Saturday, September 28, 7 p.m.
Great Concert Hall of the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin
Royal Swedish Chamber Orchestra
Amanda Liljefors, soprano – Damone
Jessica Elevant, soprano – Clori
Eva Maria Riedl-Buschan, mezzosoprano
Mattias Gunnari, tenor
Johan Schinkler, bass
Johannes Jacobsson, violin
Jeanette Ericsson, violin
Joel Sundin, viola
Daniel Holst, viola da gamba
Sara Buschkühl, double bass
Peter Lönnerberg, harpsichord
Mats Liljefors, conductor
CROATIAN FIRST PERFORMANCE
Programme:
Alessandro Stradella
La Forze delle Stelle, serenata*
version for 5 voices accompanied with the instruments
Text: Sebastiano Baldini – revision: švedska kraljica Kristina
- Sinfonia (prima)
- Recitativo, Or che l’alma ristaura, Damone, Clori
- Aria, Miri mai di me chi sia, Damone
- Recitativo, Vadan del loro incendio, Damone, Clori
- Aria, Sospiri quanto sa, Clori
- Recitativo, Sempre sarà mia gloria, Clori, Damone
- Aria a 2, Io se t’amo/t’adoro, Damone, Clori
- Recitativo, In quei volumi eterni, Damone
- Aria a 2, O stelle adorate, Damone, Clori
- Sinfonia (seconda)
- Aria a 3, Scolga un’alma dall’aspre catene, Tenor, Basso, Contralto
- Recitativo, O detti mensognieri, Clori
- Aria, Questo nume non presume, Clori
- Recitativo, Dagl’antri suoi più cupi, Tenor
- Aria, Un garzon di più fierezza, Tenor
- Recitativo, Pur al pianger di lei, Tenor, Contralto
- Aria, Ma pur la cruda, pregata invano, Contralto
- Recitativo, Se dal ciel non discende, Damone
- Aria a 2, Come fosse il suo tesoro, Damone, Clori
- Recitativo, O Ifi, disperato e miserabile, Basso
- Aria, Si fugga quel barbaro regno, Basso
- Recitativo, Ad ogni offesa apre superbo il varco, Basso, Damone, Clori, Contralto
- Sinfonia (terza)
- Aria a 3, L’amar s’è destino, Basso, Contralto, Tenore
- Recitativo, Se il fato così vuol, Contralto
- Aria a 2, Di ferro le mura, Tenore, Contralto
- Recitativo, Offese no, venture, Damone
- Aria a 3, Grand’incanto d’una beltà, Clori, Damone, Basso
- Recitativo, Dardo più fiero mai, Tenore
- Aria, Del nume al potere, Damone
- Recitativo, Ama sin l’insensibile, Damone, Contralto, Tenore
- Madrigale a 5 Stelle, col vostro ardore, Damone, Clori, Contralto, Tenore, Basso
*The performance of La Forza delle Stelle is based on the recently published critical edition, Alessandro Stradella Opera Omnia, serie 1, vol. 14, directed by Professor Carolyn Gianturco
About performer:
Amanda Liljefors, currently studying in the University College of Opera in Stockholm. She also studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Amanda has performed in concerts and opera productions around Europe, for example with the baroque ensemble La Tempesta in Paris 2014, at the Radiokulturhaus in Vienna 2016 and with the orchestra Filialen in Stockholm 2018. In 2016 she was part of the Magic Flute in Berlin. Roles she has performed include, Dido from Dido and Aeneas, all three ladies from the Magic Flute and Lauretta from Gianni Schicchi. In 2019 she is engaged as Eurudice in Orfeo and Euridice by Gluck and The Countess in The Marriage of Figaro.
Jessica Elevant, First Prize winner of the international competition WagnerStimmen in Karlsruhe, Germany in 2018. She has performed as soloist in Sweden and earlier this year she was invited as guest soloist by Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne in France in Stabat Mater by Rossini. She graduated in engineering at Linköping University and started her PhD program in theoretical physics, but today devotes herself entirely to singing and has received prestigious music scholarships. Currently she is studying in the University College of Opera in Stockholm.
Eva Maria Riedl-Buschan, Born in Styria, Austria. She studied opera and Lied/oratorio degrees at Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts where she was awarded the Award of Distinction for her exceptional achievements. She is the winner of several international competitions and was under contract to the Vienna Volksoper from 2006 to 2016, as well as a guest singer at other prestigious opera houses and festivals such as the Zurich Opera House, Operahaus Tyrol, and soloist in Italy, Spain, Germany, Great Britain, Slovenia, Poland, Turkey and Israel.
Mattias Gunnari, Studies at the University College of Opera in Stockholm upon graduation from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He has been engaged in many opera productions and concerts in Sweden, such as Mozart operas at Läckö Castle Opera Festival, the Vasa Theater in Stockholm, Dala-Floda Opera Festival. He has been soloist in Bach Johannes Passion, Messias by Handel, Maria Vesper by Monteverdi and others.
Johan Schinkler, studied at the University College of Opera in Stockholm and has, since then, established himself as a sought after bass singer and actor. He has performed at all the major opera houses in Sweden. At the Gothenburg Opera the title role in Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Daland in Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman. At Folkoperan several Mozart roles including Leporello in Don Giovanni, Figaro in the Marriage of Figaro and Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte as well as Raimondo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Other roles include Gurnemanz in Parsifal, Kaspar in Der Freischütz, Colline in La Bohème, also at the Oper Leipzig. This summer he made his debut in Rheingold. He did the modern première of La Forza delle Stelle in Rome 2001.
Mats Liljefors received his professional education as violinist and conductor in Sweden, Switzerland and Germany. In 1970 he founded the Royal Palace Music Festival in Stockholm and was its Artistic leader until 2015. He has been a Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota and was for 20 years First Guest Conductor of the St. Petersburg Hermitage Orchestra. He tours extensively around the world, both as guest conductor and as Principal conductor of the Royal Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Since 2013 he is the leader of the EU sponsored international cultural project Queen Christina The European in 10 European countries, Brazil and Japan. In 2001 he conducted the modern world première of La Forza delle Stelle in Rome.