is an extraordinary ensemble presenting choreographies that are inspired and exploit Spanish dances especially flamenco. The ensemble attempts to present strength and techniques of traditional flamenco art including its aspects as solea, farruca, bulerias and tango ram. In their presentation they combine various styles present in flamenco and also modern elements. The purpose is maintaining the traditional forms but also deepening the roots of Spanish dances in flamenco as well as in other alternative forms of art. Amazing mastery of dancers and creativity of presentation that includes some typical elements such as sticks, tailcoats or shoes leave the audience impressed and enchanted.
Since the 2008/2009 concert season, Rodrigo Tomillo has been the second conductor at the Pfalztheater in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Since then he has been regularly performing with many orchestras both in Germany, and abroad, including Südwestfallen Philharmonie, Galizien Kammerorchester, and Sinfonieorchester Mainz, in Münster, and Osnabrück. Rodrigo Tomillo studied orchestral conducting, piano, and accompaniment at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, graduating from his conducting studies with an honours degree. Rodrigo considers his cooperation with Lothar Zagrosek, Paolo Carignani, and Markus Stenz as his particularly significant experience. After his first performances in operas in Giessen and Mainz, and in Staatstheater in Darmstadt, in 2008 Rodrigo Tomillo was engaged as the second conductor in Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern, where he conducted works by Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Janacek, Strauss, and Wagner. Apart from Moniuszko’s Halka, and Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Pfalztheater, the highlights of his next concert season will include Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 at the Teatro Maestranza de Sevilla, Spain, Sacre du Printemps with Tiroler Sinfonieorchester from Innsbruck, and his debut as the conductor of Cilea’s opera Adriana Lecouvreur at the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck.
Born in 1981 in Gniezno and lived in Strzałkowo. He started his education in playing guitar when he was 10 years old and continued in Słupca and Konin. He is a graduate of the Music Academy in Wrocław in Piotr Zaleski’s class. In 2003 he began his studies in Maestro Manuel Barrueco’s class in Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the USA, and graduated in 2008.
He performed in Poland, Russia, Belarus, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Iceland, Hungary, Serbia, Kosovo, Greece, Canary Islands, Japan, China, Canada, the USA, Mexico and Panama in the most important concert halls in the world including the Royal Festival Hall in London, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Tchaikovsky’s Hall in Moscow and the Carnegie Hall in New York.
He often performs in with other performers including the Orion String Quartet (USA), Avim Avitalem (Israel), Chen Reiss (Israel), Richardem Galliano (France), Maciej Frackiewicz, Agata Szymczewska, Lukasz Dlugosz and Andrzej Bauer.
Kuropaczewski is also a sought-after academic. He runs courses and master classes during many guitar festivals in Europe and in universities in Europe and both Americas. He was a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 2007-2010 and has been in the faculty of the Music Academy in Poznan since 2008.
He recorded five albums. The most recent three (“Polish Music”, “Aqua e Vinho” and “Nocturnal”) were nominated for Fryderyk Award in the Best Album – Polish Music, the Best Album – Chamber Music and the Best Album – Solo Recital categories.
He performed for the first time many pieces by both Polish and foreign composers including A. Tansman (Hommage a de Falla – with the Amadeus Orchestra in 2010 in Łódź, Petit Concerto in 2015 in Poznań), K. Meyer (Concerto – with the Amadeus Orchestra in 2010 in Gniezo and Poznań, Triptych Sonata in 2015 – at the Caramoor Festival in New York, the USA), A. Gilardino (Jerusalem Concerto, with A. Avital in 2014 in Gniezno and Poznań), M. Neikrug (Acequias Quintet with the Orion String Quartet in 2015 during the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival in Santa Fe, the USA) and Mikołaj Górecki (Arioso e Furioso – with the Aukso Orchestra in 2014 during the Silesian Guitar Autumn in Tychy).
During the last two seasons – 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 – he performed in Poland, Russia, Germany, Belgium, Croatia, the USA, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Kosovo, Puerto Rico and China. He world premiered music pieces by A. Gilardino (Letters to Fryderyk Sonata), M. Neikruga (Three Pieces for Guitar), and also a guitar version of Viola Concerto by K. Penderecki with the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra conducted by Maximiano Valdes.
Kuropaczewski plays guitars made by Ross Gutmeier (USA) and Leszek Gajdzik with Savarez Alliance Corum strings.
This past spring took Spanish mezzo soprano Nancy Fabiola Herrera to Menorca where she triumphed as ¨the perfect¨ Carmen. She also recently appeared in Sochi, Russia in a gala concert performance of the same opera.
Just prior she had returned to Ópera de Oviedo, Spain as Dalila in a new production with wonderfull reviews :”a sensual and powerful Dalila, demonstrating the rich nuances of such a multifaceted role, offering a second act to be remembered”.
She began the current season with her debut at Washington National Opera in Florencia en el Amazonas which was followed by performances with Los Angeles Opera in the same role to glowing reviews.
Last summer she returned as Carmen to the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome following performances of the same role during the spring with Opera Australia in Melbourne and Sydney to great acclaim [“Nancy Fabiola Herrera invests Carmen with sensuous magnetism that attracts an almost hypnotic attention. She is danger personified, and those she attracts are playing with fire. Her allure rests not only in her charismatic stage presence but in the richness and warmth of a voice which is wonderfully even across its range yet capable of a wide spectrum of colours that perfectly match mood with text.”]
Her hipnotic portray of the role had taken her also to the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Bolshoi Theatre, New National Theatre in Tokyo, Deutsche Opern Berlin, Munich Bayerische Staatsoper, Sydeny Opera House, Melbourne Opera, Arena di Verona, baths of Caracalla, Dresden Semperoper, Masada Festival, the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, Los Angeles Opera (where he received the Placido Domingo Award for her performance of this role), Teatro Bellas Artes in México, and other Spanish theaters like Sabadell Opera, Teatro Villamarta de Jerez, San Sebastian, Teatro Pérez Galdós in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santander and Lyric Opera of A Coruña, among others.
Last season engagements included also the Metropolitan Opera’s new Rigoletto (Maddalena) and Werther (Charlotte) in Opera de Oviedo.
She kept also a busy Recital and Concert schedule that included Verdi Requiem at Palau de la Musica in Valencia and Festival Casals in Puerto Rico, Amor Brujo with the Bremen Symphony under Josep Pons baton, and La Vida Breve in Madrid at the National Auditorium with Juanjo Mena and at Touluse with Orchestre de Capitole.
She also sang La Vida Breve at Tangelwood Festival, Toronto Symphony and L.A Phil with maestro Frühbeck de Burgos.
She performed a Gala concert with Plácido Domingo in Santo Domingo and recitals at Bilbao, Seville, Bogotá and at the Musikverein in Viena.
Her one woman show, Gitanas, was a highlight of 2011 premiered in Madrid’s Teatro de La Zarzuela and Teatro Pérez Galdós of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. In this show she gets immersed in the charm and passion of the gypsy universe interpreting some of the most fascinating characters in the world of opera, zarzuela and the symphonic repertoire.
Other roles performed include Giovanna Seymour in Anna Bolena (Teatro Liceu de Barcelona), Sarah in Roberto Devereux next to Dimitra Theodosiu (Opera Las Palmas), Isabella in Italiana in Algeri (Jerez and Las Palmas), Giulietta in Tales of Hoffmann(Opera Bastille and Seattle), Adalgisa in Norma (Montpellier), Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte (Toulon, Tokyo and Caramoor Festival in NY), Pauline in Pique Dame (Teatro Real in Madrid), Orlovsky in Die Fliedermaus (Las Palmas), Rosina in Barbiere di Siviglia(Sabadell, Philadelphia, Buffalo, México and Uruguay), Baba the Turk in The Rake´s progress (Las Palmas), Romeo in I Capuletti ed i Montecchi (Tulsa), among others.
She has worked with conductors such as Daniel Oren, Marco Armiliato, Fabio Luisi, Gustavo Dudamel, Juanjo Mena, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Giuseppe Finzi, Eugene Kohn, Plácido Domingo, Jesús López Cobos, Michel Plasson, Philippe Jordan, Charles Dutoit, Yaron Traub, Paul Daniels, Brian Castles-Onion, Antonello Allemandi, Pedro Halffter, Alain Guingal, Maximiano Valdés , José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, Emmanuel Villaume ,Friedrich Haider y Grant Gershon, among others.
Also in recitals with pianists Rubén Fernández, Mac Mclure, Juan Antonio Álvarez Parejo, Steven Blier, Daniele Orlando, David Lofton and Lucy Arner.
She has been invited by orchestras such as the Symphony Orchestra of Bremen, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, Mariinsky Orchestra, Sinfónica de Montevideo Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, In addition she collaborates with practically all of the Spanish symphonic ensembles as the RTVE,Orquesta Nacional de España,Filarmónica de Gran Canaria,Sinfónica de Euskadi,Orquesta de Valencia,Orchestra of Euskadi, Gran Canaria, Oviedo Filarmonia, among others.
She collaborates with The Victoria de los Angels Foundation as artistic director of the cycle Lucero Nuestro.
Nancy Fabiola Herrera is a graduate of the Juilliard School of NY,The Academy of Vocal Arts of Philadelphia and the Royal Conservatoty of Music in Madrid.
Her recordings include La Bruja by Chapí for Deutsche Grammophon, Dante by Granados for ASV, Tonades of the XVII & XVIII century by Robert Gerhard for Columna Musica, Mahler´s 3rd Symphony for Arte Nova, El Amor Brujo by de Falla for Naxos and Concierto Italiano by Ricardo Llorca.
Also the DVD´s of the opera Il Postino by Daniel Catán and the zarzuela Luisa Fernanda both next to Placido Domingo, being the last one also recorded for Deutsche Grammophon.
She started 2017 at the Metropolitan Opera Hosue (USA) with her debut as Herodias in Salomé and Fenena in Nabucco with Maestro Levine. She made also her debut as Leonore in La Favorite at the Teatro Pérez Galdós (SPAIN) with Maestro Karel Chichon. Also performed Las Golondrinas at teatro Compoamor (OVIEDO) with Maestro Óliver Díaz. She did a concert tour with the “Soloists of Valencia” (SPAIN) and her debut of Rossini´s Stabat Mater with the RTVE Orchestra in Madrid with Maestro Pelhivanian. She comes back in the spring to the Metropolitan Opera House as Maddalena in Rigoletto and later to L.A Opera (Los Ángeles) with Nabucco next to Plácido Domingo. She will sing her first Mahler´s Das lied von der Erde with Maestro Albiach (SPAIN). Her concert and recital will take her Polonia, Chile, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Spain, among others.
Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, Grand Finals winner of the 2016 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and winner of the 2015 Marcella Sembrich International Vocal Competition, is quickly gaining a reputation as a singer of striking vocal beauty and daring stage craft.
The 2016-17 season includes performances of Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall with both Musica Sacra and Oratorio Society of New York, and for his debut with the Houston Symphony. He will join the Karlsruhe Handel Festival to sing Vivaldi’s Nisi Dominus and excerpts from Handel’s Dixit Dominus. He will debut with the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in Cavalli’s opera Erismena, and makes his Oper Frankfurt debut.
While in Poland, Mr. Orliński performed the roles of Cupid in Venus & Adonis by Blow and Narciso in Agrippina by Handel. While in Germany, he performed the role of Ruggiero in Handel’s Alcina in Aachen and Cottbus, performed select Purcell songs with ballet at the Leipzig Opera House, and Philippus in Telemann’s Der Misslungene Braut-Wechsel oder Richardus I (based on Handel’s Riccardo Primo, Re d’Inghilterra) in Gießen.
Mr. Orliński has triumphed in several vocal competitions: the 1st Place Winner at the Oratorio Society of New York’s 2016 Lyndon Woodside Oratorio-Solo Competition, the 1st and 2nd annual International Early Music Vocal Competitions in Poland, where he received “Special Mention” and “Special Prize,” respectively, first prize at Rudolf Petrák’s Singing Competition in Slovakia, 3rd place at the Debut Competition in Igersheim, Germany, Special Mention at the 8th Annual Mazovian Golden Voices Competition in Poland, and 3rd place at Le Grand Prix de l’Opera in Bucharest, Romania.
While working toward his Master’s degree in vocal performance at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, he participated in the prestigious young artist programs at both Teatr Wielki and Opera Narodowa. He is currently working toward his Graduate Diploma at The Juilliard School, studying with Edith Wiens.
In his spare time, Mr. Orliński enjoys breakdancing, in addition to other styles of dance. His achievements in this arena include prizes in many dance competitions: 4th place at the Red Bull BC One Poland Cypher competition, 2nd place on the Stylish Strike – Top Rock Contest and 2nd place at The Style Control competition, among others. He has also been featured in a commercial for the street wear company CROPP, as well as featured as a dancer, model and acrobat in campaigns for Levi’s, Nike, Turbokolor, Samsung, Mercedes-Benz, MAC Cosmetics, Danon and Algida.
Andrzej Wojciechowski graduated Music Academy in Gdańsk with Distinction, under the tuition of prof. Bogdan Ocieszak. He has taken part in numerous mastery courses conducted by such names as Andrew Marriner, Jean-Marc Fessard, Walter Vitek, Wojciech Mrozek, Brenno Ambrosini, Joseph Fuster, Nicolas Baldeyrou, Antonio Saiote, Alessando Travaglini, Florent Héau and Joan Enric Lluna.
He has won prizes and honours at: Clarinet Festival in Piotrkow Trybunalski (2003 and 2005), VIII and IX International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music in Cracow (2005 and 2006),The International Chamber Competition in Olesnica (2006), The International Chamber Competition of K. Bacewicz in Lodz (2010), where he was moreover honoured with a Special Award for the Best Clarinetist.
He was granted a double scholarship of the Ministry of Culture. Together with Slawomir Wilk (piano) he is a co-member of the Inspiro Duo. He is also a member of the unique Mozart Basethorn Band, Gdansk Reed Trio and the Zagan Acoustic quartet.He is the clarinet concertmaster of the Polish Baltic Philharmony. Moreover, he works at the Musical Academy in Gdańsk, where he has succesfully obtained his PhD degree.
