Johannes Brahms
Born: Hamburg, May 7, 1833
Died: Vienna, April 3, 1897
Studied: piano from the age of seven and theory and composition (with Eduard Marxsen) from 13, gaining experience as an arranger for his father’s light orchestra
Early years: In 1853, he met Joseph Joachim and Liszt; Joachim, who became a lifelong friend, encouraged him to meet Schumann. Brahms's artistic kinship with Robert Schumann and his profound romantic passion (later mellowing to veneration) for Clara Schumann, 14 years his elder, never left him.
Assignments: 1859, director of a Hamburg women's chorus; 1863-4, director Vienna Singakademie; 1872-3, director Vienna Gesellschaftskonzerte
Compositions: Serenade No. 1, 1858; Piano Concerto No. 1, 1861; German Requiem, 1868; Alto Rhapsody, 1869; Schicksalslied, 1871; Variations on the St Antony Chorale, 1873; Symphony No. 1, 1876; Symphony No. 2, 1877; Violin Concerto, 1878; Academic Festival Overture, 1880; Piano Concerto No. 2, 1882; Symphony No. 3, 1883; Symphony No. 4, 1885; Tragic Overture, 1886; Double Concerto, 1887
Elissa Johnston, soprano
Raves: “an exciting soprano on the verge of something big” — Los Angeles Times
Appearances with: Los Angeles Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen and Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Atlanta Symphony, New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Santa Rosa Symphony, San Francisco Contemporary Players; LA Philharmonic’s New Music Group both in Los Angeles and at the Ojai Festival with conductors Tan Dun, David Zinman, Daniel Harding and Steven Stucky
Recitals: Aldeburgh Festival in England; Aspen Festival’s Winter Music Series with composer Ricky Ian Gordon
Opera: Female Chorus in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Aldeburgh October Britten Festival; Marzelline in Beethoven’s Fidelio at Aspen Festival and Wheeling Symphony. With Los Angeles Opera: Il Trovatore, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria. With LA Phil: Brigitta in concert performances of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta led by Valery Gergiev
Stephen Powell, baritone
Raves: “the big news was Stephen Powell’s gorgeously-sung Onegin: rock solid, with creamy legato from top to bottom and dynamics smoothly tapered but never exaggerated” — Opera magazine. “rich, lyric baritone, commanding presence, and thoughtful musicianship” — The Wall Street Journal
Recent performances: Carmina Burana with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and at the Aspen Music Festival; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Philadelphia Orchestra; Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, also at Aspen
Upcoming: Washington Concert Opera as Riccardo in I puritani; North Carolina Symphony as Count in Le nozze di Figaro; Arizona Opera as Germont in La traviata; Hawaii Opera Theatre as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia; Austin Lyric Opera in a gala concert; a return to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in Messiah; Carmina Burana with Oregon Symphony; Singing City Choir (Philadelphia) in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis
Career starter: on opening night of New York City Opera’s 1995-96 season, Powell created a sensation, substituting on short notice to sing the title role in Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler. Subsequent roles with City Opera: Ford in Falstaff, the title role in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Enrico in a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor, and Zurga in a new production of Les pécheurs de perles
At the Met: Ping in Turandot and Schelkalov in Boris Godunov
Alumnus: Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists
Web site: http://www.stephenpowell.us