Welcome to the last January edition of Purcell’s Weekly Highlights!
English National Ballet Recording
Current Purcell student Chelsea Becker has been invited to play oboe with musicians from the English National Ballet as part of a collaboration ‘2019 Dance Journeys’ between ENB and the Royal College of Music to produce a recording which will be aired at the world premiere of a new ballet by Aleksandra Vrebalov on Sunday, 7th April 2019 at Sadler’s Wells.
New Signing to Warner Music
Alumnus and former BBC Young Musician of the Year winner Martin J Bartlett signed a record deal with Warner Classics this week! We can’t wait for his debut album!
Lyric Opera’s 2019-2020
Six new and new-to-Chicago productions will be among the offerings for Lyric Opera’s 2019-2020 season. Purcell Patron Sir Andrew Davis will be conducting four of the six new productions; “The Barber of Seville” (Rossini, Sept. 28-Oct. 27), starring Adam Plachetka, Mariane Crebassa, Lawrence Brownlee, “The Queen of Spades (Pikovaya Dama)” (Tchaikovsky, Feb. 15-March 1, 2020) starring Brandon Jovanovich, Sondra Radvanovsky, Jane Henschel, Elizabeth DeShong, “Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)” (Wagner, new production April 4 and 11, 2020) starring Christine Goerke, Burkhard Fritz, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, Stephen Milling, Brian Mulligan, Mary Elizabeth Williams and finally “The Ring of the Nibelung (Der Ring des Nibelungen)” (Wagner) including “Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold)” April 13, 20, 27, 2020, starring Eric Owens, Samuel Youn, Stefan Margita, Robert Brubaker, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, “Die Walküre (The Valkyrie)” April 14, 21, 29, 2020, starring Christine Goerke, Eric Owens, Elisabet Strid, Brandon Jovanovich, Tanja Ariane Baumbartne, “Siegfried” (April 16, 23 and May 1, 2020), starring Christine Goerke, Burkhard Fritz, Eric Owens, Matthias Klink and “Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)” April 18, 25 and May 3, 2020, starring Christine Goerke, Burkhard Fritz, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, Stephen Milling, Brian Mulligan, and Mary Elizabeth Williams.
East Neuk Festival unveils 2019 programme
Scotland’s East Neuk Festival (ENF) is returning for its 15th year from 26-30 June 2019. Highlights include Percussionist Colin Currie and his new quartet make ENF debuts, performing the world premiere of a work by Huw Watkins and teaming up with community musicians of the East Neuk for this year’s Big Project for massed percussion, Pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja, Pavel Haas Quartet and Belcea String Quartet come together to present a series of five concerts, Welsh harpist and former Purcell student Catrin Finch and Senegalese kora master Seckou Keita make their ENF debut with a three-concert residency along with The Tullis Russell Mills Band opening the festival with music by Fife composer The Earl of Kellie.
Neon Takes U.S. Rights To ‘Monos’ – Sundance
Neon has acquired U.S. rights to Monos, from director Alejandro Landes, which world premiered Saturday night in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance. The thriller features a score by former Purcell student Mica Levi, who did Under the Skin and Jackie. It will have its international premiere at the Berlinale in Panorama in February.
Trinity Laban Gold Medal 2019 winner announced
Trinity Laban’s Gold Medal Showcase 2019 saw seven students and recent alumni compete for the Gold Medal while demonstrating the diversity of musical talent at Trinity Laban with a thrilling and eclectic mix of classical, contemporary, jazz and musical theatre. In an evening filled with creativity and musicianship, Spanish violinist and former Purcell student Elena Abad won over the audience and judges with her versatility, curiosity and musical flair to claim both the newly introduced Audience Prize and the sought-after Gold Medal. Her innovative programme saw her perform Fritz Kreisler’s colourful Recitativo and Scherzo, Op. 6 and her own solo violin of arrangement of Freddie Mercury’s iconic Bohemian Rhapsody – a gift for her Father, who shares a birthday with Mercury. On winning the Gold Medal Elena commented “I feel honoured to be awarded this year’s Gold Medal as well as the Audience Prize. It was a truly magical experience to perform to such a wonderful audience at the Purcell Room. I’d like to sincerely congratulate the rest of the finalists for their remarkable performances. Many thanks to Trinity Laban, all my teachers, the audience, the panel and all the staff who contributed to making this event so special. I’ve really enjoyed the creative environment at Trinity Laban, which I found very inspiring and made me think of other ways of making music that I’d never thought about before.”
