Life Victoria Barcelona presents:

Günther Groissböck, bass
Julius Drake, piano

LIFE New Artists
Maria Isart, soprano
Quimey Urquiaga, piano

“Freedom? Freedom!” is the name of the program that Günther Grossiböck and Julius Drake, forming a dream duo, have presented in major German and international venues, such as Wigmore Hall. Shortly after the pandemic, the bass began reflecting on this theme, which has unfortunately become even more relevant, as he himself acknowledged in several interviews. Freedom, a concept that currently loses its value depending on who says it, is a precious good and sadly far from being a given. This program could not be more timely or necessary right now, covering a wide range of perspectives, thoughts, and liberal facets, from Schubert’s songs about the gods Prometheus and Ganymede to Mahler’s sublime Urlichtand Strauss’s monumental Befreit. To freedom.

I
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Prometheus D674
Grenzen der Menschheit D716
Ganymed D544
Memnon D541
Am Strome D539
Auf der Donau D553
Der Sieg D805
Der Schiffer D536

Carl Loewe (1796-1869)
Die Uhr Op. 123 Núm. 3
Der heilige Franziskus Op. 75 Núm. 3
Der gefangene Admiral Op. 115
Odins Meeresritt Op. 118

II
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Heimliche Aufforderung Op. 27 Núm. 3
Zueignung Op. 10 Núm. 1
Allerseelen Op. 10 Núm. 8
Befreit Op. 39 Núm. 4

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
De Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Nicht wiedersehen
Revelge
Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz
Der Tamboursg’sell
Urlicht

Alice Coote, mezzo-soprano
Julius Drake, piano

Programme:
The period of Classical Music was approximately between 1750 and 1820, so why are we still in the habit of using this incorrect, unhelpful and limiting label? Rebellious but hopefully relaxing too, this recital by Alice Coote and pianist Julius Drake takes joy in questioning what makes music ‘classic’? And how – despite genre stereotypes – all great music has something equally revealing to say… Reviewing this recital at Wigmore Hall, The Times commented, “There surely isn’t another singer who could have pulled it off.”

Edward Elgar
Speak, Music

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
An die Freude

George Frideric Handel
Quando mai, spietata sorte

Richard Wagner
Schmerzen

Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach
My thief

Gabriel Fauré
Fleur jetée

Kurt Weill
It never was you

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
My genius, my angel, my friend

Robert Schumann
Sitz ich allein

Hugo Wolf
Denk’ es, o Seele

David Bowie
Life on Mars?

Gustav Mahler
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen

Joni Mitchell
Borderline

Leonard Bernstein
Somewhere

Graham Peel
The Early Morning

Francis Poulenc
Les chemins de l’amour

Reynaldo Hahn
L’heure exquise

Franz Schubert
Seligkeit

Thomas Arne
Where the bee sucks

Liza Lehmann
Love, if you knew the light

Irving Berlin
You can have him

Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel arr. J.S. Bach
Bist du bei mir

Jacques Brel
My death

John Lennon
Imagine

Richard Strauss
Morgen!

Julius Drake, piano

We are excited to announce the opening of applications for the International Masterclass for Lied Duos, held during the fourth edition of the Projeto: Canção Lied Festival Porto, Portugal.

This masterclass is designed for advanced students and professional Lied Duos, and will be led by the internationally renowned pianist Julius Drake. The course will take place in Porto, Portugal, from April 23rd to April 27th, 2025.

For more information about the course, the application process, and the festival, please visit our website at www.projetocancao.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at projetocancao21@gmail.com.

Julius Drake, piano

We are excited to announce the opening of applications for the International Masterclass for Lied Duos, held during the fourth edition of the Projeto: Canção Lied Festival Porto, Portugal.

This masterclass is designed for advanced students and professional Lied Duos, and will be led by the internationally renowned pianist Julius Drake. The course will take place in Porto, Portugal, from April 23rd to April 27th, 2025.

For more information about the course, the application process, and the festival, please visit our website at www.projetocancao.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at projetocancao21@gmail.com.

Aphrodite Patoulidou, soprano
Julius Drake piano

Casa da Música Porto, Portugal

The Greek soprano, actress, and visual artist Aphrodite Patoulidou and the internationally renowned British pianist Julius Drake mark the opening of the fourth edition of Projeto:Canção Festival, which explores the theme of traditional and folk music’s influence on art song. The duo presents a programme featuring works by Britten, Riadis, Konstantinidis, Ravel, Szymanowski, Sibelius, and Dvořák, offering a selection of songs that highlights the significance of folk heritage from various cultures in the artistic creations of these composers.

Julius Drake, piano

We are excited to announce the opening of applications for the International Masterclass for Lied Duos, held during the fourth edition of the Projeto: Canção Lied Festival Porto, Portugal.

This masterclass is designed for advanced students and professional Lied Duos, and will be led by the internationally renowned pianist Julius Drake. The course will take place in Porto, Portugal, from April 23rd to April 27th, 2025.

For more information about the course, the application process, and the festival, please visit our website at www.projetocancao.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at projetocancao21@gmail.com.

Julius Drake, piano

We are excited to announce the opening of applications for the International Masterclass for Lied Duos, held during the fourth edition of the Projeto: Canção Lied Festival Porto, Portugal.

This masterclass is designed for advanced students and professional Lied Duos, and will be led by the internationally renowned pianist Julius Drake. The course will take place in Porto, Portugal, from April 23rd to April 27th, 2025.

For more information about the course, the application process, and the festival, please visit our website at www.projetocancao.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at projetocancao21@gmail.com.

Julius Drake, piano

We are excited to announce the opening of applications for the International Masterclass for Lied Duos, held during the fourth edition of the Projeto: Canção Lied Festival Porto, Portugal.

This masterclass is designed for advanced students and professional Lied Duos, and will be led by the internationally renowned pianist Julius Drake. The course will take place in Porto, Portugal, from April 23rd to April 27th, 2025.

For more information about the course, the application process, and the festival, please visit our website at www.projetocancao.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at projetocancao21@gmail.com.

Mark Padmore, tenor
Julius Drake, piano

Programme:

Schumanniada

The tenor Mark Padmore, one of the indisputable referents in the Lied camp, returns to LIFE Victoria after offering a magnètic i inoblidable Winterreise in 2021. If on that occasion he dedicated the vetllada to Franz Schubert, on this occasion he dedicated it to one of the other composers of the Valhalla of the song: Robert Schumann. Un altre dels mestres actuals en el camp, Julius Drake, formarà duet amb el tenor des del piano sempre des de la seva mirada romàntica i apasspassionada al repertori. Together, in the first part, they will interpret the Opus 39 and 40 of Schumann, to pass to the second part of Dichterliebe (Love of poet), one of the most known cicles of the composer, which has already interpreted by Elsa Dreisig and Romain Louveau to inaugurate the edition of enguany.

This first Recital Hall concert of the Mahler Festival focuses on Mahler’s most beautiful songs. Today’s most important Lieder accompanist, pianist Julius Drake, flanks vocalists he admires. Scottish mezzo-soprano Catriona Morison is praised for her refined yet full voice. ‘A real star,’ according to the Times. You will also hear baritone James Newby, winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Award. He recently released the acclaimed album Fallen to Dust.

Julius Drake chose a series of songs full of drama and poetry for Morison and Newby. That poetry sometimes comes from Mahler himself, as today in Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. ‘When my dearest marries’ is the name of one of the songs. The lady in question did not marry Mahler, who experienced this as a ‘glowing knife’ in his heart. He processed all his frustration and sorrow in this stirring song cycle. In the five lyrical Rückert-Lieder, he shows a happier side.

During the Mahler Festival, the Recital Hall is dedicated to Mahler’s most beautiful songs. Perhaps today’s most important Lieder accompanist, pianist Julius Drake, flanks vocalists he admires. Today, these are mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska and bass-baritone Jusung Gabriel Park.

In Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Mahler chose his favourite texts from the very old German collection of the same name. He composed twelve sometimes fairy-tale-like songs. Love, faith, heroic deeds… everything floats by. They are sung by Macedonian-Canadian Ema Nikolovska and South Korean Jusung Gabriel Park. The latter is making his Amsterdam debut. Drake chooses to have some songs sung by the soloists together. ‘Even though they are not necessarily written as such, there are often clearly two characters speaking,’ he said in Preludium. ‘And as a duet they work really beautifully.’

The Recital Hall is dedicated to Mahler’s most beautiful songs during the Mahler Festival. Perhaps the most important song accompanist of the moment, pianist Julius Drake, flanks his favourite vocalists. Today, these are Feride Büyükdenktaş and Stuart Jackson. Together they sing the moving Das Lied von der Erde, in Mahler’s own version for two vocalists and piano.

Six narrative movements make up Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. He based the songs on texts about nature, death and life. He used ancient Chinese texts in German translation. A ‘drinking song on the earthly vale of tears’ is the start of a stirring series of reflections on farewell and new beginnings. Das Lied von der Erde was written for two voices. Today you will hear Feride Büyükdenktaş, a Turkish mezzo-soprano who has already shone on the major opera stages of Vienna, Stuttgard and Istanbul. British tenor Stuart Jackson gets jubilant reviews at home, and is now more and more often singing across the globe.

The Recital Hall is dedicated to Mahler’s most beautiful songs during the Mahler Festival. Perhaps today’s most important Lieder accompanist, pianist Julius Drake, flanks his favourite vocalists. Today, you hear British mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron, praised by critics for her charisma and clarity. You will also hear young tenor Laurence Kilsby, the 2022 winner of the Wigmore Hall’s International Song Competition.

Mahler’s moving Kindertotenlieder are set to texts by Friedrich Rückert. This song cycle deals with coping with the death of two of the poet’s children. Some years after its completion, Mahler himself lost his daughter. Julius Drake had already regularly performed the Kindertotenlieder with Fleur Barron. ‘Fleur has such an extraordinary voice,’ he said in Preludium.’ A mezzo, but when she sings, you can hear a contra-alt, very special.’ Drake also chose several pieces from Des Knaben Wunderhorn for this recital. For these works, Mahler based himself on old German folk song texts. Mahler drew from the same textbook before. Today, Barron and tenor Laurence Kilsby perform the Lieder und Gesänge, a song cycle Mahler wrote in his twenties.

For four days, the Recital Hall is dedicated to Mahler’s most beautiful songs. A special recital is dedicated to his wife Alma, combining pieces by her with those by friends. Perhaps today’s most important Lieder accompanist, pianist Julius Drake, flanks his favourite vocalists during all these concerts. Today you will hear French soprano Axelle Fanyo, a ‘true storyteller’ according to Forum Opéra. She shares the stage with one of the greatest Dutch talents, baritone Raoul Steffani.

Austrian Alma Maria Schindler was introduced to her future husband, Gustav Mahler, by her composition teacher Zemlinsky. Under Mahler’s name, she would become known – but never primarily as a composer. Mahler did not want his wife to write any more music, and Alma herself also had doubts about her work. Although most of it has been lost, her late-romantic, often melancholic songs are still widely performed. Here today in the Recital Hall, they alternate with pieces by friends and acquaintances. Axelle Fanyo and Raoul Steffani perform songs by Ernst Krenek, Mahler’s son-in-law. You will also hear works by Berg, Korngold and Stravinsky.

Katrīna Paula Felsberga, Soprano
Julius Drake, Piano

Programme:
Friedrich Hölderlin
Selected Poems and Texts
Reading in German

Music include settings by Peter Cornelius, Hans Pfitzner, Paul Hindemith, Hanns Eisler, Viktor Ullmann, Benjamin Britten

Until the beginning of the 20th century, few com­posers engaged with the works of Friedrich Hölderlin— it almost seems as if music had to shed tonality and for­ mal restraints to come to terms with the expressive power of the poet’s language. In this Lied und Lyrik pro­gram, Katrīna Paula Felsberga and Julius Drake explore the wide­ranging musical afterlife of Hölderlin in the “free future century” he envisioned in his 1806 Hymn to Freedom. The texts will be heard in musical settings and readings.

Anna Lucia Richter mezzo soprano
Nicy Spence tenor
Julius Drake piano

Programme:

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Minnelied Op. 47 No. 1
Morgengruss Op. 47 No. 2
Frühlingslied Op. 47 No. 3
Volkslied Op. 47 No. 4
Der Blumenstrauss Op. 47 No. 5
Bei der Wiege Op. 47 No. 6
Minnelied Op. 34 No. 1
Auf Flügeln des Gesanges Op. 34 No. 2
Frühlingslied Op. 34 No. 3
Suleika Op. 34 No. 4
Sonntagslied Op. 34 No. 5
Reiselied Op. 34 No. 6

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Lieder aus Schillers ‘Wilhelm Tell’ S292/2
Hohe Liebe S307
Gestorben war ich S308
O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst S298/2

Interval

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Muttergottes-Sträusslein zum Mai-Monate S316
Die tote Nachtigall S291
Die stille Wasserrose S321
Es muss ein Wunderbares sein S314
Die drei Zigeuner S320/2

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
6 schottische National-Lieder
Wie kann ich froh und lustig sein?
Abendlied
Wasserfahrt

Roderick Williams, baritone
Julius Drake, piano
Ben Boskovic, narrator

Programme:
Shakespeare’s Music

A beguiling programme bringing Shakespeare and music together sung by one of our greatest baritone/pianist duos with actor Ben Boskovic adding a sense of theatre to the occasion

Purcell If music be the food of love
Schumann Schlusslied des Narren: Op 127 No 5
Sibelius Hållilå, uti storm och I regn
Joseph Haydn She never told her love
Sibelius Kom nu hit, Död.
Schubert An Silvia
Madeine Dring Take, oh take those lips away
Finzi Fear no more the heat of the sun
Franz Schubert Horch, horch, die Lerch ( Ständchen D899)
Vaughan Williams Orpheus and his lute (Henry VIII)
Poulenc Fancie
Britten Fancie
Britten I know a bank
Hugo Wolf Lied des transferierten Zettel 1

I N T E R V A L

Roderick Williams Sigh no more ladies
Ivor Gurney Under the Greenwood Tree
Korngold Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Debussy The Little Shepherd (Children’s Corner)
Korngold The Willow Song
Berlioz La Mort d’Orphelie
Tippett Songs for Ariel (The Tempest)
Come unto these yellow sands.
Full fathom five
Where the bee sucks
Cole Porter Brush up your Shakespeare (Kiss Me Kate)

Ben Boskovic is an actor, singer and percussionist. His theatre credits include Prince Timotei in Rapunzel (Liverpool Everyman), Zorro! The Musical (Charing Cross Theatre), The Secret Garden (Barn Theatre, Cirencester), and John Caleo in Holding the Man (Above the Stag). On BBC Radio 4 he has appeared in Brief Lives, and TV credits include Hollyoaks (Channel 4), Eastenders (BBC), and Coronation Street (ITV).

Louise Alder, soprano
Gerald Finley OC CBE, baritone
David Junghoon Kim, tenor
Sally Matthews, soprano
Alexandra Oomens, soprano
Huw Montague Rendall, baritone
Christine Rice MBE, mezzo-soprano
Brindley Sherratt, bass
Nicky Spence OBE, tenor
Catherine Wyn-Rogers, mezzo-soprano
Matthew Fletcher, piano
Julius Drake piano
Chris Addison, actor

Renowned Bass Brindley Sherratt has brought together a star-studded line up for a special gala performance in aid of The Meath Epilepsy Charity.

Featuring performances from opera luminaries such as Louise Alder, Gerald Finley, Sally Matthews, Alexandra Oomens, Huw Montague Rendall, Christine Rice, Nicky Spence, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, David Junghoon Kim, and of course Brindley Sherrattaccompanied by the distinguished pianists Julius Drake and Matthew Fletcher. The event will be hosted by Chris Addison.

Tickets are sold by The Meath Epilepsy Charity, including VIP Champagne Reception. You can book via their website.

All proceeds from this event go to The Meath.

ETERNAL SUMMER

Roderick Williams OBE, baritone
Julius Drake, piano

One of the UK’s greatest living baritones joins Julius Drake (‘collaborative pianist nonpareil’ – The New Yorker) for an evening of Shakespeare settings – in the very hall which witnessed the first performance of Twelfth Night.

In addition to the glorious array of songs, there will be readings by a leading actor from Twelfth Night, as well as Two Gentlemen of Verona, Measure for Measure, Cymbeline, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and more.

Purcell: If music be the food of love
Schumann: Schlusslied des Narren: Op 127 No 5
Sibelius: Hållilå, uti storm och I regn
Haydn: She never told her love
Sibelius: Kom nu hit, Död
Schubert: An Silvia
Dring: Take, oh take those lips away
Finzi: Fear no more the heat of the sun
Schubert: Horch, horch, die Lerch ( Ständchen D899)
Vaughan Williams: Orpheus and his lute (Henry VIII)
Poulenc: Fancie
Britten: Fancie
Britten: I know a bank
Wolf: Lied des transferierten Zettel

Interval

Roderick Williams: Sigh no more ladies
Gurney: Under the Greenwood Tree
Korngold: Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Debussy: The Little Shepherd (Children’s Corner)
Korngold: The Willow Song
Berlioz: La Mort d’Orphelie
Tippett: Songs for Ariel (The Tempest)
Cole Porter: Brush up your Shakespeare (Kiss Me Kate)

Approximately 2 hours in duration (including interval – during which complimentary refreshments are served).

Ian Bostridge, tenor
Julius Drake, piano

Programme:
Songs after poems by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

HUGO WOLF (1860–1903)

Gesänge des Harfners aus Goethes „Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre“
Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
An die Türen will ich schleichen
Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß

Grenzen der Menschheit
Prometheus
Ganymed
Der Rattenfänger
Wandrers Nachtlied

FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)

An den Mond, D 259
Ganymed, D 544
Wandrers Nachtlied I, D 224

Gesänge des Harfners I-III, D 478
Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß
An die Türen will ich schleichen

Wandrers Nachtlied II, D 768
Der Musensohn, D 764
An die Entfernte, D 765
Am Flusse, D 766
Willkommen und Abschied, D 767
An den Mond, D 296

Dame Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano
Sir Roderick Williams baritone
Julius Drake piano

Programme:

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Geständnis Op. 9 No. 2
Wartend Op. 9 No. 3
Ferne Op. 9 No. 9
Im Herbst Op. 9 No. 5
Scheidend Op. 9 No. 6
Frühlingsglaube Op. 9 No. 8
Tröstung Op. 71 No. 1
Frühlingslied Op. 71 No. 2
An die Entfernte Op. 71 No. 3
Schilflied Op. 71 No. 4
Auf der Wanderschaft Op. 71 No. 5
Nachtlied Op. 71 No. 6

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Des Tages laute Stimmen schweigen S337
Die Fischertochter S325
Ich scheide S319
Der du von dem Himmel bist S279/3
J’ai perdu ma force et ma vie S327
Es rauschen die Winde S294

Interval

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Es war ein König in Thule S278/2
Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher S293
Über allen gipfeln ist Ruh S306
Der du von dem Himmel bist S279/2
O Meer in Abendstahl S344

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Sonntagsmorgen Op. 77 No. 1
Das Ährenfeld Op. 77 No. 2
Lied aus ‘Ruy Blas’ Op. 77 No. 3

Julius Drake piano

Poetry & Performance of the German Lied
––––

The FRANZ-SCHUBERT-INSTITUT is a private, non-profit organization chartered under the laws of Austria for the purpose of “furthering and cultivating the art of the German Lied”.

For the benefit of singers, pianists, and teachers who have a professional interest in the German Lied, the FRANZ-SCHUBERT-INSTITUT sponsors a five-week summer course of intensive study with leading interpreters of the classical Lied repertoire. The high artistic standards and unique structure of the course “Poetry and Performance of the German Lied”, together with its peerless guest faculty, explain why this master course has, since its inception in 1978, been widely regarded as the finest of its kind.

Julius Drake piano

Poetry & Performance of the German Lied
––––

The FRANZ-SCHUBERT-INSTITUT is a private, non-profit organization chartered under the laws of Austria for the purpose of “furthering and cultivating the art of the German Lied”.

For the benefit of singers, pianists, and teachers who have a professional interest in the German Lied, the FRANZ-SCHUBERT-INSTITUT sponsors a five-week summer course of intensive study with leading interpreters of the classical Lied repertoire. The high artistic standards and unique structure of the course “Poetry and Performance of the German Lied”, together with its peerless guest faculty, explain why this master course has, since its inception in 1978, been widely regarded as the finest of its kind.

Julius Drake piano

Poetry & Performance of the German Lied
––––

The FRANZ-SCHUBERT-INSTITUT is a private, non-profit organization chartered under the laws of Austria for the purpose of “furthering and cultivating the art of the German Lied”.

For the benefit of singers, pianists, and teachers who have a professional interest in the German Lied, the FRANZ-SCHUBERT-INSTITUT sponsors a five-week summer course of intensive study with leading interpreters of the classical Lied repertoire. The high artistic standards and unique structure of the course “Poetry and Performance of the German Lied”, together with its peerless guest faculty, explain why this master course has, since its inception in 1978, been widely regarded as the finest of its kind.

Christoph Prégardien, tenor
Julius Drake, piano

Programme:
FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)

Lieder after poems by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Am Fluße, D 766
An die Entfernte, D 756
Trost in Tränen, D 120

Gesänge des Harfners I-III, D 478
Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß
An die Türen will ich schleichen

Auf dem See, D 543
Geistes-Gruß, D 142
Prometheus, D 674
Wandrers Nachtlied II, D 768
Erlkönig, D 328

Schäfers Klagelied, D 121
Ganymed, D 544
Versunken, D 715
An Mignon, D 161
Erster Verlust, D 226
Jägers Abendlied, D 368
Wandrers Nachtlied I, D 224
Rastlose Liebe, D 138
Meeres Stille, D 216
An Schwager Kronos, D 369
An den Mond, D 259
Willkommen und Abschied, D 767

Gerhard Quartet
Katja Maderer, soprano
Julius Drake piano