August 27, 2007

Christine Brewer, One of the Most Sought-After Dramatic Sopranos in the World, is Presenting a Master Class at Webster University

What/Who:

Christine Brewer, one of the most sought-after dramatic sopranos in the world today, is presenting a master class at Webster University. Participants will be students from Webster University's voice department, but classes are open to the public.

When:

Monday, September 17, 3-5 p.m.

Where:

Community Music School of Webster University, 535 Garden Ave.

Cost:

$8 per person, $5 for seniors, and free to all students with ID

More info:

Call 968-7032

Grammy Award winning American soprano Christine Brewer's appearances in opera, concert and recital are marked with her own unique timbre, at once warm and brilliant, combined with a vibrant personality and emotional honesty unique in her generation of vocalists. This fall Ms. Brewer will debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of "Die Frau Ohne Schatten."

Highlights from Ms. Brewer's 2004-2005 season include recitals in New York, Washington, D.C. and Cleveland. In Los Angeles, she joined forces with the L.A. Philharmonic and Peter Sellars for a semi-staged version of Tristan und Isolde conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen. Other concert highlights include Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev, and Strauss Drei Hymnen with the BBC Orchestra under the baton of Donald Runnicles. Also, Ms. Brewer performed and recorded (Telarc) Mozart's Requiem with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Brewer's 2003-2004 season began with several summer appearances, including performances of Zemlinsky's Florentine Tragedy with James Conlon for the Aspen Music Festival; of Jancek's Glagolithic Mass and the Wagner Wesendonck Lieder for the Edinburgh Festival; and lastly of Berg's Seven Early Songs for the BBC Proms in London with Mark Wigglesworth. Her orchestral highlights include returns to several important American orchestras. She joined the New York Philharmonic for Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 under Lorin Maazel; the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as part of their opening season at Disney Hall, also for Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Zubin Mehta); the Cleveland Orchestra for Chrysothemis in Elektra (Franz Welser-Mist); and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for the Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony with Robert Spano. In Europe she recorded (EMI) as well as performed Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with Sir Simon Rattle conducting the CBSO, and performed in concert and recorded (Chandos) Barber's Vanessa with the BBSCO and Leonard Slatkin. She also recorded (Chandos) the role of Leonore in Fidelio (in English)with the London Philharmonia and David Parry. Also, she took the stage for a sixth recital at London's Wigmore Hall.

In concert, Ms. Brewer has appeared under the batons of Kurt Masur, Robert Shaw, Pierre Boulez, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Michael Tilson Thomas, Sir Simon Rattle, Christoph von Dohnnyi, Sir Charles Mackerras, Herbert Blomstedt, Sir Neville Marriner, Leonard Slatkin, and Charles Dutoit. Ms. Brewer's repertoire encompasses the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Verdi, Strauss, Mahler, Jancek, and Britten and she regularly performs with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, London Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Dallas Symphony, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

On the opera stage Ms. Brewer has been seen in a variety of roles, including the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos, which has become a signature role for her, at the Metropolitan Opera, the Opera de Lyon, the Paris Chatelet, The Santa Fe Opera, English National Opera and Opera Colorado; the title role in Gluck's Iphignie en Tauride at the Edinburgh Festival, in Rio de Janeiro, and in Madrid; and the title role in Die gyptische Helena at Santa Fe Opera. Her professional career began with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and her affiliation with that company includes appearances as Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes; title roles in Ariadne auf Naxos; Don Giovanni; and Haydn's Armida. Ms. Brewer joined Plcido Domingo in a concert to celebrate the re-opening of Covent Garden. She has performed her signature role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni to critical acclaim at Covent Garden, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and at the Edinburgh Festival, among others, and has recorded for the Telarc label with Sir Charles Mackerras.

Ms. Brewer is also a stunning recitalist. In addition to her many appearances at London's Wigmore Hall, she has also graced Lincoln Center's 'Art of the Song' series at Alice Tully Hall and made appearances in St. Louis, Santa Fe, Cleveland, Portland (Oregon), and Oklahoma City. Ms. Brewer's recordings include a contribution to Hyperion's prestigious Schubert series with pianist Graham Johnson; the Jancek Glagolithic Mass and Dvorak Te Deum with Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony (Telarc); the Dvorak Stabat Mater (Naxos); and an appearance as soloist on a recording of opera choruses entitled "Grand & Glorious" (Telarc). Opera Theatre of Saint Louis produced and released two recital recordings of Ms. Brewer entitled "Saint Louis Woman and Music for a While.