Upcoming 2026 Events
Welcome
to
The Wagner Society of America
Informal Q & A
with Wagnerian Soprano
Christine Goerke
We are once again pleased to welcome Christine Goerke, one of today’s foremost dramatic sopranos, for an informal conversation and audience Q & A. Celebrated for her commanding interpretations of Wagner and Strauss and always brings rare authority and insight to the dramatic soprano repertoire.
Ms. Goerke will be in Chicago serving as a judge for the Central Region Finals of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, taking place the previous day at Roosevelt University. She has graciously agreed to meet with Wagner Society members and guests for this relaxed, wide-ranging discussion, touching on career development, repertoire choices, and the realities of singing Wagner at the highest level.
This spring, she will sing Brünnhilde in Die Walküre with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel, and Richard Strauss's Elektra at the Bayerische Staatsoper—making this an especially timely opportunity to engage with an artist at the center of today’s Wagnerian and Strauss performance world.
Gathering Time: 11:00 am
Informal Q & A: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Location: Union League Club of Chicago
Room 800
65 W Jackson Blvd,
Chicago, IL 60604
Cost: Free Event
I would like to invite all members to my Studio Recital on January 31 at 7:00 pm at DePaul University. The program is all Wagner in the first part lieder and Rheingold Scene 1. After the intermission, a unique concept of Bartok: Bluebeard's Castle. Admission is free.
In February we will return with our Virtual Wagnerian Series with special guest Jordan Shanahan Wagnerian baritone from top Houses and Festivals. He is in high demand now, and we are lucky to have him.
Feb 28, 12:30pm. Free virtual program: details to follow.
Vikoria
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2025 Events |
Annual Holiday Program and Luncheon
Featuring Leo Radosavljevic, pianist
Leo Radosavljevic is a remarkable artist whose dual career as pianist and baritone reflects a rare blend of musical intellect, imagination, and virtuosity. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he has appeared on major concert and operatic stages, earning acclaim for performances that combine technical brilliance with a singer’s instinct for line and phrasing.
At the Wagner Society’s Annual Birthday Program in May 2025, Radosavljevic collaborated with mezzo-soprano Sadie Cheslak, winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, in an unforgettable program of excerpts from Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, and Götterdämmerung. His playing brought orchestral color and emotional depth to the keyboard, capturing the sweep and drama of Wagner’s musical world.
In his upcoming appearance for the Society, Radosavljevic will perform Wagner-related works of Franz Liszt and others. His command of Liszt’s fiendishly difficult transcriptions of Wagner and others—works that transform the piano into a symphonic instrument—has dazzled audiences and critics alike. Possessing both the technical power and interpretive insight demanded by this repertoire, he reveals the Romantic piano not merely as a vehicle for virtuosity, but as a profound medium for storytelling and expression.
A true musician’s musician, Leo Radosavljevic brings to every performance the union of voice and instrument—the Wagnerian ideal of expressive synthesis—embodying the spirit of artistry that lies at the heart of the Wagner Society’s mission. This is because he is well-established as a bass-baritone who has performed internationally as well as frequently here in Chicago.
Date: Sunday, December 14, 2025
Time: 12:30 - Gather to enjoy wine, soft drinks and conversation,
as well as bid in silent auction
(items include Wagner-related books)
1:00 - Program followed by Lunch and Special Surprise
Location: The Sullivan Room of Roosevelt University
2nd floor, 430 S Michigan Avenue
Chicago
Cost: $80 per person
Entry Instructions (Pick the entrance closest to your parking)
Enter at the Wabash entrance (425 S Wabash):
pass through turnstiles on the right side of the lobby,
take elevators to 2nd floor, walk down until the end of the hallway.
Sullivan Room is to the right of the elevator exit. You can always
just email us or give us a call when you get here and
we will come down to escort you.
Reserve by December 8. (After that, call Bill Smith 847-256-1292 for availability)
Download Invitation & Reservation Form w/Payment Options (check or Venmo) (PDF)
Vegetarian requests and questions:
wrtsco@att.net or call 847-256-1292.
Virtual Wagnerian Series Presents
First of this season's LIVE streaming event
Renowned Bass Eric Halfvarson
Eric Halfvarson is recognized internationally as one of today’s foremost interpreters of Wagner’s darkest bass roles. Renowned for his commanding musical presence and deeply characterized portrayals, he has appeared at major opera houses from Vienna, Bayreuth, and Munich to London, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Engagements in the 2009–10 season included Siegfried, Götterdämmerung, and complete Ring cycles in Los Angeles (James Conlon/Achim Freyer), Otello in San Francisco, and Der fliegende Holländer at Madrid’s Teatro Real. In the summer of 2010 he returned to Bayreuth to sing one of his signature roles—Hagen in Götterdämmerung—under Christian Thielemann. Other recent performances have taken him to the Bavarian State Opera (Der Rosenkavalier), the Vienna State Opera (Götterdämmerung, Don Giovanni), and the Budapest Wagner Days (Götterdämmerung, Parsifal under Ádám Fischer).
An esteemed teacher as well as performer, Halfvarson has taught at the University of Southern California and given master classes for the San Francisco Opera. Since beginning his career in 1973 and co-founding the Houston Opera Studio, he has sung leading roles in the world’s foremost houses and appears on numerous recordings and DVDs, including Götterdämmerung (DG), Don Giovanni (Opus Arte), and Don Carlos (EMI)
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 12:30–2:00 PM
Location
Streamed LIVE on ZOOM**
**COMING SOON: THIS SESSION WAS RECORDED. WATCH FOR THE LINK TO VIEW THE RECORDED SESSION.
Emmy-Award Winning Filmmaker and Writer Hilan Warshaw
presenting his documentary
Secret Song
President Viktoria, Presenter Hilan Warshaw,
and Past-President Bill Smith
Founded by Emmy-winning director and writer Hilan Warshaw, Overtone Films produces internationally broadcast films and documentaries, often on musical and/or historical topics. Drawing on his musical background as a violinist and orchestral conductor, Hilan and Overtone’s have produced documentaries including Wagner’s Jews, In the Key of Bach, Rachmaninoff Revisited, and My Bolero.
Secret Song is Hilan's documentary focusing on Alban Berg, his controversial personal life, and his troubled relationship with his former teacher, post-Wagnerian Arnold Schoenberg. Featuring interviews and performances by Renee Fleming and the Emerson String Quartet, the film uncovers little-known facts about Berg, Schoenberg, and the musically encrypted messages contained in Berg's masterpiece Lyric Suite. Following the showing of the documentary Hilan will provide comments on the parallels between the lives of Alban Berg and Richard Wagner (there are MANY!).
Sunday, September 21, 2025, 2:00–3:30 PM
Location
Michigan Shores Club
911 Michigan Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091
Cost:
$20 per person (download invitation for full payment details)
Download Full Invitation and Reservation Form with Payment Options (PDF)
Vegetarian requests and questions: wrtsco@att.net or call 847-256-1292.
Annual Wagner Birthday Program
Celebrating the Life and Music of Richard Wagner
Featuring Sadie Cheslak, mezzo-soprano
and Leo Radosavljevic, pianist
Join us for our annual celebration with performances of arias from Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, and Götterdämmerung.
This festive gathering will include a three-course lunch.
- Date & Time: Sunday, May 25, 2025, 12:00–3:00 PM (Program begins at 12:30)
- Location: Michigan Shores Club, 911 Michigan Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091
- Cost: $60 per person (by check or Venmo)
Vegetarian requests and questions: wrtsco@att.net or call 847-256-1292.
Download Full Invitation and Reservation Form with Payment Options (PDF)
VIRTUAL EVENT
with internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano
JUDIT KUTASI
Dear Members,
It was such a pleasure seeing you on our 50th Anniversary event.
At this time, I am pleased to announce the details of our upcoming virtual event with internationally acclaimed mezzo - soprano Judit Kutasi.
When: April 26 @11AM
Where: on Zoom
How:
On the day of the event 1-2 minutes before the program begins, please click the link below, and enjoy the Q&A discussion on a Wagnerian's career. Ms. Kutasi will be with us for an hour, in which she will listen to "Dich, teure Halle" sung by an emerging artist, and will reflect on the choice, optional "next steps" in career building as a Wagnerian, and through that experience she will discover the complexity of being a Wagner singer.
Please, find the poster of the event in the attachment, and feel free to share it with friends who might be interested in such an event.
Please, mark your calendars for the date, so we welcome Ms. Kutasi with our presence.
Please, flag this email, so you can find the zoom link easily on April 26. Here is the link to the event:
All the best,
Viktoria Vizin
President, Wagner Society of America
The Wagner Society's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Program and Celebratory Lunch
featuring
Acclaimed Baritone Franco Pomponi
SCHEDULE
12:30: Gather with conversation and cash bar
1:00: Program by Franco Pomponi, Baritone
internationally acclaimed for the rich, expressive beauty
and powerful virility of his voice,
with a cultivated musical style and unmatched dramatic intensity
which has brought him to many of the world’s most
prestigious opera houses and concert halls
2:00: Celebratory Lunch: three courses
LOCATION
The Lathrop House (private club)
120 E. Bellevue Place
Chicago, IL
(Parking is available in the condominium building immediately west of Lathrop House)
COST
$85.00 per person for performance and celebratory three course lunch
Payment by check no later than March 14, 2025
PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORAMTION
ALONG WITH YOUR CHECK OR MONEY ORDER
Name(s) __________________________________
Number of Guests: _______
Optional Donation: _______
TOTAL ENCLOSED = (# of Guests X $85.00) + Donation = ____________
Email: _______________ Phone: _______________________
Mail check and above information to:
The Wagner Society of America
c/o William R.T. Smith, Treasurer
P.O. Box 514
Wilmette, IL 60091
Please direct questions to Bill Smith
wrtsco@att.net or (847) 256-1292
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2024 Events |
Professor John Digaetani, Author And Lecturer
Richard Wagner and Medieval Drama
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This book is the first to explain how Wagner's operas were structured around the format of medieval theater. Medieval drama in both England and Germany was written and staged to convert pagans to Christianity. These plays always included some sort of miracle at the end to prove the superiority of the Christian religion. Even when criticizing Christianity, Wagner made use of this device, and this approach made Wagner's operas uniquely fascinating and impressive. His new book treads ground scarcely covered by other works of Wagner scholarship. John Louis DiGaetani is Professor Emeritus of English at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. He received his BA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his MA from Northern Illinois University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. DiGaetani's published works include studies on modern British literature, modern American literature, opera, and the connections between literature and music, including six on the life and work of Wagner!
Program - 2:30 pm
Michigan Shores Club
911 Michigan Avenue
Wilmette, IL
Cost: $15 person - Payable at the door by cash or check (payable to The Wagner Society)
Questions: 847-256-1292
SPRING OPERA RECITAL
THE WAGNER SOCIETY OF AMERICA
and
THE EVANSTON & NORTHFIELD CHAPTERS
OF LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO
PERFORMED BY
ZACHARY MENDENHALL, bass-baritone
NATALIE MUSTEA, coloratura soprano
CARMEN VIZIN, mezzo-soprano
KEVIN WHEATLE, baritone
IRINA FEOKTISTOVA, piano
PROGRAM: SELECTIONS FROM
BELLINI: I PURITANI
MOZART: COSI FAN TUTTI, DON GIOVANNI, MAGIC FLUTE,
and MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
ROSSINI: BARBER OF SEVILLE, LA CENERENTOLA
VERDI: DON CARLO, UN BALLO IN MASCHERA
WAGNER: DAS RHEINGOLD
3:00 PM Program
KENILWORTH ASSEMBLY HALL
410 KENILWORTH AVENUE
KENILWORTH
Cost: $30 per person
MICHAEL BLACK, Director of Lyric Opera Chorus
The Use of the Chorus in Wagner's Works
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Michael Black's tenure at Lyric Opera of Chicago has been marked by a combination of rigorous work ethic, a push for perfection, and a positive, collaborative environment. His unconventional path from a focus on piano and musicology to choral conducting led him to become a significant figure in opera, eventually leading the Lyric Opera Chorus to critical acclaim. His work in productions such as this season's production of Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" showcases the chorus's dynamic impact, underlining Wagner's intricate and emotive choral compositions.
The Australian chorus master held this position at Opera Australia in Sydney from 2001 to 2013. Black has served in this capacity for such distinguished organizations as the Edinburgh International Festival, Opera Holland Park (London), and, in Australia, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Choir, Motet Choir, the Cantillation chamber choir, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Other activities include preparing The Damnation of Faust chorus at the Grant Park Music Festival, where he has worked for two seasons. As one of Australia’s most prominent vocal accompanists, Black has regularly performed for broadcasts and recordings. He has served as chorus master on four continents, and his work has been recorded and/or aired on ABC, BBC, PBS, for many HD productions in movie theaters, and on television.
His upcoming presentation for us will explore Wagner's use of chorus, highlighting the composer's innovative choral compositions in operas and non-operatic works in Wagner's early operas, such as "Die Feen," already exhibit his use of choruses to enhance the narrative, illustrating his developing technique in integrating the chorus into the operatic experience.
7:30 PM Program
Hotel Allegro
171 W. Randolph Street
Chicago
Cost: $15 person - Payable at the door by cash or check (payable to The Wagner Society)
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2023 Events |
Annual Holiday Luncheon and Program with baritone Evan Bravos
and pianist Shannon McGinnis
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Marked as a “young talent to watch” by the Chicago Tribune, Baritone EVAN BRAVOS has received critical acclaim for his “lovely lyric baritone” (Opera News). Highlights for the 2023-24 season include Countess’ Lackey/Ivan Ivanovich in Shostakovich’s The Nose with Chicago Opera Theater, an orchestral debut with Helena Symphony on Rachmaninoff's The Bells and a featured performance of Schubert's Der Winterreise for Opera Up Close, a concert series in Chicago. Most recently, Bravos revisited the role of Count in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro in Columbia, South Carolina.
Bravos’ 2022-23 season featured company debuts with White Snake Projects in Boston Let’s Celebrate! Living Holiday Traditions in America, Opera Tampa (Silvio, I Pagliacci) and returns to Chicago Opera Theater for a premiere of Shawn Okpebholo’s The Cook-Off as TV host, Kenny Kincaid. On the concert stage, he received praise for an “elegantly sung” Carmina Burana with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
In the 2021-22 season, Bravos performed the role of Hannah Before in Laura Kaminsky, Kimberly Reed and Mark Cambell’s groundbreaking As One with Opera Santa Barbara and Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. With Chicago Opera Theatre, he played El Dancaïro in Carmen alongside Jamie Barton and Stephanie Blythe, and “sang winningly” (Opera News) as Clay in the world premiere of Matthew Recio and Royce Vavrek’s opera The Puppy Episode. Other recent roles include Cascada in The Merry Widow and Riff in West Side Story (New Philharmonic Opera); Maximilian in Candide (Ravinia Festival); George Jones in Kurt Weill's Street Scene and Masetto in Don Giovanni (Virginia Opera); the title role in Don Giovanni (Hawaii Performing Arts Festival); Inman in Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain (Music Academy of the West); and Tom Joad in the Chicago premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath.
Other credits include Sarasota Opera, San Diego Opera, Central City Opera, Aspen Music Festival, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. In concert, he has sung with the symphonies of Santa Fe, Milwaukee, Madison, and Colorado and as a Vocal Fellow at Ravinia Festival’s Steans Music Institute, and has been featured in art song initiatives, the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago and the Horto Music Festival in Pelion, Greece. He is a candidate for the Doctorate of Musical Arts at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, and is Artist Faculty at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. Learn more about this artist at www.evanbravos.com
SHANNON MCGINNIS has been recognized for skilled performances and solid support in partnerships with some of the brightest stars in the classical vocal music world. Her playing has been described as “excellent” (Opera News), “strong and supportive” (Chicago Tribune), and “boldly projected, characterful, and delicately nuanced” (Chicago Classical Review). Recent highlights include recitals with tenor David Portillo, baritone Douglas Williams, and sopranos Sarah Shafer and Laquita Mitchell; multiple live broadcasts on Chicago’s WFMT with tenor Nicholas Phan; and an appearance with mezzo-soprano Jennifer Rivera, for a live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion. 2017-2018 brings performances at the Laguna Beach Music Festival, as well as recitals with bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen and soprano Melody Moore.
McGinnis serves as Lecturer in Vocal Coaching at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, where she leads undergraduate and graduate-level diction courses and serves as music director for the undergraduate opera. She also serves as French vocal coach for Up North Vocal Institute, a summer intensive for career-oriented singers. A passionate advocate for art song, McGinnis is a founder of Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (CAIC), where, as Director of Education, she oversees a series of master classes and workshops for singers and pianists, as well as the organization’s Vocal Chamber Music Fellowship. Also at home in the world of opera, McGinnis has held internships and appointments with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, DePaul University Opera Theater, DuPage Opera, Kentucky Opera, and the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In 2015 served as vocal coach and ensemble pianist for the world-premiere performances of Matthew AuCoin’s Second Nature, presented by Lyric Opera of Chicago and “Lyric Unlimited”.
McGinnis was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts in Accompanying and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan, as a student of Martin Katz. She is the 2017-2018 recipient of the U of M Alumni Society’s Emerging Artist Award.
Reception - 12:30 pm
Luncheon and Program - 1:00 pm
Kenilworth Assembly Hall
Kenilworth Avenue
Kenilworth, IL
Cost: $60 person
Checks Payable payable to Evanston Chapter, LOC by December 10
Mail Checks to:
Bill Smith
PO Box 514
Wilmette, IL 60091
Questions: Bill Smith at 847-256-1292
Items donated (books, CDs and DVDs, etc.) can be purchased at the event
THIS IS NOT AN AUCTION
Professor John Digaetani, Author And Lecturer
The Definitive Diva: The Life and Career of Maria Callas
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John is a Chicago native is Professor Emeritus of English at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. He received his BA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his MA from Northern Illinois University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. DiGaetani's published works include studies on modern British literature, modern American literature, the theatre, opera (including SEVEN books on Wagner!), and the connections between literature and music. He served as director of Hofstra's London Program.
His most recent book is The Definitive Diva: The Life and Career of Maria Callas, which tells her story from difficult beginnings as the daughter of Greek immigrants to New York City in 1923 to her triumphs at La Scala, Covent Garden, and the Metropolitan Opera. A diva and a master at creating a captivating public image. The book also covers her very public affair with Aristotle Onassis, who left Callas to marry Jacqueline Kennedy.
John's talks are always insightful and captivating. And this is sure to be no exception!
Program - 2:30 pm
Michigan Shores Club
911 Michigan Avenue
Wilmette, IL
Cost: $15 person - Payable at the door by cash or check (payable to The Wagner Society)
Questions: 847-256-1292
A conversation with renowned sopranos
LISE DAVIDSEN and NINA STEMME
Lyric Opera of Chicago's new-to-Chicago
production of Leos Janacek's Jenufa
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2022 Events |
20221Events
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15
WSA and Lyric Opera of Chicago Chapters Present Ricardo Rivera (Baritone) & Laurann Gilley (Piano)  
The Puerto Rican baritone, a second-year Ryan Opera Center member, has been heard as Guglielmo/Così fan tutte with the International Vocal Academy of Rome; has participated in several recitals with the American Masters’ of Opera Academy in Moscow; and has appeared in several scene and concert presentations with the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel-Aviv. In Puerto Rico, he has had repeat engagements at the Performing Arts Center of San Juan and at the University of Puerto Rico Theater, appearing as the Notary/Don Pasquale, Maestro Spinelloccio/Gianni Schicchi, and Don Quixote/Maurice Ravel’s Master Peter’s Puppet Show as part of the 2016 Casals Festival. Rivera recently received his master’s degree at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he appeared with the Opera Department as Fiorello/The Barber of Seville, Starveling/A Midsummer’s Night Dream, and Marco/Gianni Schicchi. He is the recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant and is a past participant in the Aspen Music Festival (Claudio/Béatrice et Bénédict, Angel #7/Luke Bedford’s opera Seven Angels) and VOICExperience programs. Rivera returned to Aspen last summer to understudy Germont/La traviata and sing Angel #7/Luke Bedford’s opera Seven Angels. In 2018/19, Rivera sang Schaunard/La bohème and Baron Douphol/La traviata and appeared in concert with the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn). In 2019/20, he sings Yamadori/Madama Butterfly.
Gathering - 12:30 pm Luncheon - 1:00 pm PROGRAM FOLLOWS The Merion’s Crystal Ballroom The Merion 1611 Chicago Ave.e Evanston, IL Valet parking adjacent at 529 Davis St. Free parking garage: Church $70 each, Cash Bar
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019
Ola Rafalo (Mezzo-Soprano) and Paul Dykstra (Piano) Recital "Goddesses and Mortals: The Feminine Experience"  
Ola Rafalo, Polish-American mezzo has been called a "Vocal Powerhouse," and "a budding next Cossotto" by critics. “Ola Rafalo proved to be a mezzo to watch, with a strong Stride la Vampa.” said Anne Midgette, for the Washington Post, of The Washington Chorus’ Essential Verdi concert 2014, at the Kennedy Center, where Rafalo was featured in scenes as“A Mezzo with great promise”, Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun (Nabucco, Opera Baltimore 2014). Ola Rafalo, Polish-American mezzo has been called a "Vocal Powerhouse," and "a budding next Cossotto" by critics. “Ola Rafalo proved to be a mezzo to watch, with a strong Stride la Vampa.” said Anne Midgette, for the Washington Post, of The Washington Chorus’ Essential Verdi concert 2014, at the Kennedy Center, where Rafalo was featured in scenes as Azucena, and Amneris. “A Mezzo with great promise”, Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun (Nabucco, Opera Baltimore 2014).
Reception - 7:00 pm Program - 7:30 pm Ganz Hall Roosevelt University 430 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2019
JIM HOLMAN "THE SYMPHONY: FROM BEETHOVEN TO WAGNER"  Photo courtesy of WETA JAMES K. HOLMAN is Chairman of the D.C. Wagner Society, a well-known Wagner expert, AND an Evanstonian will present a lecture on "The Symphony: From Beethovan to Wagner" with an audio/visual presentation much like his wonderful presentationS in the past. Mr. Holman's starting point will be Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. He will trace the development of symphonic music and opera from Berlioz to Mendelssohn, from Schumann to Liszt then to Wagner, whose mature music dramas may be seen as the true heirs of the style and sensibility of Beethoven and the ultimate reconciliation of both the symphony and opera. Reception - 3:00 PM Program - 3:30 PM HILTON ORRINGTON HOTEL 1710 Orrington Avenue
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
WAGNER 206th BIRTHDAY MUSICAL EVENT VIKTORIA VIZIN, mezzo-soprano 
and MARIA CONSAMUS, mezzo-soprano 
with DANA BROWN, piano 
PROGRAM
R. Strauss: September (VV)
Schumann: Frauenliebe und Leben (MC) Wagner: Einsam wachend in der Nacht (VV) INTERMISSION Cilia: Acerba voluta (MC) Wagner: Seit er von dir gechieden - Waltraute's Scene (VV) Charles Ives: Songs My Mother Taught Me (MC) Debussy: Beau soir (MC) Offenbach: Barcarolle Reception - 7:00 pm Program - 7:30 pm Ganz Hall Roosevelt University 430 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL
Saturday, April 13, 2019
A joint program with the Evanston, Glencoe, and Northfield Chapters of Lyric Opera of Chicago JIM GINSBURG Founder and President of Cedille Records 
JIM GINSBURG, founder and president of Cedille Records, a not-for-profit organization that produces recordings of Chicago based performers. Jim will give a presentation on this organization, which has been successful in carving out a niche for itself in the competitive world of music as well as being very successful. Jim was interviewed several times in the widely acclaimed documentary film RBG, the 2019 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature covering the life and career of Jim's mother, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Reception - 3:00 PM Program - 3:30 PM Michigan Shores Club 911 Michigan Avenue Wilmette, IL Cost: Members: $ 15.00 Guests $20.00 Guests are always welcome Questions: 847-256-1292 Tuesday, February 12, 2019 NINA STEMME 
Nina Stemme as Isolde Tristan and Isolde, 2016 Metropolitan Opera 
Presentation of the Birgit Nilsson Prize to Nina Stemme For years, Swedish born Nina Stemme has been considered a leading singer of the most challenging parts in major dramas:Isolde, Brünnhilde and Kundry, Salome and Elektra, Fanciulla and Turandot. That she initially shied away from these staggering heights of the soprano repertoire is a noteworthy – if not the defining – characteristic of her career. Mozart’s Cherubino is a far cry from Isolde and Turandot, a leap only few have mastered. Nina Stemme made the leap successfully by taking the time a development of this kind requires. When she was offered the part of Isolde, to be performed at the 2003 Glyndebourne Festival, she already had fourteen years of on-stage experience, having first taken lyrical parts such as Cherubino, Pamina, the “Figaro” Countess, Agathe and Eva, before moving on to increasingly lyrical-dramatic roles such as Mimi, Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Tosca, “Tannhäuser” Elisabeth, Marschallin and Senta. Isolde would have been the next step, but it was not until she had conferred with Birgit Nilsson that she took the offer. To her surprise, the legendary Wagner singer offered to help her learn her part. Nonetheless, Nina Stemme felt she was not yet ready to sing Isolde. When she did take the stage as Isolde for the first time at Glyndeborne, her performance was met with enthusiasm and she subsequently made a record with Plácido Domingo singing as Tristan and Antonio Pappano as conductor. Even then, she remained cautious: “You are never ready with these gigantic roles”, she said in retrospect in her interview with the “New York Times”. Respect for the roles and the operas, flexibility, diversity and a level-headed estimation of her voice’s potential – these were the factors that, alongside her voice itself, talent and musicality, made this highly talented singer an artist of global stature. In 1993, she was rewarded when she won Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition. Whether at the Metropolitan Opera New York, La Scala Milan, the Bayreuth Festival, the Vienna State Opera or the Royal Opera House in London – Nina Stemme has furthered the great tradition of Flagstad and Nilsson at leading opera houses.
Hotel Allegro 171 W. Randolph Chicago, IL Reception - 7:00 pm Program - 7:30 pm Cost: Members - $ 5.00 Guests - $ 10.00 Questions: 847-256-1292 Sunday, February 3, 2019 Joint program with Evanston Chapter of Lyric Opera of Chicago ANETTE ISAACS “The Tainted Legacy of Richard Wagner” 
Program - 3:00 PM Michigan Shores Club 911 Michigan Avenue Wilmette, IL Cost: Members - $ 15.00 Guests - $ 20.00 Questions: 847-256-1292
Sunday, December 16TH, 2018
The Evanston, Glencoe, Northfield, Wilmette, Winnetka chapters of The Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Wagner Society of America invite you to our Annual Holiday Luncheon Event 
Jennifer Kosharsky, mezzo-soprano  Ariana Strahl, soprano with Celeste Rue, piano
Mezzo Jennifer Kosharsky (top) has performed in operas, operettas, musicals and concerts.
Recent roles: Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) and Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana). Silent Auction 12 Noon (cash, check, or major credit card)
A former student of Leonard Bernstein, Saul Lilienstein holds B.A. and M.S.degrees in music from Queens College, N.Y. He initially came to the attention of Maryland audiences as Director of The Handel Choir of Baltimore and the Harford Choral Society. Lilienstein was for many years Artistic Director and Conductor of Maryland’s Harford Opera Theatre and then of Operetta Renaissance in Baltimore, conducting and producing in all well over fifty operas.
A highly regarded Professor of Music, his is a familiar voice at the Smithsonian Institution, Johns Hopkins University in Rockville, at the Goethe Institut, for symphonic concerts at the Kennedy Center, opera lectures for Washington National Opera and recently at music symposiums in New York, Boston, San Francisco and Palm Beach. Lilienstein’s subjects range from the Origins of Opera to the Origins of Jazz, from Bach and Beethoven to Music of the Gypsies, from Immigrant Cultures to Music of The Beatles.
He has now completed over eight-five highly acclaimed Commentaries on CD for The Washington National Opera, analyzing the repertoire in the most extensive series of its kind in the English language. His essays on music have appeared in newspapers throughout the country ,in journals and anthologies.
PLEASE NOTE NEW ADDRESS
Beth Elliott is the author of the satirical time-travel novel “Don’t Call It ‘Virtual’”, a former weekly columnist for the San Francisco Bay Area Reporter and book and record reviewer for Telewoman, and an independent recording artist. Something of a minor counterculture figure who has been written about in a small number of books, she has chased total solar eclipses around the world and written business materials and conference presentations for a commercial lunar sample retrieval mission start-up. She wrote “Redemption Through Love!” out of a belief that Wagner’s “music dramas” are too beautiful, thrilling, transformative and inspirational for people to feel intimidated to approach. Delving into the mythological, metaphysical and psychological underpinnings of Wagner’s art, she brings a lifetime of spiritual exploration (not to mention irreverence and deadly wit) to making the most written-about and controversial composer of all time accessible to people who are neither opera nor Wagner buffs
SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2018
AMBER WAGNER will join us and give an update on her career. She is currently appearing at Lyric Opera of Chicago in the title role of Turandot. Amber has received rave reviews in both Chicago and in Vancouver for this new addition to her repertoire. She will be joined by soprano Janai Brugger (who sings Liu) in an informal discussion of their work, particularly their work as Wagnerian repertoire.
WAGNER BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON AND PROGRAM JIM HOLMAN Photo courtesy of WETA JAMES K. HOLMAN is Chairman of the D.C. Wagner Society, a well-known Wagner expert, AND an Evanstonian will present a lecture on Tannhäuser with a visual presentation much like his wonderful presentation this past year.
ORRINGTON HOTEL
1710 Orrington Avenue
Evanston, IL
Reception 1:00 PM
WEDNESDAY EVENING, April 25, 2018
Soprano ARIANA STRAHL with Kathleen Kelly, Piano 
Master Teacher Kathleen Kelly is the University of Michigan’s first Coach/Conductor of Opera at its School of Music, Theater, and Dance. From 2010–2013 at the Vienna State Opera, Kathleen oversaw the daily musical life of more the fifty ensemble singers in more than fifty operas. She has appeared nationally and internationally as a recital accompanist, notably at Vienna’s Musikverein, New York City’s Weill Hall, and the Kennedy Center. Besides Ms. Strahl, her partners have included Jamie Barton, Christine Goerke, Amber Wagner, Michael Kelly, Troy Cook, Jill Grove, Patrick Carfizzi, Albina Shagimuratova, and Valentina Nafornita. She has curated recital series at the Vienna State Opera and the Houston Grand Opera, and is co-artistic director of SongFusion. In Vienna, Kathleen was the musical assistant and recitative accompanist for new productions of Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro. Professor Matthew Bribitzer-Stull began as Assistant Professor of Music Theory at the University of Minnesota in 2002. He is now Director of the University Honors Program and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. The author of Understanding the Leitmotif: From Wagner to Hollywood Film Music (Cambridge University Press 2015), Matt looks forward to continued engagement with Wagner’s music despite the demands of his administrative appointment. Roosevelt University Room 420 430 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL Reception - 7:00 pm Program - 7:30 pm Cost: Members - $ 5.00 Guests - $ 10.00
TUESDAY EVENING, January 23, 2018
AMBER WAGNER 
Photo Credit: Larry Lapidus Hotel Allegro Orpheum Room (3rd Floor) 171 W. Randolph Chicago, IL Reception - 7:00 pm Program - 7:30 pm Cost: Members - $ 5.00 Guests - $ 10.00
Sunday, December 3rd, 2017
The Barrington, Evanston, Glencoe, Northfield, Wilmette & Winnetka Chapters of Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Wagner Society of America invite you to our annual Holiday Luncheon Event Christine Brewer, Soprano Craig Terry, piano  Grammy Award-winning American soprano Christine Brewer’s appearances in opera, concert, and recital are marked by her 1own unique timbre, at once warm and brilliant, combined with a vibrant personality and emotional honesty reminiscent of the great sopranos of the past. Named one of the top 20 sopranos of all time (BBC Music), her range, golden tone, boundless power, and control make her a favorite of the stage and a highly sought-after recording artist, one who is “in her prime and sounding glorious” (Anthony Tommasini, New York Times).
THURSDAY, November 16th, 2017
"Brünnhilde's Sisters" Lyric Opera Walküre's "Flying Equestrians" 
What could be more exciting than a group of young horsewomen who can sing Wagner and ride flying horses at the same time ? We could not think of anything to top this. Don’t miss three of this fleet of sopranos, mezzos, and contraltos: None other than the Valkyries from Lyric Opera of Chicago's current production of Die Walküre—including the Waltraute (soprano Catherine Martin, who was our guest artist last December), Siegrune (mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel), and Ortlinde (soprano Laura Wilde).
(Our "CD Fire Sale" will continue at $ 1.00 per CD.)
THURSDAY, October 26th, 2017
David Pountney
Stage Director andArtistic Director of Welsh National Opera 
Lyric's Ring Cycle Director DAVID POUNTNEY. Since 2011 David has been the Artistic Director of the Welsh National Opera. He has held positions at the Scottish Opera, the English National Opera, and the Bregenz Festival. He has also written librettos and translated operas into English. He was made a CBE (England) as well as receiving high honorary designations in France and in Poland. We are delighted to present the director of this very innovative Ring.
Sunday, July 23rd Kyle van Schoonhoven, tenor Laurann Gilley, piano Kyle van Schoonhoven in Recital 
Join Kyle van Schoonhoven, tenor, in celebrating his recent achievement as
a 2017 Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Kyle will
be offering a solo recital with pianist Laurann Gilley at Ganz Hall in Roosevelt
University's Chicago Loop campus at 430 S. Michigan Ave.
This event is sponsored by The Wagner Society of America and the
Central Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council
3:00 pm
Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the door or in advance via PayPal.
A few selections from Kyle's program Sunday, May 21st
JAMES K. HOLMAN Jim is Chairman of the D.C. Wagner Society, a Wagner author, and an Evanstonian.
Photo courtesy of WETA
JAMES K. HOLMAN, Chairman, Wagner Society of Washington, D.C. and well-known Wagnerian author, will present his lecture, 'Tristan and the Delights of Ambiguiy' Chairman Jim was recently interviewed by WETA's Marilyn Cooley on the subject of Wagner's Ring. Jim guided her—and her listeners—through the story and background of this major work of Western art. Click here to listen to the full interview!
ORRINGTON HOTEL
1710 Orrington Avenue
Buffet Luncheon 1:30 PM Make checks payable to The Wagner Society of America P.O. Box 514 Wilmette IL 60091 There will also be THE QUIZ with prizes for all and the CD Fire Sale willcontinue at $ 1.00 per CD. Reservations required Parking: FREE PARKING ON STREET OR IN LOTS AND IN GARAGES
Professor KAREN PAINTER
Department of Music, University of Minnesota
Karen's presentation is entitled 'Wagner's Ring and German-American relations during the World Wars'. She spent 2015/16 at Harvard's Center for European Studies and was Director of the Office of Research and Analysis for the National Endow- ment for the Arts in 2005/06. She was a scholar in residence at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris in 2010 and recipient of a Humboldt fellowship and the Berlin Prize in 1999/2000.
ORRINGTON HOTEL
1710 Orrington Avenue
Evanston
Reception 3:00 PM
Program 3:30 PM
Thursday, March 16
ASHLEY SIPKA, mezzo-soprano
Ashley is a recent graduate of DePaul University.
She was a finalist this year in the Central Region of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions having advanced from the Illinois district.
There are now 4 state districts feeding into the region. Kentucky has now joined Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
Her repertoire includes the Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Orlovsky, Perichole, Beppe, Susuki, and Ernestina plus concert alto soloist in works of
Brahms, Charpentier, Schumann, and Handel.
Her program will include works by Wagner (including Ortrude's Curse) and Gounod's Sapho (her winning performance of 'O ma lyre immortelle') among others.
PIANO FORTE
1335 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago
7:00 PM Reception
7:30 PM Program
Sunday, December 4th
The Evanston, Glencoe, Northfield,
& Wilmette Chapters of Lyric Opera of Chicago and
The Wagner Society of America
invite you to our annual
Holiday Luncheon Event
Catherine Martin, Mezzo-Soprano
Hilton Orrington Hotel 1710 Orrington Avenue, Evanston
12 Noon, Silent Auction, 1 PM, Luncheon
ANETTE ISAACS, who gave us the wonderful program on King Ludwig, will be presenting a program on the Holocaust next Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.
It will be at the Evanston Public Library (Church & Orrington) at 2:00 PM.
CATHERINE MARTIN, mezzo-soprano, will be our guest singer for the annual holiday luncheon that we are doing jointly with 6 Lyric Opera Chapters.
That date is Sunday, Dec. 4th, 2016 at noon. Catherine will be in the cast of Les Troyens at Lyric Opera and is also covering the role of Didon to be sung by Sophie Koch. She will be returning to Lyric next season and likely will be our guest for a program.
Wednesday, November 30th Colin Ure, Opera Specialist
Informal Q&A
Hotel Allegro
171 W. Randolph StreetChicago
7:00 PM Reception
7:30 PM Program
Colin Ure was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and studied music, majoring in voice, at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Following graduation he performed as a professional, classical singer throughout the UK and further afield. In 1992 he became an artists' manager, working for several British agencies, where he advised, developed and structured the careers of young singers, worldwide. In 2005 he was appointed as Dramaturg for Houston Grand Opera, where he lectured, wrote articles about opera, and prepared supertitle translations. Colin now lives in Chicago, working as a free-lance dramaturg. Currently, he is writing and presenting The Ryan Opera Center Recital Series for WFMT Chicago 98.7. For the Chicago Humanities Festival he has interviewed Renee Fleming, Jessye Norman, Ana Maria Martinez, Jimmy Lopez and Nilo Cruz. For Lyric Opera of Chicago, he has given pre-performance lectures, written and recorded podcasts and prepared supertitle translations Sunday, October 23 
German historian, ANETTE ISAACS, will present 'MAD' KING LUDWIG OF BAVARIA: INSIDE THE LIFE AND MIND OF GERMANY'S FAIRYTALE KING. This past March Anette gave us a fascinating presentation on Ludwig and Wagner. For those of you who attended that lecture there is only 20 to 25 % overlap. For the rest of you don't miss her!
Orrington Hotel - John Evans Room
1710 Orrington Avenue Evanston Times: 3:00 pm Reception 3:30 pm Program Cost: FREE (Refreshments available in hotel) Reservations not required Parking: Free in lots and metered spaces on Sundays. Valet parking is available.
Sunday, May 22nd
Wagner Birthday Luncheon and ProgramfeaturingMargaret Jane Wray, Soprano
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Wednesday, January 28th
Between Venus and the Virgin:
Music and Myth in Wagner's "Tannhäuser"
A Lecture on Tannhäuser's Musical Subtleties and Mythic Sources
This guided tour through Wagner's
Tannhäuser views the opera through several lenses and from multiple perspectives. Methodology from musicology and mythography intersect with literary, historical, psychological and philosophical approaches. Wagner himself used manifold methods when discussing his own work, and there are correspondences between his written theories and his musical output that often go unnoticed by today's operagoers. However, Wagner was not the most transparent of poets, and his various philosophies don't always smoothly sync with one another. This necessarily leads to conflicting concepts and mixed messages. At the very least, this presentation will hopefully convince you what the opera is not about: Catholic conceptions of sin and salvation.
This lecture will feature a close reading of selected musical excerpts and passages from the libretto. There will be in-depth discussion of Wagner's own statements about the work, of his literary and mythological sources, and of his responses to reviews of the opera. We will trace the Tannhäuser legend and examine the correspondences between Wagner's poetry and that of the historical Minnesinger who inspired it. Connections will also be drawn to Wagner's other works, particularly Der Ring des Nibelungen.
For those especially interested in Norse mythology, we'll also discuss Freyja, Holda, Wotan, the Wild Hunt, Jacob Grimm's Teutonic Mythology and Wagner's stated "enthusiasm for the genuine heathen legends."
Monday, February 16
Amber Wagner and Gerald Finley
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A conversation with our Elizabeth and Wolfram
in the Lyric production of Wagner's Tannhäuser
We are delighted that both Wolfram (GERALD FINLEY) and Elisabeth (AMBER WAGNER) from the Tannhäuser cast will join us for an informal discussion about their work and about Tannhäuser in particular. Bill Shackelford will moderate the discussion. Please come prepared with questions for Bill to start with.
Anette Isaacs, Historian
Hotel Allegro
171 W. Randolph Street
Chicago 7:00 PM Reception 7:30 Program
Parking: Lowest price is just south on Wells Street, east side of street.
Cost: $ 5.00 members $ 10.00 guests. Reservations not required
Wednesday, April 15th
Peter Bassett, Author and Dramaturg
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Wagner's Die Meistersinger and Lortzing's Hans Sachs |
Peter Bassett |
Wagner's Die Meistersinger and Lortzing's Hans Sachs
Chicago
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Wagner Birthday Dinner and Program
5:30 PM Program
6:15 PM DINNER (Please specify any dietary restrictions in advance)
AND perhaps: THE QUIZ & PRIZES!!!!
Program: We are pleased to have Joanna coming in from Boston for this program. She has done dramatic soprano roles and is now moving into the mezzo-soprano roles. We will hear some of both. Celeste will accompany her and also play a couple of piano works. We first knew Joanna through attending some of her performances and then had the chance to meet her in September, 2013 at a meeting of the Boston Wagner Society. You can find her on YouTube.
Joanna Porackova has been celebrated for her 'soaring majesty' (Opera News) and 'huge vocal and emotional range'in both the mezzo soprano and soprano dramatic repertoire. She was hailed by the Boston Globe 2010 as a 'powerful soprano with a heartfelt, involving sense of the music's inner drama (singing Brünnhilde), in Wagner's 'Immolation Scene'. In 2010 the Boston Musical Intelligencer praised her for 'using her impressive instrument to full dramatic effect' for the mezzo soprano solo in Verdi's REQUIEM with the Masterworks Chorale. Her 'warm smooth voice rang out over Wagner's heavy orchestral textureĢ�Ħ clearly at home in the role of Brünnhilde', singing 'Immolation Scene' with the Longwood Symphony directed by Jonathan Mcphee. The New York Sun, in reviews of DIE WALKÜRE in the 2008 Easter Salzburg Festival with the Berliner Philharmoniker under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle singled her out as 'foremost of the Valkyries' she was girlish and fantastic'. The New York Times praised her for singing with 'great fervor and skill' as Magda Sorel in THE CONSUL directed by the composer himself Gian Carlo Menotti at the Washington National Opera, and for 'transmitting the character's obsessive passion and warmth' as Senta at Katharina Wagner's directorial debut of DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER
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In 2005 she sang Isolde in TRISTAN UND ISOLDE with the Grand Theatre de Tours, France, under the direction of Jean Yves Ossonce. The Neue Züricher Zeitung acclaimed her for her 'technical mastery' in the complex title role in the world premiere of Rolf Liebermann's MEDEA at the Stadtheater in Bern under the direction of Daniel Klajner. James Conlon later engaged her for the same role with the Paris Opera Bastille. She made her Alice Tully Hall debut (Lincoln Center) singing Anaide to Jerome Hines' MOSE IN EGITTO the NY Times hailed her for 'the most stageworthy..soprano blossomed.'
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She has been engaged with the Aix en Provence, Salzburg, and Opera North (Canada) Festivals, Paris Opera Bastille, Grand Theatre de Tours, Klagenfurt, Würzburg, Bern, Stralsund, Hong Kong, Boston Lyric, Opera Boston, Seattle, Connecticut, Anchorage, Boston Bel Canto opera companies. She has performed the title roles of NORMA, TOSCA, AIDA, MEDEA, TURANDOT, DALILA, CARMEN, SALOME, ISOLDE,and LA WALLY as well as the Komponist, Amneris, Brünnhilde, Sieglinde, and Santuzza, to name a few. Her concert repertoire includes Wagner's WESENDONCK LIEDER, Strauss's VIER LETZTE LIEDER, the mezzo and soprano roles in the Verdi REQUIEM, and the Mahler 2nd Symphony, alto solo in Mozart REQUIEM, Bach B Minor Mass. In 2011 she sang the alto solo in Beethoven 9th with the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra, Boston,MA.
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Her voice has been heard on Swiss National Radio, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WGBH, BBC, WBUR, and ARTE and she appears on the DVD of DIE WALKÜRE with the Berliner Philharmoniker on the Bel Air Classiques label released in 2009 and as the sole musician on the BBC special 'The Estate.'
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She has performed recitals at the Paris Conservatory, Gerlesborgsskolan, Sweden, and the prestigious Beaulieu Abbey (UK), Boston and New York Wagner Society recital series. She has released a CD of Rachmaninoff and Medtner songs on the Americus Record label in their Russian Master Series with the acclaimed pianist Dag Achatz. She performed Kundry PARSIFAL in concert with Boston Wagner Society 2011, and Gerhilde in a concert of DIE WALKÜRE with the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2012.
Program:
- 'Die Mainacht' Op. 43, No.2 Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
- 'In the silent night' Op.4, No,3 by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
- 'Songs my mother taught me' `Op. 55, No.4 by Antonin Dvorak (1873-1904)
- "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saens (1875-1921)
- Piano Selection
- "Weiche, Wotan!" (Erda) from Das Rheingold
- "Wo in Bergen du dich birgst" (Fricka) from Die Walküre
- Piano Selection
- "War es so schmählich' (excerpt) (Brünnhilde) from Die Walküre
- "Starke Scheite" (excerpt) (Brünnhilde) from Götterdämmerung
Thursday, October 8th
Francesca Zambello, Artistic Director of the Washington National Opera
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Hotel Allegro
171 W. Randolph Street
Chicago
Parking: Lowest price is just south on Wells Street, east side of street.
FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO, Artistic Director of the Washington National Opera. Francesca will present her production of Wagner's Ring Cycle to be performed next May in Washington, D.C. She will include audio/visual segments of the production. We are delighted to have this acclaimed artist visit us for the first time.
A conversation with renowned Wagnerian bass-baritone
Tomasz Konieczny
currently appearing in the title role in Lyric Opera of Chicago's new production of Alban Berg's Wozzeck
Tomasz Konieczny was born in 1972 in Lodz/Poland, where he first studied acting at the Film, TV and Theatre Academy. He made his debut in a film directed by Oscar prize winning director Andrzej Wajda The Ring with the Eagle, following which he worked as actor/director in many TV Film and Theatre productions in Poland. It was at that time that he began his vocal studies at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy in Warsaw, after which he went to Dresden where he joined the class of Prof. Christian ElÄner at the Hochschule für Musik. In 1998 he won the 33rd Dvorak International Vocal Competition in Carlsbad.
In 1997 he made his debut singing FIGARO in Le nozze di Figaro at the Poznan Opera in Poland, followed by engagements in places such as Leipzig, St. Gallen, Chemnitz and Mannheim. In 2002 he joined the ensemble of the National Theater Mannheim where he sang many roles included OREST, PIMEN, KING MARKE, AMFORTAS, WOTAN, PIZARRO, JOCHANAAN and the GRAN' INQUISITORE in Don Carlo. In 2004 Mannheim bestowed upon him the Arnold-Petersen-Award, a special prize for outstanding young talents.
2006 - 2014 Tomasz Konieczny was a member of the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein Düsseldorf/Duisburg where he could add to his repertoire some important leading roles like WOTAN, OSMIN, GOLAUD in Pelleas et MÄ�Ä©lisande, KURWENAL, HOLLÄNDER, BARAK, BALSTRODE in Peter Grimes SELIM in Il Turco in Italia FALSTAFF and ESCAMILLIO.
He has been a regular guest at the Opera Festial "WAGNER IN BUDAPEST", Where he sang under the baton of Adam Fischer AMFORTAS in 2006, WOTAN in Die Walküre in 2007 as well as in 2009, WANDERER in 2010 and KURWENAL in 2010 and 2011. In 2008 he made his debut at the Semperoper Dresden where he sang a highly-acclaimed ALBERICH in both Das Rheingold and Siegfried under Peter Schneider. In the same year he appeared for the first time at the Teatro Real Madrid where he sang DR KOLENATY in Janacek's Case Macropoulos.
In 2011 he sang AMFORTAS at National Theater of Prague (Narodni Divadlo). It was a great personal sucsess of Konieczny. In 2011 he made also his debut as BITEROLF in Tannäuser at Opera National de Paris in 2012 as PIZARRO with NSO Washington and at the Bayerische Staatsoper München. The big sucsess was his debut at the Salzburger Festspiele (summer 2012) as STOLZIUS in Soldaten of Zimmermann. 2013 he sings two important CD - Productions of Ring des Nibelungen: as Wotan - the conductor is Marek Janowski (Pentatone Classics) and as Alberich - the conductor was Christian Thielemann (Deutsche Grammophon). 2014 he made his very saccesfully debut at the Carnegie Hall as JOCHANAAN in Salome and goes back as COMMENDATORE to Salzburger Festspiele.
At the Vienna State Opera he still sings since 2009: JACK RANCE, ALBERICH and WOTAN, AMFORTAS, HOLLÄNDER, SCARPIA, MANDRYKA, JOCHANAAN, He performs for the Viennese public with consistent and requited love.
Tomasz Konieczny is also in great demand for concerts where the colour of his voice and his stage presence make for a special combination. Among his upcoming engagements are concerts with the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Czech Philharmonic in Prague, and with the BBC London. His repertoire includes Bach's St. Matthew's Passion, the Weihnachtsoratorium, Handel's Messiah and Mendessohn's Elijah, Mozart's, Verdi's and Dvorak's Requiem, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Dvorak's Stabat Mater, Penderecki's Kosmogonia, Lukaspassion, Seven Gates of Jerusalem and the Messa da Requiem by Maciejewski.
171 W. Randolph Street
Chicago 7:00 PM Reception >7:30 PM Program
Parking: Lowest price is just south on Wells Street, east side of street.
Sunday, November 29
26th Annual Holiday Luncheon
& Silent Auction
Eric Weimer, Piano
Michigan Shores Club
911 Michigan Avenue
Wilmette, IL
847-251-4100
12:00 PM Silent Auction
1:00 PM Luncheon and Program
In addition; as the Artistic Director of the Vann Vocal Institute in Montgomery, Alabama, he enjoys a consultancy with the Montgomery Symphony, books their celebrity recital series, and is working to develop the Montgomery Music Festival along with his duties as the Institute's director. Each year he brings the nation's finest coaches, teachers, administrators, and stage directors to Montgomery for extended developmental work with young aspiring vocalists in the South.
His very active on-stage career continues with performances and associations with the leading opera houses and symphony orchestras of the world including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington Opera, San Francisco Opera, Paris Opera, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Cincinnati Symphony, and others. For a more in-depth look, and for up-to-date information and postings, you are most heartily invited to browse the new DavidCangelosi.com.
Eric Weimer has established himself as one of the pre-eminent coach/Assistant Conductors in the international opera world. Through his work at some of the world's leading companies'in particular, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Bayreuth Festival, but also the San Francisco Opera, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Cleveland Orchestra'he has prepared some 150 productions, collaborating with most of the world's greatest opera maestri: James Levine, Sir Andrew Davis, Bruno Bartoletti, Donald Runnicles, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Franz Welser-Moest, Antonio Pappano, James Conlon, Christoph Eschenbach, Christian Thielemann, and Georg Solti. In this work, he has coached and worked closely with virtually all the major singers active on the international opera stage. While famous as a German specialist'he has prepared no less than twelve complete cycles of Wagners's Der Ring des Nibelungen'he is known also for the breadth of his experience with other repertoires, particularly the Baroque and the Italian. A fluent speaker of German and Italian, he has prepared most of the German and Italian repertoire that Lyric Opera of Chicago has presented in the past 24 years.
A former musicologist, Eric Weimer holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is the author of Opera seria and the Evolution of Classical Style'he is also in great demand as a coach of young singers. He joined the music staff of the Ryan Opera Center (training wing of Lyric Opera of Chicago) in 1992.