Lyrics

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Biography

Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano

Boasting an unrivalled and multi award-winning discography, mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter’s versatility has seen her work with legendary artists ranging from the late greats of Carlos Kleiber, Claudio Abbado and Giuseppe Sinopoli to Elvis Costello, Brad Mehldau and Rufus Wainwright.  

An ever-evolving repertoire has played a key role in sustaining Swedish-born von Otter’s international profile, from an early position as the superlative Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) of her generation, giving performances around the world, to her acclaimed creation of Leonora in the world premiere of Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel at Salzburger Festspiele and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Recent highlights include Madame de Croissy (Dialogues des Carmélites) at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro) in Christof Loy’s production at Bayerische Staatsoper, L’Opinion Publique (Orphée aux Enfers) at Salzburger Festspiele in Barrie Kosky’s staging, Mérope (Oedipe) at Opéra National de Paris, and the leading role of Charlotte Andergast in the world premiere of Sebastian Fagerlund’s Höstsonaten for Finnish National Opera. Adding further to an impressive catalogue, recent seasons have seen role debuts as the Countess (Pique Dame) at La Monnaie under Nathalie Stutzmann, Adelaide (Arabella) at Teatro Real under David Afkham and, last season, she brought to life the role of Gaby in the world premiere of Mikael Karlsson’s Melancholia at Royal Swedish Opera.

Equally recognised as a concert and recital singer of exceptional gifts, von Otter’s career has taken her around the globe as a regular presence on the world’s most important stages excelling in a diverse repertoire including works by Mahler, Berlioz, Bach and Kurt Weill, and her expansive Lieder recordings range from classics by Schubert, Schumann, Wolf and Mahler, through lesser-known compilations from Cécile Chaminade, Korngold, Peterson-Bergen and Stenhammar.

Maintaining a busy schedule, in the 2025/26 season there will be recital tours to North America with long-term collaborator Kristian Bezuidenhout presenting Schubert’s Schwanengesang, and to Japan and Hong Kong with a festive trio programme.  She will add the role of the Baroness in performances of Vanessa with Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons and give further performances of So We Will Vanish with Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic both under the baton of Pekka Kuusisto.  von Otter also takes to the opera platform for performances as Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) at Opernhaus Zürich, as Geneviève (Pelléas et Mélisande) at Staatsoper Unter den Linden and returns to the role of Ottavia in Christoph Marthaler’s visionary setting of L’incoronazione di Poppea for Royal Danish Opera.

Anne Sofie von Otter is one of today’s most recorded artists with an incomparable catalogue built across a career now spanning more than four decades at the top of her profession. A lengthy and exclusive relationship with Deutsche Grammophon produced a wealth of acclaimed recordings including the Grammy-winning Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn with Claudio Abbado, Handel’s Ariodante, Giulio Cesare and Hercules with Marc Minkowski and a collaboration with pop legend Elvis Costello on For the Stars. On Naïve Classique, her double CD of Mélodies and Chansons, Douce France, received the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. von Otter immortalized many of her operatic characters on disc: Octavian with Bernard Haitink and the Staatskapelle Dresden and on DVD with Wiener Staatsoper under Carlos Kleiber; Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro) under James Levine; La clemenza di Tito and Orfeo ed Euridice under Sir John Eliot Gardiner; and Ariadne auf Naxos under Giuseppe Sinopoli.

https://www.annesofievonotter.com/

Fabian Fredriksson, guitar

Swedish guitarist Fabian Fredriksson graduated from the Swedish music school, Musikmakarna.  He collaborated with Anne Sofie von Otter on her albums Douce France (2013) and A Simple Song (2018), and has toured extensively with Anne Sofie von Otter and pianist Leif Kaner-Lidstrom, including performances across Europe.

Christoph Berner, piano

Christoph Berner’s enormous stylistic spectrum and musical versatility is shown to audience and critics alike. 

His impressive discography as a collaborative pianist include Johannes Brahms’ complete works for clarinet and piano with Laura Ruiz-Ferreres, the highly regarded recordings with the acclaimed tenor Werner Güra (the most recent a CD with Beethoven bagatelles and songs) and the release of Fin de Siècle songs with the successful mezzosoprano Anke Vondung, many of which were awarded prestigious prizes, including the BBC Classic Award, the German record critics’ award (quarterly critics’ prize) and the Diapason d’or. Christoph Berner has been a Professor of Art Song and Chamber Music at the Zurich University of Music since 2014.

https://www.christophberner.at/en