On Saturday 30 January, Anne Schwanewilms made her US recital debut at the Kennedy Center with a bad cold on a bitterly cold and snowy night in the nation's capital. Telling the audience 'even if I have a cold and the weather is so cold, don't fear - even when I fall down!' The audience loved her and her reviews were terrific. She sang songs by Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler and was wonderfully supported by her accompanist, Malcolm Martineau. The Washington Post said she 'gave the crowd an evening to remember' and after the performance one audience member was quoted as saying "If she's that fantastic when she's sick, I can't wait to hear her when she's well."
Anne Schwanewilms gives Washingtonians 'an evening to remember'
Anne Schwanewilms to tour with Dresden Staatskapelle
Anne Schwanewilms will join conductors Georges Pretre and Christian Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskaspelle for their Strauss Tour through Europe in May 2010. She will participate in two programmes. One will have her singing an assortment of Orchestral Lieder and the other will include the closing Trio from DER ROSENKAVALIER where she will sing the Marschallin and be joined by colleagues Bernarda Fink (Octavian) and Genia Kuehmeier (Sophie). She will perform in Dresden, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Florence, Milan, Athens, Paris and Vienna. See the Schedule page for further details.
Anne Schwanewilms nominated for major German theatre award
On September 14th the German Theatre Association announced their eight nominations for 2009 for Germany's most prestigious theatre prize, 'Der Faust'. In the category of 'Best Actor/Singer in Musical Theatre', Anne Schwanewilms has been nominated for her highly acclaimed performance of the title role in Frankfurt Oper's new production last January of 'ARABELLA'.. The Association said that the awards in all eight categories are to 'artists whose work is groundbreaking in the German theatre'. The winners will be announced at a Gala evening held at the State Theatre in Mainz on Saturday 28th November. Further information at www.buehnenverein.de/special/theaterpreis.htm
Anne Schwanewilms opens her 09/10 season with two DER ROSENKAVALIER productions
Anne Schwanewilms will begin her 09/10 season with performances of the Marschallin in Sao Paulo to be immediately followed by further performances with the Staatsoper, Berlin. See schedule for exact dates and further details.
STOP PRESS! Anne Schwanewilms sings Strauss's ARABELLA in Vienna
On Friday 27th March and Monday 30th March Anne Schwanewilms will sing Strauss's ARABELLA at the Wiener Staatsoper after her tremendous success in the same role at the Frankfurt Opera in January. She is replacing Adrienne Pieczonka at short notice.
www.staatsoper.at
Anne Schwanewilms to sing in Beethoven's IX Symphony under Barenboim
On May 23rd, to mark the 60th Anniversary of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany, Anne Schwanewilms will sing in a performance of Beethoven's IX Symphony with the Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Daniel Barenboim in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Other performers will include Waltraud Meier and Rene Pape. It is due to start at 5.00pm and will be televsied by ZDF.
Anne Schwanewilms to make her debut at the Musikverein in Vienna singing Strauss's FOUR LAST SONGS
Anne Schwanewilms will make her debut at the Musikverein in Vienna singing Strauss's FOUR LAST SONGS with the Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Fabio Luisi on April 20th. The programme will also include the orchestra playing 'Till Eulenspiegel' and 'Also Sprach Zarathustra'. Prior to this concert the programme will be repeated twice in Dresden at the Semperoper on April 18th and 19th.
DVD excerpts of DER ROSENKAVALIER and LOHENGRIN added to website
New DVD's of performances of LOHENGRIN from Amsterdam and DER ROSENKAVALIER from Japan have been added to the website. The LOHENGRIN is of a concert performance in the Concertgebeouw and was released due to overwhelming demand by the local audience. The ROSENKAVALIER was recorded in Japan on a visit by the Semperoper, Dresden.
Anne Schwanewilms scores big success in her first ARABELLA
On January 25, 2009 Anne Schwanewilms sang her first ARABELLA at the Frankfurt Opera in a production directed by Christof Loy and conducted by the General Music Director Sebastian Weigle. The performance was received with huge acclaim by both the public and the German press. All remaining performances are now sold out. To read the full German reviews go to www.oper-frankfurt.de.
Anne Schwanewilms's Marschallin in DER ROSENKAVALIER released today on DVD
November, 2008 sees the release in the U.S. (January, 2009 in the U.K.) on Medici Arts DVD (Catalogue No. 2056918) of a live performance from NHK Hall, Tokyo (November 25, 2007) of Strauss' DER ROSENKAVALIER starring Anne Schwanewilms in one of her most celebrated roles, the Marschallin, with Anke Vondung as Octavian and Kurt Rydl as Baron Ochs. The orchestra is the Dresden Staatskapelle, conducted by Fabio Luisi and the performance was recorded on a guest visit to Japan by the Semperoper Dresden. The DVD is also available as a Blue-ray Disc (No. 2056914). For further information visit www.naxos.com.
Anne Schwanewilms's sensational Elsa in LOHENGRIN to be released on DVD
On February 2, 2008 Anne Schwanewilms took part in a historic concert performance of Lohengrin in Amsterdam at the Concertgebouw. Conducted by Jaap van Zweden (now Music Director of Dallas Symphony Orchestra) and with Klaus Florian Vogt as Lohengrin, the response was so overwhelming that a special website had to be created where you can download the performance and interviews with the cast. The end result is that a DVD will be released around Christmas or early in January. For further information go to the website www.operalohengrin.nl
Anne Schwanewilms returns to Verdi
Anne Schwanewilms returns next month (May) to her one Verdi opera role, Desdemona in OTELLO. She will sing this on the 12th, 15th, 17th and 21st at the Dresden Semperoper and in concert with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Hall, London at the end of 2009 on December 3rd and 6th. She also sings the soprano part in the VERDI REQUIEM in Liverpool at the Metropolitan Cathedral with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vassily Petrenko on September 27, 2008.www.semperoper.de / www.lso.co.uk / www.liverpoolphil.com
Anne Schwanewilms to make her debut with the New York Philharmonic in one of her signature roles
In December 2008 Anne Schwanewilms will make her debut with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra as Chrysothemis, one of her signature roles, in four concert performances of Richard Strauss' Elektra conducted by Lorin Maazel. No other casting as of yet. The performances will be on December 4th, 6th, 9th and 13th.
Anne Schwanewilms' debut in December at Wigmore Hall is sold out
Anne Schwanewilms makes her recital debut at Wigmore Hall in a programme of Strauss and Mahler songs with Roger Vignoles at the piano. Their recent CD of Strauss songs has received rave reviews and this recital sold out to its mailing list before tickets went on sale to the general public.
Anne Schwanewilms receives rave reviews for first Lieder recital on disc
"one of the leading Strauss singers of the new generation", "magnificent singing", "luminous legato", "every song is a gem." Read the reviews on the Recordings page.
Anne Schwanewilms to sing in Mahler's 8th Symphony
Anne Schwanewilms will take part in two performances of Mahler's 8th Symphony on June 18th and 19th as part of the Wiener Festwochen. Other soloists include Susan Anthony, Jane Henschel, Klaus Florian Vogt and Roman Trekel. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Fabio Luisi.
Anne Schwanewilms' first Lieder recording receives rave reviews>
Anne Schwanewilms has released her first lieder recording with Roger Vignoles (piano) to rave reviews from leading publications, such as Classic FM Magazine, BBC Music Magazine, International Record Review, The Times and the Sunday Telegraph. To read some of the comments look at the Recordings section.
Anne Schwanewilms to release her first recording of Strauss songs
This spring Anne Schwanewilms is releasing her first CD of Strauss Lieder with piano. The 23 songs will include favourites such as 'Die Nacht' and 'Ruhe, Meine Seele' and she will be accompanied by pianist Roger Vignoles. This is the second CD in a complete project the distinguished accompanist has undertaken for Hyperion to record all the songs of Richard Strauss using different singers. The first featured soprano Christine Brewer. Release date is May 1, 2007. www.hyperion-records.co.uk
Anne Schwanewilms to sing her first Countess in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro
Anne Schwanewilms will sing her first Countess in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro at the Staatsoper in Berlin on April 19th, 2007 with further performances on April 22nd, 25th, 27th and May 1st. The production was originally directed by Thomas Langhoff and will be conducted by Dan Ettinger. Her Count is the leading German baritone Roman Trekel. This will be her first Mozart opera role since Elettra in Idomeneo, under Simon Rattle, at Glyndebourne in 2003.
