Philippe Herreweghe

Philippe Herreweghe was born in Ghent and studied at both the university and music conservatory there. During this period he started conducting and founded Collegium Vocale Gent in 1970.

Philippe Herreweghe’s energetic, authentic and rhetorical approach to baroque music was soon drawing praise. In 1977 he founded the ensemble La Chapelle Royale in Paris, with whom he performed music of the French Golden Age. He founded several ensembles with whom he made historically appropriate and well-thought-out interpretations of repertoire stretching from the Renaissance to contemporary music. They include the Ensemble Vocal Européen, specialised in Renaissance polyphony, and the Orchestre des Champs Élysées, founded in 1991 with the aim of playing pre-Romantic and Romantic repertoire on original instruments.

Highlights of the 2021/22 season include guest appearances with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Munich Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Philharmonia Orchestra London and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra Academy. Furthermore, in May 2022, on the occasion of his 75th birthday, Philippe Herreweghe will present Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde on Europe’s concert stages together with the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées. In addition he will tour Europe with Johann Sebastian Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Collegium Vocale Gent.

In September 2021, Philippe Herreweghe will return to the Musikfest Bremen with concerts together with Orchestre des Champs-Élysées and Collegium Vocale Gent. Having already made his Musikfest debut in 1996 with the choir and orchestra of the Collegium Vocale Gent, he will be honoured in 2021 with the Musikfest Award Bremen for his outstanding artistic work.

Philippe Herreweghe has received numerous awards for his consistent artistic imagination and commitment. In 1990 the European music press named him “Musical Personality of the Year”. Philippe Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale Gent were appointed “Cultural Ambassadors of Flanders” in 1993. A year later he was awarded the Belgian order of Officier des Arts et Lettres, and in 1997 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Leuven. In 2003 he received the French title Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. In 2010 the city of Leipzig awarded him its Bach-Medaille for his great service as a performer of Bach. In 2017 Philippe Herreweghe received an honorary doctorate at Ghent University.

Katharina Konradi was born in Bischkek, Kyrgyzstan and is the first soprano from this country to have an international career as a lied, concert and opera singer. In 2009 she began her singing training with Julie Kaufmann in Berlin and subsequently completed her master’s degree in lied interpretation with Christiane Iven and Donald Sulzen at the Munich Academy of Music and Theatre. Attending master-classes by Helmut Deutsch and Klesie Kelly-Moog gave Katharina Konradi’s career as a soprano further musical and artistic momentum.
After initial engagements at the Kammeroper in Munich and at the Theater Hof as Anne Frank in the mono-opera The Diary of Anne Frank by Grigori Frid, she became a member of the ensemble of the Hessen State Theatre in Wiesbaden from the 2015/16 season for three years, where she sang many important soprano roles, including Pamina, Gretel, Adele, Susanna, Zerlina and Nannetta. Following her remarkable debut in Hamburg, singing Ännchen in Weber’s Der Freischütz, Katharina Konradi joined the ensemble of the Hamburg State Opera at the beginning of the 2018/19 season. In the same season she made her debut as Zdenka in Arabella by Richard Strauss at the Semperoper in Dresden.

In summer 2019 Katharina Konradi makes her debut at the Bayreuth Festival, singing the role of the young shepherd at the new opening production of Tannhäuser (stage director: Tobias Kratzer) conducted by Valery Gergiev. She also sings one of Klingsor’s flower maidens in Parsifal (conductor: Semyon Bychkov). In June 2020 she can be heard for the first time at an opera house in France, at the Opéra de Lyon, singing Susanna in the new production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (stage director: the French film director Olivier Assayas). She also sings other major soprano roles at her home theatre, the Hamburg State Opera, including Pamina, Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Musetta in La Bohème.

2018 saw young mezzo-soprano Eva Zaïcik – one of the most renowned opera singers of her generation – carry off the « Revelation Opera Singers » award at the « Victoires de la Musique Classique », as well as prizes in two prestigious international competitions: 2nd Prize in the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium; and 3rd Prize in the “Voix Nouvelles” competition.

She had already been elected “Revelation Opera Singer” in the ADAMI Young Talent Competition in 2016, the year in which she obtained her Masters in Singing at the Paris Conservatoire (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de la Danse de Paris) with Distinction, after studying with Élène Golgevit.

Her golden timbre, impressive range and stage presence had already earned her a place on the 8th session of William Christie’s Jardin des Voix with Les Arts Florissants, and other roles followed rapidly: the title role in Dido and Aeneas at the Rouen and Versailles Operas; La Messaggiera in Monteverdi’s Orfeo at the Dijon Opera, Lybie in Lully’s Phaeton at the Perm and Versailles Operas with the Poème Harmonique; Caliste in Lully’s Les Amants Magnifiques on tour in France with Le Concert Spirituel; and the 3rd Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute with Les Talens Lyriques at the Limoges, Dijon and Caen Operas.

2018-2019 is a busy season for her, both on stage and on the concert platform: a French tour with the other winners of the “Voix Nouvelles 2018”; a series of operatic aria concerts with the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie (Fribourg, Royaumont, La Grange au lac, Ville la Grand); a tour with Les Arts Florissants for Handel’s Dixit Dominus; a European tour singing the alto solos in the Mozart Requiem with the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées (Philippe Herreweghe); and a French tour with Insula Orchestra (Laurence Equilbey). She will also be singing Rossini’s Messa di Gloria at the Limoges Opera, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the Poème Harmonique, and giving recitals with the pianist Romain Louveau at the Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne and the Rouen Opera. She will be joining Justin Taylor and his Consort for a European tour presenting several baroque programmes (including performances at Antwerp’s AMUZ Festival and the Bruges Concertgebouw). One of these programmes, devoted to French Cantatas, will be recorded by Alpha, and is due to appear in February 2019.

She will be appearing in the title role in Carmen at the Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne; Speranza in Monteverdi’s Orfeo at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées alongside the singing/playing/directing duo Emilio Gonzalez Toro/Thomas Dunford; and Sélyzette in Dukas’ Ariane and Bluebeard at Toulouse’s Théâtre du Capitole.

The 2019-2020 season includes the season opening of the Aalborg Sinfonik-orkester in Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’été; Monteverdi’s Vespers of the Virgin with Raphaël Pichon; multiple projects with Le Poème Harmonique (recording of Cadmus and Hermione…); a tour with Les Arts Florissants for a Handel recital; Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Collegium Vocale Gent.

The future looks equally promising, with in 2021-2022: Venus in Campra’s Idoménée (Opéra de Lille, Staatsoper Berlin); Handel’s Messiah with the Stravanger Symphony Orchestra; the title role of Carmen and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Seviglia at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse; Mozart’s Requiem with Philippe Herreweghe.

Eva Zaïcik’s eclecticism and sensitivity both to music and the to cross-cultural dialogue have been the source of encounters with all the forms of expression which the singing voice can offer.

She also takes a great interest in contemporary music, performing the role of Nelly in Betsy Jolas’ Iliade l’Amour in 2016 and premiering several of Vincent Bouchot’s works.

She has performed in many prestigious venues both in France and abroad such as Philharmonie de Paris, Aix en Provence, Chorégies d’Orange, Avignon, Oude Muziek d’Utrecht, Festival Messiaen, Diaghilev Festival de Perm, Auditorio Nacional Madrid, Tchaïkovsky Concert Hall, Barbican Center, Royal Albert Hall de Londres, Seoul, under the baton of such great conductors as Alain Altinoglu, Leonardo Garcia Alarcòn, Vincent Dumestre, Marco Guidarini, Emmanuelle Haïm, Philippe Herreweghe, René Jacobs, Cornelius Meister, Hervé Niquet, David Reiland, Christophe Rousset .

She has also performed the roles of Ottavia (Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea), Proserpina (Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo), Melibea (Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims), Farnace (Mozart’s Mitridate), Cherubino (Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro), Judith (Bartók’s A Kékszakallù Herceg Vara), Diane à la Houppe (Honegger’s Les Aventures du Roi Pausole) and Ernesto (Haydn’s Il Mondo della Luna) with the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Paris.

Eva Zaïcik records exclusively for Alpha Classics.

Born in Istanbul and raised in Vienna, tenor Ilker Arcayürek has emerged as one of the most exciting and versatile vocal artists in recent years. He is a winner of the International Art Song Competition of Germany’s Hugo Wolf Academy, a finalist of the 2015 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and was a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist.  He was selected to perform at Ronaldo Vilazon’s “Stars of Tomorrow” for ARTE. In 2017 Champs Hill Records released his first solo album “Der Einsame”, featuring Schubert songs accompanied by Simon Lepper, to great critical acclaim. His latest recording with Simon titled “Path of Life” for Prospero Classical was nominated for 2 OPUS KLASSIK Awards.

On the concert platform he has worked with orchestras including Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks,  Tonkünstler-Orchester, Tokyo Philharmonic, RSO Vienna, Orchestre National de Belgique, Orchestre National de Lyon, Danish Chamber Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Antwerp Symphony, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia under conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Ivor Bolton, Laurence Equilbey, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Philippe Herreweghe, Riccardo Minasi, Mikhail Pletnev, Lars Vogt, Adam Fischer, Simon Halsey and Marin Alsop.

Ilker has been a member of the studio of Zürich Opera (2009-2013), ensemble member of Stadttheater Klagenfurt (2013-2015), and Staatstheater Nürnberg (2015-18). He has sung various roles such as Tamino Die Zauberflöte, the title role Idomeneo, Don Ottavio Don Giovanni, Ferrando Così fan tutte and Rodolfo La Bohème.

As a guest artist Ilker has performed at Teatro Real Madrid in Kasper Holten’s production of Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot, Munich Opera Festival of the Bayerische Staatsoper in the world premiere of Nikolaus Brass’ Die Vorübergehenden, Salzburg Festival in Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia, Volksoper Wien in Lortzing’s Zar and Zimmerman, for Opera Graz Lyonel in Flotow’s Martha and as the title role in Weber’s Oberon.

In summer 2019 Ilker made his US operatic debut in the role of Nadir Les Pêcheurs de Perles at Santa Fe Opera. In 2022 he made his Canadian Opera Company debut as Tamino Die Zauberflöte, and for Opera Vlaanderen and Opéra National de Montpellier performing the roles of Ariel, Pater Ecstaticus Szenen aus Goethes Faust.

Alongside his commitments to symphonic and operatic repertoire, Ilker is a passionate exponent of Lied, working with pianists such as Simon Lepper, Hartmut Höll, Ammiel Bushakevitz, Daniel Heide and Wolfram Rieger.  He has given recitals at the Edinburgh International Festival, Wigmore Hall, the Schubertiada Vilabertran, deSingel Antwerp, at the Innsbruck Festwochen and the Bibliotheksaal Polling.  He made his highly anticipated United States recital debut in February 2019 at the Park Avenue Armory in New York and with San Francisco Performances, accompanied by pianist Simon Lepper.

Mikhail Timoshenko is known for the beauty of his timbre and his outstanding musicality.

Born in Russia, he began his musical and theatrical training in Mednogorsk at the singing class of Tatiana
Mayorova and then studied in Weimer and Berlin (Hans Eisler) under the tutelege of Michail Lanskoi.

From 2015 to 2017, he was a member of the Academy of the Opéra National de Paris and starred in the behindthe-
scenes look at the Paris Opera Documentary film by Jean-Stéphane Bron ”L’Opéra”. He performed in
numerous concerts in the Amphithéâtre concert hall of the Bastille Opera. He sang in the world premiere of
Joanna Lee’s Vol Retour and performed the role of Pluton (Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo). He has sung Spencer Coyle
(Owen Wingrave), Hymas and Tirtée (Les Fêtes d’Hébé) in Paris and in London, Erster Handwerksbursch
(Wozzeck), Silvano (Un Ballo in Maschera), Mitioukha (Boris Godunov) on the main stage of Bastille Opera.

Mikhail is laureate of many competitions, among others, he won Opera the International Maria Callas Grand
Prix in 2016 and, together with his Lied-Duo-Partner Elitsa Desseva he won First Prizes in “Franz Schubert und
die Moderne”, Graz, Hugo-Wolf-Gesellschaft Stuttgart and the Wigmore Hall Competition, and second prize at
the Schubert Lied Duo Competition Dortmund.

Operatic highlights of his firsts professional seasons include the world premiere of the chamber opera En Silence
(by Alexandre Desplat) in Luxembourg and Paris- Bouffes du Nord, Orlik in Tchaikovsky’s Mazeppa at the Ópera
de Oviedo (Spain), Moser in I Masnadieri at the Opera Monte Carlo, Masetto in Don Giovanni at Paris Opéra
Garnier and Opernhaus Düsseldorf, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro Opéra national de Lorraine à Nancy, “Magic
Mozart” in Luxembourg, Ottokar (Der Freischütz) at the Konzerthaus Berlin, Mozart’s Requiem (cond. Philippe
Herreweghe).

His projects for the 2021/22 season and the following ones : Mozart’s Requiem in St Petersburg and in Moscow
(cond. Teodor Currentzis), Masetto in Paris, Erster Handwerkbursch (Wozzeck) in Paris, Albert (Werther) in
Lausanne, Marcello in Toulouse, Mozart’s concert at La Seine Musicale / Paris, Chtchelkalov (Boris Godounov)
in Toulouse and in Paris/TCE.

Since 2009 he gives charity concerts for children with mental disorders in Russia. In a cooperation with the
autonomous non-profit organization ”Touch” in Orenburg he supports several boarding-schools for mentally
handicapped children.

In 1970, on the initiative of Philippe Herreweghe, a group of student friends decided to found the Collegium Vocale Gent. The ensemble was one of the first to apply the new insights in the performance practice of Baroque music to vocal music. This authentic, text-directed and rhetorical approach paid attention to a transparent sound, as a result of which the ensemble soon made guest appearances on all the major concert podiums and music festivals worldwide.

Meanwhile, Collegium Vocale Gent organically evolved into an extremely flexible ensemble with a wide repertoire from different stylistic periods. The greatest asset is that the best possible instrumentation is brought together for each project. Renaissance music is performed by an ensemble of six to twelve singers. German Baroque music and especially the vocal works of J.S. Bach have been and remain a centerpiece. Nowadays the Collegium Vocale Gent performs this music preferably with a small ensemble, where the singers perform both choral and solo parts. More and more, the Collegium Vocale Gent also deals with the romantic, modern and contemporary choral repertoire. The Collegium has been supported by the EU Culture Program since 2011, and this has enabled the creation of a mixed symphonic concert choir in which young talents from all over Europe sing side by side with experienced colleagues.

To realize these projects, Collegium Vocale Gent collaborates with various historically informed ensembles such as the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, but also with internationally renowned symphony orchestras.

Collegium Vocale Gent is supported by the Flemish Community, the Province of East Flanders and the City of Ghent. From 2011 to 2013, the ensemble was an ambassador of the European Union.