Mitglieder des Vocalconsorts Berlin
Vocalconsort Berlin is one of the most highly regarded and versatile choirs in Germany. In 2013 it was awarded the ECHO Klassik. Founded in 2003 and thus the youngest of Berlin’s three professional choirs, Vocalconsort has no principal conductor, working instead on a project-by-project basis with various conductors, and above all with long-term artistic partners such as Daniel Reuss, Folkert Uhde and Sasha Waltz. Along with the Compagnie Sasha Waltz & Guests and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, it is one of the three “residence ensembles” at Radialsystem V, Berlin’s innovative concert venue.
Vocalconsort Berlin is versatile in both instrumentation and repertoire, but always stylistically confident and of impressive homogeneity. It has enjoyed success in a wide variety of fields: from Monteverdi’s “L’Orfeo” under René Jacobs at the Innsbruck Festival, Haydn’s “Four Seasons” under Christopher Moulds in Rotterdam, Bernstein’s “A Quiet Place” under Kent Nagano and through to Peter Ruzicka’s “Inseln, Randlos” under the direction of the composer himself. Vocalconsort Berlin supported the opera choir on stage in Barrie Kosky’s production in Schönberg’s “Moses und Aron” under Vladimir Jurowski. The choir has also played an important role in many successful scenic productions by Sasha Waltz & Guests, such as “Dido & Aenes” by Purcell, “L’Orfeo” by Monteverdi, “Medea” by Dusapin and “Matsukaze” by Hosokawa.
CD recordings include Handel’s “Ode for Queen Anne” and “Dixit Dominus” with Andreas Scholl and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Handel’s “Athalia” with Nuria Real and the Kammerorchester Basel as well as Bach’s motets under Marcus Creed. Vocalconsort Berlin received the ECHO Klassik in 2013 for its recording of Gesualdo’s second book “Sacrae Cantiones” under James Wood.
In its own projects Vocalconsort Berlin likes to transcend the boundaries of classical genres and disciplines: “Allegory of Desire” was created in collaboration with the Belgian ensemble Zefiro Torna and the Tunisian singer Ghalia Benali; “From Inside” combined works by Gesualdo and Giacinto Scelsi in a concert staged by Hans-Werner Kroesinger; “Libera Me” combines music by Lobo, Desprez and Gesualdo with contemporary dance.
In recent years the collaboration with the Konzerthausorchester under the direction of Iván Fischer has intensified, for example with performances of the St. Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor by Bach or the Requiem by W.A. Mozart.
In the 2017/18 season, Vocalconsort Berlin made its debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Sir Simon Rattle in a semi-staged production of Janacek’s “Schlauen Füchslein” (Cunning Little Vixen), which was directed by Peter Sellars.
Also the collaboration with the Komische Oper Berlin under the direction of Barrie Kosky has intensified within the last years. Vocalconsort Berlin was involved in productions such as Bernstein’s “Westside Story”, Mozart’s “Zauberflöte” or “L’enfant et les sortilèges” by Ravel. On occasion of the 2019 Salzburg Festival Vocalconsort Berlin participated in “Orphée aux Enfers” by Offenbach, a highly acclaimed production of Barrie Kosky with the Vienna Philharmonic under Enrique Mazzola.
Vocalconsort Berlin maintains a regular presence in the music metropolises and at the major festivals in Europe, from Amsterdam to Barcelona, from London to Vienna, from Paris to Salzburg. It has worked with conductors such as Marcus Creed, Jos van Immerseel, Ottavio Dantone, Christoph Rousset, Pablo Heras-Casado and Peter Ruzicka.