Christmas concert with Lise Davidsen

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Dates

Thursday 14. December, at 19:30 Few tickets left
Friday 15. December, at 19:30 Few tickets left

Duration

2 hours, including intermission

The world-renowned soprano Lise Davidsen brings you the festive atmosphere in a Christmas decorated Fartein Valen.

Venue

Fartein Valen, Stavanger konserthus

“A revelation!” Stavanger Aftenblad wrote about Lise Davidsen when she performed with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in 2018.

Now she is back at Stavanger Concert Hall, presenting us with well-known Christmas songs such as “O Holy Night” and “Ave Maria” accompanied by a full symphony orchestra and choir, combined with Christmas music from the classical repertoire.

Lise Davidsen is a Norwegian soprano who has achieved international recognition for her unique vocal prowess and musical talent. She has won several prestigious awards and competitions, including the first prize in the Queen Sonja International Music Competition in 2015. This was a significant milestone in her career and helped put her on the world map as a sought-after soprano. In 2019, she made her debut at The Metropolitan Opera in Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades.” In 2021, she was named Opera Singer of the Year at the International Opera Awards.

Conductor

Christian Eggen

Mr. Christian Eggen is a conductor, pianist and composer with studies from Vienna, Salzburg, Oslo, Paris and New York. He debuted as a 16 year old and became one of our foremost pianists. According to the Danish newspaper Politikken the CD publication with Carl Nielsens clavier pieces in 1994 set a new standard. Mr. Eggen is currently one of Europe’s leading conductors for contemporary classical music, he is performing regularly with ensembles such as the German Ensemble Musikfabrik and the French Ensemble Intercontemporaine. The list over composers he has worked closely with includes some of the greatest composers of our time Cage, Lutoslawski, Xenakis, Lachenmann, Kurtág, Lindberg, Saariaho, Bent Sørensen. His work with the Oslo Sinfonietta and Cikada has brought them to the forefront of Nordic ensembles, Cikada received Nordic Councils music prize in 2005. Mr. Eggen has also received the Spellemann Prize, the Lindeman Prize, the Oslo City Artist Prize, and he has received the Critical Prize twice in 1999 and 2015. In 2007 he was awarded Commander of the Order of St. Olav by His Royal Highness King Harald the 5th.
Soloist

Lise Davidsen

“Not just a voice. The voice.” (The New York Times)

Lise Davidsen, the most in-demand soprano in the world right now, announces the release of her

Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen burst onto the international stage in 2015 by winning multiple prizes at the Operalia, Queen Sonja and Hans Gabor Belvedere competitions. These were swiftly followed by triumphant debuts at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro Alla Scala Milan, Bayerische Staatsoper, Wiener Staatsoper, and the Aix-en-Provence, Bayreuth and Glyndebourne Festivals.

These houses, and many others, extended invitations to Davidsen to return for multiple seasons – often multiple times per season: in summer 2021 she appeared in two productions at the Bayreuth Festival (Elisabeth Tannhäuser and Sieglinde Die Walküre) and will appear in the 2021/22 season in three productions at the Metropolitan Opera (Eva Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, title role Ariadne auf Naxos and Chrysothemis Elektra). Her widely acclaimed Met debut, as Lisa Queen of Spades, was described by the New York Times as:

“A radiant debut…singing with confidence, power and purpose, with both freshness and maturity…from her first rich, silky high note, mellow yet full-bodied, sailing out of the quintet in the first scene, Ms. Davidsen sang with poise and acted with subtle moodiness”

Despite the Covid crisis, Davidsen’s ascent has been unstoppable: in May 2021 she re-opened La Scala, Milan, with a solo concert under the baton of Riccardo Chailly, and Bayerische Staatsoper with a concert performance of the 1st Act of Die Walküre. In the same week she was awarded Female Singer of the Year by the International Opera Awards. Further highlights include Sieglinde Die Walküre in a new production at Deutsche Oper Berlin and in concert at Opera de Paris; the title role of Jenufa at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Elisabeth Tannhäuser at Bayerische Staatsoper, Opernhaus Zurich and a return to Bayreuth; and the title role of Ariadne auf Naxos at Aix-en-Provence Festival, Wiener Staatsoper and Glyndebourne Festival.

Davidsen’s performance as Leonore Fidelio in a new production at the Royal Opera House prompted their Music Director, Antonio Pappano to exclaim that she has:

A frequent recitalist and concert performer, Davidsen has toured with many of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors as well as performing signature works such as Verdi’s Requiem at the BBC Proms, at the Royal Opera House with Antonio Pappano, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi, and Philharmonia Orchestra and Edward Gardner; Vier letzte Lieder with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; Wesendonck Lieder and Rückert-Lieder with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra; and Sibelius’ Luonnotar with the BBC Philharmonic at the BBC Proms.

Born and raised in Stokke, Norway, Davidsen has been profiled in a full-length documentary for NRK, a Strauss film for the National Opera as well as appearing on major radio and television programmes such as Lindmo and Skavland. As well as frequent performances across the country, Oslo was the setting for her performance as part of the Metropolitan Opera’s Met Stars Live in Concert which was live-streamed internationally. Davidsen’s rendition of Grieg’s En Svane and Ved Rondane from the recital was then broadcast as part of the Norwegian King’s televised New Year Speech.

An exclusive Decca Artist, Davidsen’s discography includes two solo orchestral recitals for the label; complete recordings of Der Freischütz and Fidelio for Pentatone and Sibelius’ Luonnotar on Chandos. Filmed performances include Ortlinde Die Walküre and Fidelio from the Royal Opera House, and Elisabeth Tannhäuser filmed at the Bayreuth Festival.

Lise Davidsen announces the release of her new album, ‘Christmas From Norway’ via Decca Classics on 10 November 2023. Hailed as “The living, breathing meteor of the current opera world” (The i Paper), Lise’s forthcoming album presents a delightful and personally-selected collection of traditional Norwegian Christmas music and classic festive favourites, spreading the warm glow of the Scandinavian Christmas spirit. Reflecting on the project, the soprano expresses her long-standing desire to create this album. Lise says, “ForScandinavians, Christmas serves as a beacon of light in the midst of a lengthy winter. Perhaps that is why we embrace it so wholeheartedly.”
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