News
THE PRESENT at the Konzerthaus Berlin
On 26 February 2026, the vocal ensemble THE PRESENT will present its outstanding programme EX UTERO – A New Marian Vespers with works by Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Hildegard Westerkamp, Catherine Lamb and Michele Bokanowski at the Konzerthaus Berlin. In their programme, which has also been released on CD, polyphonic vocal music from the 17th century meets contemporary sound fragments of baby and children's voices. The Present expands the associative space of a Marian Vespers and celebrates female creative power over four centuries. This concert is part of the new festival VOM ANFANGEN, which the Konzerthaus is launching between 14 February until 1 March 2026. Singers are Hanna Herfurtner (soprano), Olivia Stahn (soprano), Bernadette Beckermann (alto), Amélie Saadia (alto), Robert Sellier (tenor), Tim Karweick (tenor), Florian Götz (bass) and Felix Schwandtke (bass) and will be accompanied by Juliane Laake (violone), Mira Lange (organ & cembalo) and Lee Santana (theorbo).
(published on 20 February 2026)
Sofia Jernberg: Premiere No! in Paris
On 20 February 2026, the vocal artist Sofia Jernberg will interpret the French premiere of Chaya Czernowins No! A Lament for the Innocent at the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique Paris. She will be making her debut with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the conductor Alan Gilbert. The second soloist of No! will be the soprano Keren Motseri, and the second piece on the programme is Arthur Honegger’s Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher performed by the actress Judith Chemla and a wide cast of excellent singers. No! has already been performed in 2025 with the WDR-Sinfonieorchester and Maxime Pascal at the WDR Funkhaus Cologne (world premiere) as well as with NOSPR and Marin Alsop in Katowice (Polish premiere) to great acclaim.
(published on 18 February 2026)
Anu Komsi: Kurtág‘s 100th birthday
On 19 February 2026, the Finnish soprano Anu Komsi will be celebrating the centenary of the Hungarian-French composer György Kurtág in concert at the Helsinki Music Center. Kurtág was born on 19th February 1926 in Romanian Lugoj. Together with Helga Karen (piano), Piia Komsi (soprano) and Sakari Oramo (violin), Anu Komsi will perform Spring from his The Sayings of Péter Bornemisza op. 7, his Kafka-Fragments op. 24, Three Old Inscriptions op. 25, his Requiem op. 26 as well as Games (Játékok). Anu Komsi interpreted the Kafka-Fragments many times to great acclaim on stage and recorded this outstanding cycle on CD several times, for example with her husband Saraki Oramo. She will also sing György Kurtág‘s Messages of the Late Miss Fräuleins R.V. Troussova op. 17 for soprano and ensemble in June 2026 with the remarkable Ensemble Intercontemporain under the baton of Pierre Bleuse at the Cité de la musique in Paris.
(published on 17 February 2026)
Lavinia Dames: Debut as Liù
On 15 February 2026 and 20 March 2026, the lyrical soprano Lavinia Dames will perform the role of Liù in Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot for the first time on stage at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Duisburg. Antonio Fogliani will conduct the Duisburger Philharmoniker and the Choir of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in a production by the stage director Huan-Hsiung Li, the set designer Jo-Shan Liang and the costume designer Hsuan-Wu Lai. Further colleagues on stage include Davide Battiniello (Kalaf), Oksana Kramereva (Turandot) and Sami Luttinen (Timur). At the beginning of this season, Lavinia already made her successful debuts as Marzelline in Fidelio and as Zeitel in Anatevka at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, being an ensemble member for more than 10 years.
(published on 11 February 2026)
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