Opera Gala
Opera Gala
An evening dedicated to opera, where some of the most beautiful arias and choral pieces take centre stage.
PLEASE NOTE: New concert time – all subscription concerts now start at 7:00 PM.
With soprano Victoria Randem and tenor Bror Magnus Tødenes, conducted by Christian Blex, and featuring Valen Vokalensemble and Stavanger Symfonikor.
Richard Wagner:
Die Meistersinger, Prelude
Lohengrin, Act III Prelude
Lohengrin, Bridal Chorus
Giacomo Puccini:
La Bohème, Che gelida manina
La Bohème, Mi chiamano Mimì
La Bohème, O soave fanciulla
Giuseppe Verdi:
Macbeth, Ballabile
La forza del destino, Overture
Nabucco, Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves
Georges Bizet:
Carmen, Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante
Giacomo Puccini:
Tosca, E lucevan le stelle
Manon Lescaut, Act III: Intermezzo
Gianni Schicchi, O mio babbino caro
Turandot, Nessun dorma
Giuseppe Verdi:
Aida, Triumphal March
Christian Blex, conductor
Victoria Randem, soprano
Bror Magnus Tødenes, tenor
Valen Vokalensemble
Stavanger Symfonikor
Norwegian tenor Bror Magnus Tødenes is a highly acclaimed Scandinavian vocal talent, known for his compelling stage presence and lyrical tenor voice. He made his professional operatic debut at just 21 and has since performed leading roles at major European opera houses, including Wiener Staatsoper, Opéra de Lyon, Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, and Opéra national de Paris. His repertoire spans roles such as Ismaele, Macduff, Lensky, Tamino, Rinuccio, Rodolfo, Carlo, and Alfredo, with appearances at Den Norske Opera, Malmö Opera, and the Royal Swedish Opera. Tødenes has also sung at the Salzburg Festival under Riccardo Muti and led productions at Prague’s National Theatre. His critically acclaimed debut album Remembering Jussi was nominated for the Norwegian Spellemannpris, and he has received top honors in international competitions, including First Prize and the Audience Prize at the Renata Tebaldi International Voice Competition. He is the youngest recipient of the Erling Kroghs grant from the Norwegian National Opera.
Valen Vokalensemble is a professional ensemble made up of some of Norway’s leading ensemble singers. The ensemble’s eight permanent singers are all based in Rogaland and have experience from ensembles including Det Norske Solistkor, Kilden Vokalensemble, Trondheim Vokalensemble, Tabula Rasa, Den Norske Operas kor, and Trio Mediæval. The ensemble is based at Stavanger Concert Hall and works closely with Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.
The ensemble’s Artistic Director is Oddgeir Kjetilstad. He served as Cathedral Cantor at Stavanger Cathedral from 2011 to 2023 and is currently Acting Cathedral Cantor at Oslo Cathedral. Kjetilstad has also held the position of Acting Cathedral Cantor at Nidaros Cathedral. He studied at the University of Stavanger, Faculty of Arts and Education, and at the Norwegian Academy of Music, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Voice, a Master’s degree in Conducting, and qualifications in Church Music.
The vocal ensemble has performed at the Bergen International Festival and the Stavanger Chamber Music Festival. In November 2022, the ensemble released its first recording, Jeg synger julekvad, recorded at Utstein Monastery.