Le Grazie Veneziane. Musica degli Ospedali – Music from the Ospedali
Contents
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Preface writer
Peter Koop
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Preface writer
Christoph Koop
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Choir
Vocal Concert Dresden
The Vocal Concert Dresden, which was founded as “Körnerscher Sing-Verein” by Peter Kopp in 1993, consists largely of graduates of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and former members of the Dresden Kreuzchor. The chamber choir’s challenging repertoire extends from programs featuring the music of Schütz, Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn and Brahms to contemporary compositions, some of which it has premiered. The ensemble’s interpretative insight and, most importantly, the emotional impact of its concerts, have contributed to its reputation for exceptional performances and to its artistic standing. It is constantly credited with stylistic assurance and an elegant, natural approach to music-making. The choir has appeared in a number of concerts staged by the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Dresden Philharmonic. It has made guest appearances at Bachwoche Ansbach, the Göttinger Händel-Festspielen, the Schlossfestspiele Potsdam, the Händel-Festspielen Halle, the Ravello Festival (Italy), in Poland and Holland, and also repeatedly in the USA. A prominent feature of its programs is music of the late 18th century, for which the Vocal Concert Dresden has developed a particular affinity. Personal details
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Ensemble
Dresdner Instrumental-Concert
Since 1995 the Dresdner Instrumental-Concert has brought together artists who perform music true to historical style on period instruments. The name of the group originated from middle class musical life as it existed in Dresden around 1800. Numerous concerts and recordings – especially together with the Vocal Concert Dresden under the direction of Peter Kopp – display an impressive artistic quality. The primary emphasis of its repertoire lies in the treasures of Dresden’s rich musical history. The Dresdner Instrumental-Concert has been acclaimed in the international press and by the public for its sensitive sonority and its tasteful manner of playing. Personal details
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Conductor
Peter Kopp
After singing in the Dresden Kreuzchor as a schoolboy, Peter Kopp trained both as a church musician and as a choral and orchestral conductor at the Dresden Hochschule für Musik. While still a student he directed the Dresden Bach Choir. Since 1995 he has been a choral conductor of the Dresden Kreuzchor, which he was engaged to direct when the post of Kreuzkantor was vacant. His diverse musical activities have taken him abroad on a number of occasions. He is particularly interested in rediscovering forgotten gems from Saxony’s musical history. In this respect, performances and CD recordings of works by Johann Gottlieb Naumann have had the same lasting resonance as his most recent releases, “Christmas at the Dresden Court” (Carus 83.169), “Christmas in the Dresden Frauenkirche” (Carus 83.170), and the first recording of the most important Vivaldi discovery for seventy years, the Dixit Dominus. In 2002 Peter Kopp was awarded the Johann Walter Plaquette of the Saxon Music Council, followed by the Sponsor Prize of Dresden, the state capital of Saxony, in the spring of 2003. In addition he regularly appears as a guest conductor with the Bach Society of Houston/Texas and has given courses in choral conducting at two universities there. Personal details
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Soloist - soprano
Maria Grazia Schiavo
The soprano Maria Grazia Schiavo, born in Naples, completed her studies with distinction at the S. Pietro Conservatory in Majella. She soon became particularly interested in lyrical song, chamber music, twelve-tone compositions and baroque music. She made her debut in principal roles in Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and The Fairy Queen, and in Humperdinck’s opera Hänsel und Gretel at major theatres in Italy (including Teatro San Carlo, Naples) and abroad (Buenos Aires). In 2002 she won first prize at the international singing competition “Clermont Farrand.” This recipient of a Naples Conservatory stipend appears regularly at important national and international festivals, including those at Ravello, Beaune and Saint-Denis, the Monteverdi Festival in Cremona and the Cité de la Musique in Paris. Concert tours in various opera productions have taken her to theatres in France, Japan and Belgium. Personal details
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Soloist - soprano
Emanuela Galli
Emanuela Galli was born in Milan and studied singing at the Mantua Conservatory. This soprano’s principal interests are Lieder singing, classical opera, and the repertoire of baroque music. She works regularly with specialized ensembles such as the Accademia Bizantina, the Piccolo Concerto Wien, La Risonanza, Milano Classica, and La Venexiana. She has made guest appearances at the principal Italian and European festivals and theatres. She has sung at opera houses including the San Carlo in Naples, Il Massimo in Palermo, the Santa Cecilia in Rome, also at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, in Paris and Belgium. She has accepted invitations to perform with such conductors as Claudio Abbado, F. Fanna, J. Tubery, D. Fasolis and C. Cavina. Numerous CD recordings and broadcasts demonstrate her extensive repertoire. Personal details
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Soloist - mezzo-soprano
José Maria Lo Monaco
The alto Jose Maria Lo Monaco studied the piano and singing, and has triumphed at several national and international competitions. For instance, she has won first prizes at the “Premio Caruso Contest 2002”, the “G. B. Viotti International Contest 2003” and the “Lucia Valentini Terrani” and “Iris Adami Corradetti International Contest 2004”. She made her operatic debut in 2001 in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. Not least, as a result of her extensive concert appearances in opera, singing Lieder and, above all, baroque music, invitations have taken her to many important theatres and festivals, including La Scala Milan, the Rossini Festival in Pesaro, the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, the Sala Verdi in Milan, and the Bremen Festival. She has worked with conductors including Alberto Zedda, Christopher Hogwood and Diego Fasolis, as well as with the Accademia Bizantina and the Ensemble La Venexiana. Personal details
Reviews
Les Dresdois de Peter Kopp y réussissent parfaitement.
Diapason, Januar 2016
[...] Die von den Frauenstimmen des Vocal Concert Dresden und drei Solistinnen eingespielte CD besticht sofort durch ihre natürliche und gleichsam elegante Lebendigkeit. Orchester, Solisten und Chor sind bestens aufeinander abgestimmt. [...]
Württemb. Blätter für Kirchenmusik, 6/2008
[...] Die Begeisterung, mit der Generationen von Reiseschriftstellern und Tagebuchschreibern den Ruhm der Ospedali und ihrer Musikerinnen in der Welt verbreitet haben, wird hier nachvollziehbar und hörbar.[...]
Tobias Roth
klassik.com, 26.08.2008
[...] It is clear, clean, poignantly restrained, and lovingly tuned. The only thing really missing from this recording is more of it.
Choral Journal, June/July 2009