Programme

One of the most distinguished and versatile sopranos on the international stage, Juliane Banse’s rise to stardom came at the age of 20 when she took on the role of Pamina in The Magic Flute at the Komische Oper Berlin. She has since enjoyed close working relationships with such monumental conductors and prestigious companies as Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Zubin Mehta, Lorin Maazel, Vienna State Opera, Metropolitan Opera New York etc, and was twice-awarded the ECHO Klassik for her recorded albums. Her cross-genre project Winterreise, where she appears both as singer and dancer, has received wide critical acclaim.

She makes a phenomenal return to Hong Kong to join hands with Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Music Director Christoph Poppen in a concert centred around beloved lieder by Richard Strauss and Mahler’s song cycle Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen. The stunning programme also includes Strauss’ Tod und Verklärung, a transcendent tone poem contemplating and painting what lies beyond death – a depiction later approved by the composer himself on his deathbed when he remarked, “dying is exactly the way I composed it in Tod und Verklärung”.

Juliane Banse (Soprano)

“A born lieder interpreter.”
The Times

“Greatly gifted.”
International Record Review

“Banse sings with silvery clean, gently warmed beauty.”
Gramophone

 “A true soprano with the strength and dusky bloom of a mezzo in its middle and lower registers.”
BBC Music Magazine

“Juliane Banse is formidable in the title role, winging effortlessly and musically into the high register.”
The New York Times

• Has collaborated with such great conductors as Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Chailly, Bernard Haitink, Zubin Mehta, Manfred Honeck, Franz Welser-Möst, Marin Alsop etc
• Has sung leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera, Staatsoper Berlin, Oper Köln, Opernhaus Zurich, Theater an der Wien, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Concertgebouw etc
• Has collaborated with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Kölner Philharmonie, Münchner Rundfunkorchester etc

Christoph Poppen (Music Director/Conductor)

“Christoph Poppen brought out a broad soundscape from the orchestra.” 
Süddeutsche Zeitung

• Principal Conductor, Cologne Chamber Orchestra
• Principal Guest Conductor, Israel Chamber Orchestra
• Artistic Director, Marvão International Music Festival, Portugal
• Music Director, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie (2007-2011)
• Artistic Director, Munich Chamber Orchestra (1995-2006)

Featured artists:

Christoph Poppen
(Music Director)

Juliane Banse
(Soprano)

Ferran CRUIXENT
(Composer)