We are delighted to announce that stars of the Norwegian Opera House, mezzo soprano Hege Høisæter and pianist John Lidal will be performing at London’s Lauderdal House and The Old Church Stoke Newington on 17 and 18 February 2017.

 

Royal Divas: DOOMED – Thrilling scenes from grand opera.

 

Bergen-born Hege Høisæter studied at The Royal College of Music in Manchester and at the Norwegian Opera Academy. She joined the soloist roster of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet in 2004 and her primary roles have included Sextus (La Clemenza di Tito, Mozart), Carmen, Cornelia ( Giulio Cesare, Händel), Auntie (Peter Grimes, Britten), Gräfin Geschwitz (Lulu, Berg), Ottavia (Poppea, Monteverdi), Kabanicha (Katya Kabanovà, Janàcek), Waltraute (Götterdämmerung, Wagner), and Mescalina ( Le Grand Macabre, Ligeti). In addition, Høisæter has led the casts of numerous world premieres, operas by composers such as Gisle Kverndokk, Glenn-Erik Haugland, Ole-Henrik Moe and Rolf Wallin.

Høisæter has been a frequent soloist with conductors Rinaldo Alessandrini, John Fiore and Alessandro de Marchi, and orchestras such as The Bergen Philharmonic, The Orchestra of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet, Oslo Sinfonietta and The Royal Norwegian Marine Band.

She has also collaborated with several instrumentalists in a series of creative chamber music settings, exploring the Lied and Art Song repertoire extensively.

Høisæter’s singing has frequently been broadcast on national and international TV and radio, and since 2009, she has been a recurrent and popular featured guest at The Casa dei Mezzo International Music Festival, Makrigialos in Crete.

Now, a full-time freelancer, Høisæter recently sang the role of Suzuki (Madama Butterfly, Puccini) at The Oscarsborg Opera. Next season she will be returning to The Norwegian Opera & Ballet in a title role in a much-anticipated world premiere.

A CD-recording consisting of Norwegian contemporary music for mezzo-soprano, in collaboration with Lawo Classics, is scheduled for fall release, 2017.

John Lidal cuts a prominent profile among Norwegian pianists, through his versatility and rich experience as accompanist, chamber musician and vocal coach. A much sought-after artist, he has worked throughout the United States and Europe with numerous artists of international stature. Moreover, he has coached principal singers for productions at The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, Teatro alla Scala, ROH Covent Garden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Théatre du Châtelet, and Opéra Bastille.

Lidal currently serves on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, New York, as well as on the music staff of the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, Oslo and he is much in demand for master classes worldwide, most recently at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), Staatsoper unter den Linden Opernstudio, Berlin, and at the Manhattan School of Music.

Following studies at his hometown music conservatory in Trondheim, Norway, he graduated with honors from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, and the Manhattan School of Music. As well as being recipient of numerous grants, scholarships and awards, he was 1st prize winner of two International Piano Competitions in London in 1999.

Lidal created and currently serves as the Artistic Director of the LidalNorth International Opera Workshops. This is a program that spotlights international talent and helps them on their way to operatic careers on the international stage.

Lidal recently accepted an invitation by the prestigious Vocal Rising Stars Program/New York Festival of Song (NYFOS), to coach the Scandinavian song repertory at Caramoor, New York.

He has worked regularly with established artists from the Metropolitan Opera and other renowned companies, and collaborates with the new generation of the many outstanding singers in Scandinavia, Germany and in the US, both in recitals, recording and broadcast.

Lidal maintains private coaching studios in Berlin, London, New York, Oslo and Paris.