To hear a live,
professional, performance of a Mahler Symphony it is generally necessary to go
to a major city or concert hall.
But on Saturday 15 May the Oxford Philomusica orchestra under the baton
of its music director Marios Papadopoulos will perform this monumental work in
Oxfordıs Sheldonian theatre.
Subtitled ³Titan² the symphony requires massive orchestral forces of
over 80 players constituting one tenth of the hallıs actual capacity! Triumph over darkness is the goal of
the entire work, with the brass and especially large horn section heralding the
apotheosis from mystic minor to triumphal major as the symphony draws to its
impressive ending.
The concert is coupled
with what many regard as one of the most
sublime song cycles ever written.
Joining the Oxford Philomusica orchestra to sing Straussı Four Last
Songs is the soprano Susan Bullock.
Marios Papadopoulos said ³I am particularly thrilled to have this opportunity
of welcoming Susan to Oxford, as she is fast becoming one of the busiest
sopranos, with three major debuts approaching: the Proms, La Scala and Covent
Garden. She possesses a
glorious voice, which will perfectly suit the Strauss. I am certain Oxford audiences are in
for a real treat². Susan Bullock's
enormous potential was recognised early in her career when she was awarded
First Prize in the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award in 1984 and is now recognised
as Britainıs leading Wagnerian singer.
For further information, pictures and interview opportunities, please contact Carole Radford: 01753 771849; 07770 543616, Carole@caroleradfordpr.com
RICHARD STRAUSS Four Last Songs
GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No 1 in D Major (³Titan²)
Susan Bullock soprano
Marios Papadopoulos conductor
Tickets £30, £24, £17, £10 plus
concessions
Booking available online at: www.oxfordphil.com, Box Office: 01865 305305
THE OXFORD PHILOMUSICA AT
THE ATHENS FESTIVAL 2004
Oxford Philomusica is delighted to
have been invited to participate in the prestigious Athens Festival in July
2004, a few weeks prior to the Olympic Games.
The performance will take place in
the stunning, open-air ancient theatre of Herodes Atticus, which is situated
just below the Parthenon in Athens.
100 musicians from the orchestra
will travel from England and will perform, amongst other works, Mahlerıs 1st
Symphony.
Oxford Philomusica is honoured to
have been afforded this opportunity to perform alongside some of the Worldıs
leading orchestras an invitation procured following its very successful
concerts at the Athens Megaron in November 2002.
Susan Bullock
Soprano
³Isolde is sung by Susan Bullock with a luxurious tone
that gleams like steel. Like the rest of the cast, she puts every word across
clearly and always commands the vocal power to dominate her scenes while adding
an extra degree of warmth and lyricism. Bullock is passionate and visceral.
..Superb performance, a landmark of her career to rank
with her Brussels Elektra²
Michael Kennedy, The Sunday Telegraph,
June 1 2003
Susan
Bullock is one of the leading sopranos of her generation. Recent engagements
include the title role in Elektra in Brussels; Brünnhilde at Perth
International Festival; Schreckerıs Der Schatzgräber with Oper Frankfurt; and Lady Macbeth in Blochıs Macbeth in Vienna. She has also sung with New York City Opera, Houston
Opera, the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, Oper der Stadt Bonn and New Israeli
Opera. At Glyndebourne she has sung Lisa (The Queen of Spades) and the title-roles in
Katya Kabanova and Jenufa (which she also sang for New Israeli Opera and the Spoleto Festival,
USA); she has sung Ellen Orford (Peter Grimes) for ENO and the Royal Danish
Opera.
Since
her outstanding performances of Isolde for Opera North, Susan Bullock has
rapidly established herself as Britainıs leading Wagnerian soprano. Last season
she made highly acclaimed performances singing the title role in Tristan and
Isolde at ENO and Oper Frankfurt, and her
debut appearance with the Orchestra of the Bayerische Staatsoper under Zubin
Mehta singing the Liebestod and Immolation Scene.
Susan Bullockıs concert work has been vast and diverse, and has recently included performances of: Stravinskyıs Les Noces with London Sinfonietta, and Wagnerıs Wesendonk Lieder at the Ulster Hall, Belfast. She featured in the Opening Gala Concert of the Windsor Festival with the BBC Concert Orchestra under Robin Stapleton, performed various arias at St Davidıs Hall Cardiff for the Welsh Proms under Owain Arwel-Hughes, and makes regular appearances on BBC Radio 2ıs Friday Night is Music Night. In recital Susan recently performed Britten Song Cycles at the Aldeburgh Festival with Roger Vignoles.
This
season she appeared as Isolde with Opéra de Rouen, and returned to the Toyko
New National Theatre to sing Brünnhilde in Götterdämmerung. In addition
she will sing the role of Female Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia) in Munich, features in a Weill Double-Bill programme with
the London Sinfonietta under David Atherton, and will appear in this yearıs BBC
Proms performing Messiaenıs Poèmes pour Mi under Ilan Volkov.
Next
season Susan Bullock makes her La Scala debut as Elektra, and debuts at Covent
Garden in the 2005/06 as Marie in Wozzeck.
THE OXFORD PHILOMUSICA
1. The
Oxford Philomusica was founded in 1998 and has since developed to become the most
significant musical resource in Oxford.
It was launched with a concert at Londonıs Barbican Centre in November
1998 and gave its Oxford debut the following February at The Sheldonian
Theatre. A television
documentary, produced by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, highlighted the
Oxford Philomusicaıs mission to establish a professional symphony orchestra in
the University City and was broadcast to an audience of over 400 million people
world-wide. As recognition of its
work, the Oxford Philomusica was honoured at a reception at 10 Downing Street
in April 2002, hosted by Cherie Blair.
In
February 2001, Vladimir Ashkenazy,
Patron of the Oxford Philomusica, appeared with the orchestra as soloist and
conductor at Oxfordıs Apollo Theatre and again on 12 May 2003, for a performance
at St Jamesıs Palace in the presence of HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of
Edinburgh. The concert was held in aid of the Princeıs own charity: The
Outward Bound Trust. Internationally acclaimed soloists who
have appeared with the orchestra include Steven Isserlis, Angela Hewitt,
Cristina Ortiz, Oxana Yablonskaya, Maurice Hasson, Jean-Bernard Pommier, Igor
Oistrakh, Charles Rose, John Lill, Chloe Hanslip and Peter Donohoe. The Oxford Philomusicaıs diverse range
of promotions and other activities have made a considerable contribution to
Oxfordıs musical life, attracting critical praise and securing a supportive
audience for its work.
Beyond Oxford, the orchestra has
extended its touring programme to undertake visits to Switzerland, Cyprus and
Azerbaijan. In March 2000, the
Oxford Philomusica performed before a capacity audience at the prestigious Sale
Gaveau, Paris, and in November 2002 received high critical acclaim following
its appearance at the Athens Megaron.
Its commitment to performing in London continued with a concert given at
the Queen Elizabeth Hall in February 2000 with further concerts planned.
2. In August 1999, the Oxford Philomusica presented the first International Piano Festival to be held in Oxford, in collaboration with the European Piano Teachers Association. Described as "the most significant annual musical event in the city" (Oxford Times), the Oxford Philomusica International Piano Festival now enjoys an international reputation as a centre of learning for the musicians of tomorrow. The festival attracts a world class line up of visiting artists of the highest calibre and widest possible breadth of musical experience and the 2003 International Piano Festival intends to build on its enviable record by offering an embarrassment of riches from the piano world.
2002 saw welcome returns by such
esteemed artists as Cristina Ortiz, Niel Immelman, Bryce Morrison, Maria
Curcio, Marios Papadopoulos, Malcolm Troup and Malcolm Young.
Distinguished new participators included John Lill, Christopher
Elton, Jack Gibbons, Martino Tirimo and Charles
Rosen. Demand for residential places exceeded previous years with
students travelling from around the world in order to be part of this unique
musical experience. This year the
Festival runs from 3-10 August 2003.
3. Education and Community work, a central part of the orchestraıs mission, continues to grow. Oxford Philomusica has funded pilot projects in the Wood Farm area of Oxford and at the Oxford Hospital School. The success of these schemes, together with close collaboration with hospital boards, has led to a proposal for Oxford Philomusica to become the resident orchestra at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
4. Marios
Papadopoulos, Founder and Music Director
of the Oxford Philomusica, made his London debut in 1974, since when his career
as pianist and conductor has developed on the international stage. His
interpretations of the Beethoven Sonatas, currently being recorded, have
compared with those of Schnabel, Brendel, Barenboim and Kempff (Daily
Telegraph and Classic FM Magazine Criticsı Choice).
5.
In October 2002, Oxford
Philomusica was appointed Orchestra in Residence at the University of Oxford. This unique
appointment is for an initial five-year period and offers a wider reaching
programme of mutual benefit to the University and orchestra. As part of the
University Residency, Oxford Philomusica will continue to collaborate with the
Faculty of Music on its student education programmes and to establish major
conferences and colloquia . The highly
successful Orchestral Apprenticeship Scheme, now in its fifth year, will
continue to provide orchestral experience and coaching to selected
students. Also available are
conducting classes, masterclasses and individual training given by Oxford
Philomusica musicians.
6.
In addition, the Orchestra
hopes to develop a number of pioneering schemes with other University
departments using its resources of professional performing musicians to explore
non-musical areas of work and research such as medical and neurological
research, the psychology of music and performance and the effects of music on a
childıs ability to learn.
Ends