News

MRM Artists celebrated two major awards this month:

Jordan de Souza has won the prestigious Virginia Parker Prize, awarded annually by the Canada Council for the Arts to a musician under the age of 32 who demonstrates ‘outstanding talent, musicianship and artistic excellence’. Previous winners of the CAD 25,000 prize include Marc-André Hamelin, Nancy Argenta and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The RPS Opera and Music Theatre Award 2020 has been awarded to Garsington Opera for their production of Turn of the Screw, with a cast including Katherine Broderick as Miss Jessel.

In spite of tightening restrictions throughout Europe, our artists have continued to perform to audiences both live and virtual:

Markus Stenz conducted concerts with the Netherlands Radio, and Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestras; and four performances of Kurtag Fin de Partie at the Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, with Hilary Summers singing the role of Nell.

Mark Padmore performed Britten Nocturne with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins, for radio broadcast.

Benson Wilson appeared in ENO’s Magical Mozart showcase for current Harewood Artists, singing excerpts from Mozart operas, with Marcus Farnsworth joining the cast at less than 48 hours notice to replace an indisposed singer.

Barbara Kozelj has been touring the Netherlands with Phion, Orchestra of Gelderland and Overijssel, performing Canteloube Chants d’Auvergne conducted by Bas Wiegers.

Christian Curnyn conducted a live-streamed performance of Handel Ariodante at the Royal Opera House, available on the ROH website on demand until 20 December, and also on Radio 3 via BBC Sounds.

Elizabeth Watts sang Schubert songs in a live broadcast with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Ben Gernon.

Gavan Ring sang arias by Verdi and Puccini with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra in a concert live-streamed from the National Concert Hall in Dublin.

Carolyn Sampson filmed Bach Christmas Oratorio with the Gabrieli Consort conducted by Paul McCreesh, for release in December, one cantata every day.

Karen Cargill, Marcus Farnsworth and Gavan Ring all appear in the LPO’s highly acclaimed ‘Vopera’ – virtual opera production – of Ravel L’enfant et les sortilèges, streaming now on the orchestra’s YouTube channel until 14 December. The production has been highly acclaimed for its imaginative use of animation together with remarkable sound production, despite the fact that each part was recorded by the individual singers in their own homes.

And finally … James Newby recorded an extraordinary, watery video performance of the aria ‘Cara pianta’ from Handel Apollo e Dafne with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, showing now on the orchestra’s YouTube channel. Inspiration for us all to keep our heads above water!