News & Updates

On the 5th of February tenor Magnus Vigilius sings Pinkerton at Danish National Opera. The performance is followed by 9 more performances on 12,16,18,29/2; 3,5,8,11,19/3 in all of Denmark.This is followed by Pinkerton in National Theatre in Bron in Czech Republic, the Theatre of Leoš Janáček, where he will also sing Boris Grigorievich in Kata Kabanova, and Siegmund in Walküre in Denmark.

Ascolta Artists is happy to announce general management of the Dutch Mezzo soprano Francine Vis.She had her debut at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen in 2012 as Flora in Traviata and is a treasured oratorio singer.The recent First Prize winner from Copenhagen Lied Duo Competition 2015, is equally at home in baroque- and modern music as well as a wide repertoire spanning from Charlotte and Octavian over Lucretia and Hermia to Rosina and Angelina.

Soprano Sofie Jensen enjoys huge success in Denmark, singing 18 New Year concerts with South Jutland Symphony Orchestra, Randers Chamber Orchestra and Storstrøm's Chamber Ensemble all in January 2015.

Conductor Michael Balke is reaching international recognition with a big amount of new engagements in the last few months including:Magdeburg: Elektra: 22,31/10; 4,19/12 15; 9/1 16; Boheme 20,31/3; 24/4; 21,13,29/5 16; Verdi Requiem: 24,25/3 16;Tosca (Sct.Gallen): 30/1; 5,10,14,23/2; 6/3; 2,12/4; 14/5 20161 Fliegende Holländer – (Opera på Skäret): 30/07; 4,6,7,11,13,14,(18),20,21,(25),27,28/08 2016 L’heure Espagnol/Gianni Schicchi (Opera National de Lorraine): 30/9-6/10 2016Copenhagen Phil: New year concerts 6-13/01 17Aalborg Symphony Orchestra: Brahms Requiem 12/04 2017South Jutland Symph. Orchestra: Gala concerts June 2017Madama Butterfly (Tokyo): 22,26/01; 4,18,19/2 2017 Yomiuri Nippon Orchestra 24/2, 2017

The Russian Coloratura soprano Svetlana Moskalenko has joined Ascolta Artists.She is getting her big international breakthrough at the moment after her impressive 2nd prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2015.Recent and future engagements of her include Eudoxie (La Juive) at Michailovsky Theatre and Königin der Nacht with Komische Oper Berlin, at Deutsche Oper am Rhein and at Grand Théâtre de Genève.

On 13 of December 2015 Yana Kleyn will have her German debut as Mimì at Oper Köln; Further performances on 17/12 (19:30),27/12 (19:30) 2015; 1 (18), 3/01 (18) 2016

Baritone Luthando Qave just had his debut on 9/12 2015 as Conte Almaviva at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.This will be followed by 12 more performances on 11,17,29/12 2015; 7,10,13,15,19,25/01; 04/02; 27/04; 02/05 2016

Tonight on 9/12 and 10/12 2015, Vincent de Kort (conductor); Sofie Elkjær Jensen (Soprano); Niklas Engquist (Tenor), and Yorck Felix Speer (Basso), all from Ascolta Artists, perform Händel's Messiah in Odense Cathedral with Odense Symphony Orchestra.

On 21 of November 2015 there is premiere of José Cura's "Scandinavian Bohème" in Royal Opera Stockholm.Followed by 27 performances until June 2016. The performance is transmitted in Swedish Radio and on 28/11 send in cinemas all over SwedenJosé Cura has worked on every thinkable detail in this production, and besides his work as stage director he is behind lighting, scenography and costumes, transforming Paris to Stockholm, Rodolfo to Strindberg, Marcello to Munch, Colline to Kirkegaard, Schaunard to Grieg and Musetta to Tulla Larsen.Yana Kleyn sings Mimì and Daniel Johansson Rodolfo (StrindbergRest of cast is:Marcello (Edvard Munch) Linus Börjesson Schaunard (Edvard Grieg) Jens Persson Colline (Sören Kierkegaard) John Erik ElebyConductor: Daniele Callegari

The top international Russian bass Alexey Tikhomirov have joined Ascolta Artists. With his towering physique and dramatic voice he fits well in the major parts of Russian music such as Boris Godunov, Aleko and Gremin to the big roles in Verdi including Filippo, Ramfis and Sparafucile.He has, despite his young age, already sung in important houses such as Bolshoi, Geneva, Staatsoper Berlin, Felmish Opera, Municipal in Chile, Rome Opera and the Salzburg Festival.

Soprano Yana Kleyn has just started a great 15/16 season guesting Royal Opera in Stockholm as Michaëla in Carmen. This will be followed by a new production of Bohème with José Cura as stage director, Liù in Turandot and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni all in Stockholm, Mimì at Oper Köln, Desdemona in Otello at Savonlinna Festival along side Antonenko and Benedikt and Dvorak Requiem with Aalborg Symphony Orchestra singing more than 50 performances.

Today Ascolta Artists celebrate its 2 years birthday.Though it was founded in Copenhagen, it is by no means a local agency. We have succeeded in making contracts in almost all European countries as well as in many others countries around the world for our artists.Soon our homepage will also be readable in Russian and we will present a new agent for this important market.The agency focus on artists of the highest quality in a mix of upcoming- and international renowned stage directors (4), conductors (5) and singers (30) from all over the world.Until today we have secured our artists contracts for more than 2.400.000 € and the company keeps growing day by day for the benefit of all involved.

Soprano Olga Heikkilä gets her breakthrough in Denmark in 2015 at he Royal Opera in Copenhagen, singing Leonora in the chamber production of Carl Nielsens "Maskerade" and Pernille in the same opera at Fuenen Opera in the birth city of Carl Nielsen.

Internationally renowned conductor Fabio Mastrangelo have a great 15/16 season ahead of him. Beginning in June 2015 with big gala concert with ao. Askar Abdrazakov in Montecatini Terme, followed by Aida (14/07) and Tosca (16/07) and gala concert (22/07) at Arena di Verona. Later on follows concerts in Tonhalle Zürich with Baden Baden Philharmonic, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra in Denmark. Besides that he enjoys a full schedule with opera production in South Korea, concerts with most of the leading Russian orchestras and handling his responsibilities as Artistic Director for Theatre "Music Hall" - St. Petersburg, Principal Conductor & Music Director for State Hermitage Orchestra "St. Petersburg Camerata", Principal Conductor forSinfonica Artica - State Philharmonic Orchestra Yakutsk, Artistic Director for Ensemble Novosibirsk Camerata - Novosibirsk State Philharmonic and Principal Guest Conductor for Novosibirsk Symphony Orchestra.

The 15/16 season marks the international breakthrough of stage director Vasily Barkhatov after his success at Nationaltheater Mannheim with Berlioz’s ”Le damnation de Faust”.In the fall he will direct Modest Mussorgsky’s ” Khovanshchina” at Theater Basel in Switzerland with premiere on 22 of October 2015, followed by 13 performances in October, November and December.After this will follow Tomaso Traetta’s “Antigone” at Kammeroper Wien with premiere on 30 of November followed by 8 performances in December 2015.Lastly he will create a new production of Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s “Die Soldaten” in Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden with premiere on 30 April followed by performances in May, June and July 2016.

Continuing her big success, after the jump in as Leonora in Carl Nielsen’s “Maskerade” for 10 performances at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen, Sofie Jensen has a great 15/16 season ahead of her. She will have her debut as Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, sing in Tivoli Concert Hall in L’elisir d’amore; sing many operetta concerts on Copenhagen Opera Festival, do two productions at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen: “Horisont” a dance, acting and singing production and debut in the demanding roles of Maid, Confidante, Waitress, Mistress, Rubbernecker and Society Journalist in Thomas Ades’ “Powder her face”. Besides that the audience in Denmark can enjoy her in New Year concerts with Randers Kammerorkester, Storstrøms Kammerensemble and South Jutland Symphony Orchestra.

Tomorrow on 17 of April, the young stage director Vasily Barkhatov’s “Le Damnation du Faust” has premiere in Nationaltheater Mannheim, followed by further performances on 24,28/04; 7,14/05; 10,21/06 2015. This also marks his debut in Germany.His international reputation has already proceeded him from his productions in among others Mikhailovsky, Bolshoi and Mariinsky and exciting productions will soon be announced in big Opera Houses in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Scandinavia.

The German mezzo Anne-Theresa Møller have joined Ascolta Artists.Despite her young age she already has an impressive repertoire of more than 35 roles ranging from Cherubino and Dorabella over Rosina and Lola to roles such as Octavian, Charlotte, Hänsel and Olga through her 6 years in the ensemble of National Theatre Mannheim and Festivals throughout Germany.She now continues with her career as a freelance singer.

Soprano Sofie Jensen jumps in and learns the whole part of Leonora in Carl Nielsens Opera "Maskerade" with only one week notice at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen for the main role of Leonora. This brings extra focus to the talented soprano since Carl Nielsen is having his 150 year anniversary celebrated this year.She will sing all remaining 10 performances 8,11,18,26 of April; 2,9,12,15,17,21 of May 2015

The Danish baritone Lars Møller has joined Ascolta Artists. With his powerful projecting baritone voice, combined with excellent acting skills and a towering physique he has already made a name of himself in Scandinavia and Gemany in roles such as Guglielmo, Escamillo, Enrico, Silvio, Onegin and Ford. Now moving towards the heavier repertoire we look forward to promote his career in the field of more dramatic roles in Verdi and Wagner.Among his upcoming engagements are David in L’Amico Fritz, debut at Komische Oper in Berlin singing Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, a role he will also sing at Opera Hedeland summer festival and Carmina Burana in Stuttgart.