The Rosenblatt Recital Series

26 June 08

SEASON 2008/2009
The NINTH SEASON of ROSENBLATT RECITALS opens on SEPTEMBER 18TH 2008 at ST. JOHN’S SMITH SQUARE.
For full details of ARTISTS and RECITAL PROGRAMMES - click on the click here

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*** Due to circumstances beyond the control of 'Rosenblatt Recitals' Sally Matthews will not be performing on the 14th of May 08 and will be replaced by the soprano Elena MONTI ***

We sincerely thank Elena MONTI for agreeing to perform on this concert at such short notice.

Elena made two days ago her debut in this year Salzburg Festival with Maestro Muti, and tonight she will perform accompanied by pianist Simon Lepper and clarinetist Timothy Orpen.

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ROSENBLATT RECITALS IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT JOSEPH CALLEJA AND TATIANA LISNIC WILL REPLACE THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED ERWIN SCHROTT AT CADOGAN HALL, JUNE 11TH.

Tenor Joseph Calleja and soprano Tatiana Lisnic will perform a programme of operatic arias and duets at London’s Cadogan Hall on Wednesday June 11th accompanied by the Philharmonia Orchestra.

“We’re deeply grateful to Joseph and Tatiana for agreeing to perform at such short notice. Once Erwin Schrott decided that he wouldn’t honour his commitment, for the second time, to appear in the series I was determined that we’d find a replacement that would satisfy our audience. Joseph has already appeared in the series, so it’s a pleasure to welcome him back and at the same time to welcome Tatiana.”

Since 1999, The Rosenblatt Recitals have specialised in presenting concerts by young singers with a burgeoning international career, but relatively unknown to British audiences. Giving artists such as Juan Diego Florez their UK recital debut has ensured that the Rosenblatt Recitals are the recital series for spotting not only the great stars of tomorrow but also a great evening of music making.

A young and exciting presence in today’s music world, Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja has established himself as one of the most promising artists of his generation. Riccardo Chailly has described him thus: “For some time I have not heard such a talent at this young age, with a sound harking back to a quality I thought we had long lost.” While the Observer described Calleja as “a rare discovery, evoking memories from Caruso to Domingo with the suppleness of his tone and the expressive, highly individual lyricism he brings to even the most familiar material.”

Joseph Calleja is well-known to audiences in the music capitals of the world. His engagements have taken him to virtually every major European city where he has appeared in twenty leading roles in theatres such as the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; the Vienna State Opera; Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich; Zurich Opera; Teatro Communale di Bologna; Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Salzburg Festival.

Tatiana Lisnic studied at the Music Academy in Cluj, Romania and with Alida Ferrarini in Italy. A recipient of the Herbert von Karajan Scholarship, she has been engaged as a permanent, and later as a guest artist, at the Vienna State Opera since 2003 where she’s performed roles like Adina in Elisir D’ Amore; Susanna in Nozze di Figaro; Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi; Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Nanetta in Falstaff.

Since joining the Vienna State Opera, Tatiana has performed with many of the major opera companies of the world. She made her debut at La Scala in 2001, in the role of Susanna under the baton of Riccardo Muti, with whom she also collaborated at the Ravenna Festival and the Vienna State Opera in various operas and concerts.

She’s also performed the role of Mimi in La Boheme under Antonio Pappano in Brussels; Norina (Don Pasquale) at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Susanna (Nozze di Figaro) at the Berlin State Opera. Recent additions to her repertoire include the title roles in La Traviata and Lucia di Lammermoor.

Tickets are available at from Cadogan Hall, 020-7730-4500, £30, £24, £18, £12.

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Leading operatic baritone Erwin Schrott, fiancé of star soprano Anna Netrebko, is to be sued by the Rosenblatt Recitals Series for breach of contract. Ian Rosenblatt, founder of the series, has taken this action as Schrott has made it clear that he has no intention of honouring his contract to appear in the Rosenblatt Recital Series on June 11th 2008 at Cadogan Hall, London, with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

This is the second time that Schrott has failed to honour his contract with the series.

“I have been forced to take this step as I have a responsibility to our audience who’ve loyally supported our series for the last seven years. For our audience to be treated with such gross unprofessionalism and disrespect by Mr Schrott, on two occasions, is something that shouldn’t be tolerated.

“This is a regrettable situation, but for the reputation of my Series I cannot allow artists, with no lawful excuse, to renege on their contractual commitments.

“In the seven years I’ve been running our recital series I have been impressed time and again by the dedication of singers to their art and their public. Singers such as Mr Schrott give opera a bad name and a reputation for not caring for the people that pay to hear them sing.

“I am disgusted by Mr Schrott’s callous disregard to his contractual obligations. His behaviour is cowardly and I can only wonder if he has the guts to appear on a London concert platform as this is the second time he’s backed out of appearing here.”

Erwin Schrott sings at all the major opera houses around the world and, with Netrebko, is expecting a child later this year.

The Rosenblatt Recitals series has developed an enviable reputation over the past seven years as London’s only operatic recital series that has given singers such as Juan Diego Florez their UK recital debut.