“A true, voluptuous siren”, “A divine angel”. Young French star soprano Elodie Fonnard headlines Simon Murphy's classical stage programme at the Netherlands' Embassy Festival in The Hague this September.
First revealed to the world by William Christie’s Jardin des Voix, Elodie comes to the Embassy Festival fresh from her recent triumphs on the stages of the Opéra Comique in Paris, the Royal Opera of Versailles, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, New York's Lincoln Center and the Bolshoi in Moscow.
Fonnard has been praised by the international press for her “glorious singing” (The Scotsman), her expressive, poignant, clear voice and admirable stylistic facility (New York Times). “Her voice is clear, supple and beautifully warm. She delivers every phrase with fervour and sensitivity.”
For the 2016 Embassy Festival, she presents a highly personal recital of delicately fragrant, intimate French songs by Fauré, Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Duparc and Poulenc, accompanied by pianist David Saudubray.
Embassy Festival Classical / Jazz Programme
Held annually in the beautiful, historic centre of The Hague, the Netherlands' Embassy Festival is a vibrant and cosmopolitan celebration of the world's musical and culinary arts.
Curated and presented by Dutch-based Australian conductor and violist Simon Murphy (Sydney, 1973), the festival's classical/jazz stage features a rich variety of musical styles performed by leading international musicians in a series of concert programmes of music from 5 continents with repertoire spanning 5 centuries.
Murphy's previous festival editions featured Dutch musical superstars harpist
Lavinia Meijer, flautist Felicia van den End, and violinist Frederieke Saeijs, Australian classical saxophonist
Amy Dickson, Swedish lute virtuoso Karl Nyhlin, German star-soprano
Gudrun Sidonie Otto, Norwegian accordionist and ECM recording-artist
Frode Haltli, Germany's Boreas Quartett, award-winning Canadian soprano Stefanie True, U.S. pianist Bobby Mitchell and soprano Julia Kogan, the Netherlands' Rembrandt Frerichs Trio and Greek mega diva
Myrsini Margariti.
This year's programme again offers audiences a delectable and captivating array of musical styles, from fiery European operatic master-works, to delicate French impressionist musical portraits, to dynamic, modern, new world composition. Music for the ears, eyes, heart, soul and mind.
Festival Location and Atmosphere
A stone's throw away from the city's historic concert halls, opera houses and art galleries, the tree-lined boulevard of The Hague's Lange Voorhout makes the perfect backdrop for the Embassy Festival's international classical and jazz programme. In this inspiring festival setting, along cobblestone streets once walked by Mozart, Beethoven and Dussek, modern audiences now have the opportunity to savour some of the world's most exciting contemporary performers in a series of engaging concert presentations. Other festival offerings include culinary delights from around the world, theatre, street art and more.
Festival Details
Embassy Festival, Lange Voorhout (outside), The Hague
Saturday 3 September 2016, 12:00 to 21:00
Entrance FREE!
www.embassyfestival.com
Festival organiser is Prooost in partnership with the city of The Hague.
For further information on conductor Simon Murphy's other projects and performing activities, visit:
www.simonmurphyconductor.com
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Embassy Festival 2016
Highlights Classical / Jazz Stage Programme
Paula Pérez Romero and Alma Barroca
Rising stars Paula Pérez Romero and Baroque ensemble Alma Barroca present a selection of sparkling Baroque musical gems. With an instrumentation of two violins, theorbo and cello, the programme features works by Italian and Spanish Baroque masters including Vivaldi and Corelli.
Éva Szalai, piano
Winner of the Grand Prize at the Hungarian National Piano Competition, the Adilia Alieva Competition and the International Alain Marinaro Piano Competition, and graduate of both the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, young Hungarian pianist Éva Szalai has wowed international audiences and the press alike with her “her exquisite musicality, noble performance and genuine devotedness to music”. For the Embassy Festival 2016, Éva performs a powerful solo recital programme of works from her homeland by Bartók, Kurtág and Liszt. www.evaszalai.com
Susanne Herre, Viola da Gamba
German Viola da Gamba virtuoso Susanne Heere gives a particularly internationally themed recital of music for her instrument by legendary 17th century French composer and Viola da Gamba player, Marin Marais. Susanne's programme includes Marais' L'Americaine, La Georgienne, and La Polonoise, as well as extracts from his Folies d'Espagne and other works including his mesmerising Les voix humaines.
Aldona Bartnik, soprano
Maurice Lammerts van Bueren, piano
Award-winning Polish soprano Aldona Bartnik presents a colourful, hand-selected programme of Polish art-songs including works by Chopin, Szymanowski, Paderewski and Lutoslawski. Exploring the musical languages of Polish Romanticism, Expressionism and Impressionism, Aldona's programme entitled Melancholia looks especially at the influence of Polish folk music on the development of Polish art-music and identity. Of this rich source of inspiration, Polish composer Szymanowski said that he had absorbed the intense beauty of Góral (Polish Highlander) music, dance and architecture into his “innermost soul”. www.aldonabartnik.com
Anna Stegmann, Recorder
German recorder virtuoso Anna Stegmann performs music from Van Eyck's Dutch Golden Age musical masterpiece “Der Fluyten Lust-hof”. Originally designed to dazzle and enchant visitors in his courtyard on a summer evening, Van Eyck's sensual collection is one of the largest and richest from the 17th century for a solo instrument. “Dazzling”, “outstanding recorder playing” (Limelight), “wonderfully cultivated tone, beautiful phrasing” (Klassik), Anna performs a selection of mesmerising musical numbers by Van Eyck including Engels Nachtingal, Wat zal men op den Avond doen and the classic Amarilli mia bella in a refreshing musical interlude of sweet summer serenades deigned to bewitch and beguile both ear and eye. www.anna-stegmann.com
Elodie Fonnard, Soprano
“A true, voluptuous siren”, “A divine angel”. Young French star soprano Elodie Fonnard has been praised by the international press for her “glorious singing” (The Scotsman), her expressive, poignant, clear voice and admirable stylistic facility (New York Times). “Her voice is clear, supple and beautifully warm. She delivers every phrase with fervour and sensitivity.”
First revealed to the world by William Christie’s Jardin des Voix, Elodie comes to the Embassy Festival fresh from her recent triumphs on the stages of the Opéra Comique in Paris, the Royal Opera of Versailles, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, New York's Lincoln Center and the Bolshoi in Moscow.
For the 2016 Embassy Festival, Elodie presents a highly personal recital of delicately fragrant, intimate French songs by Fauré, Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Duparc and Poulenc, accompanied by pianist David Saudubray. www.elodiefonnard.com
Maria Marin, Voice and Guitar
Celebrating Frederico Garcia Lorca's famous statement that “flamenco singing is the deep song which comes from remote races, crossing the cemetery of the years and it comes from the frontiers of the withered winds. It comes from the first cry and the first kiss”, Spanish, flamenco singer and guitarist Maria Marin performs an intoxicating programme of sensual and passionate works by Isaac Albéniz, Feliu Gasull, Miguel Llobet and Manuel de Falla. For Maria herself, performing flamenco is an intense and deeply personal experience. “To play guitar and sing is my way of life and of expressing the emotions - from pain, suffering and people's cries, through to love and joy”. http://mariamarinmusic.com/es/
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Programming and Presentation by Simon Murphy, 2016
www.simonmurphyconductor.com
