PROGRAM NOTES
WAGNER OPERA SPECTACULAR
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dan Steinberg
Arielle Doneson
James Conlon Christine Goerke Greer Grimsley
James Conlon Christine Goerke
Greer Grimsley
James Conlon , one of today ’ s most versatile and respected conductors , has cultivated a vast symphonic , operatic , and choral repertoire . Since his 1974 debut with the New York Philharmonic , he has conducted virtually every major American and European symphony orchestra . Through worldwide touring , an extensive discography and videography , numerous writings , television appearances , and guest speaking engagements , Conlon is one of classical music ’ s most recognized figures . Conlon has been Music Director of LA Opera since 2006 and assumed the role of Artistic Advisor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra this season . He has served as Music Director of the Ravinia Festival , summer home of the Chicago Symphony , and is Music Director Laureate of the Cincinnati May Festival , where he was Music Director for 37 years . As a guest conductor at the Metropolitan Opera , he has led more than 270 performances since his 1976 debut .
He is a noted advocate for composers suppressed by the Nazi regime . Among his numerous prizes are four Grammy ® Awards for recordings with LA Opera , a 2002 Légion d ’ Honneur from then-President of the French Republic Jacques Chirac , and a 2018 Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana from President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella .
Christine Goerke has appeared in the major opera houses of the world including the Metropolitan Opera , Lyric Opera of Chicago , San Francisco Opera , Royal Opera House , and the Opéra national de Paris . She has sung much of the great soprano repertoire , starting with the Mozart and Handel heroines and now earning critical acclaim for the dramatic Strauss and Wagner roles . She has received praise for her portrayal of Brünhilde in Wagner ’ s The Ring Cycle and for the title roles in Elektra and Turandot .
Goerke has also appeared with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra , Boston Symphony Orchestra , Chicago Symphony Orchestra , Cleveland Orchestra , Los Angeles Philharmonic , and the National Symphony Orchestra , working with some of the world ’ s foremost conductors .
Goerke was recently named Associate Artistic Director of the Michigan Opera Theater . She was the recipient of the 2001 Richard Tucker Award , the 2015 Musical America Vocalist of the Year Award , and the 2017 Opera News Award .
Greer Grimsley is internationally recognized as an outstanding singing actor and one of the most prominent Wagnerian singers of our day . His interpretation of Wotan in The Ring Cycle has brought him to the Metropolitan Opera , Deutsche Oper Berlin , Teatro Comunale di Bologna , Gran Teatre del Liceu , Teatro Real in Madrid , New National Theatre Tokyo , the Nikikai Opera Foundation in Tokyo , San Francisco Opera , Royal Opera Stockholm , and Seattle Opera .
Notable engagements over the last several seasons include the Bayreuther Festspiele , Oper der Stadt Köln , Theater Basel , the Scottish Opera , Teatro Nacional de São Carlos , New Israeli Opera , Royal Danish Opera , Staatstheater Stuttgart , Lyric Opera of Chicago , Dallas Opera , and Los Angeles Opera . Favorite concert engagements include the Atlanta Symphony at Carnegie Hall , Seattle Symphony , Washington Concert Opera , San Francisco Symphony , and the New York Philharmonic at the inaugural season of the Lincoln Center Festival .
Experience the Performance Again A livestream of this performance is available for a limited time .
JAN-FEB 2022 / OVERTURE 29