January 8, 2012
Sunday at 4:00 pm (pre-concert talk begins at 3:30)

Kimberly Kahan, lyric soprano

Babette Hierholzer, piano

 

PROGRAM

Das Veilchen Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  
Ständchen Franz Schubert
  
Der Hirt auf dem Felsen Schubert
Guest Artist William Stevens, clarinet 
  
Ouvre ton Coeur   Georges Bizet
  
Chere Nuit Alfred Bachelet
  
Ebben? Ne andro lontana (from La Wally) Afredo Catalani
  

INTERMISSION

  
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 Heitor Villa Lobos
Conducted by John Handman  
Cellists: Molly Duvall, Louis Rizzo, Aaron Stier, 
           Meagan Carswell, Austin Kim, Alex Muller, 
           Nick Ackerman 
Bassist: Evan Bish 
  
Sure on This Shining Night Samuel Barber
The Crucifixion (from Hermit Songs) 
 
Ave Maria (from Otello) Giuseppe Verdi
Organist: Reggie Earls 
  
Casta Diva (from Norma) Vincenzo Bellini
  
Vissi d'arte (from Tosca) Giacomo Puccini
  from Tosca 
  
Zueignung Richard Strauss

Lyric soprano Kimberly Kahan enjoys an accomplished career with opera companies and orchestras throughout the country. She has earned great acclaim for her musical and dramatic interpretations for such signature roles as Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, as well as title rolls in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah and Strauss’ Arabella.

Recent critical acclaim for her role as the Merry Widow:

“Golden-voiced soprano Kimberly Kahan brings to life the title role of Hanna Glawari; lilting and soaring soprano is perfection. A treat to the eye as well as the ear”…..NY Times Herald Record

“Ms. Kahan is stunning. She has a beautiful voice and tremendous stage presence. When she sings, it appears effortless. Particularly enjoyable is the number “Vilia”. Kahan shines on this critically praised Lehar song.”……Vincent Alexander

Other roles include Micaela in Bizet’s Carmen in Tel Aviv, Israel with Josh Majors directing; featured soprano in the world premier of Kyle Gann’s opera Cinderella’s Bad Moment in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata with the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra; and Wellgunda in Das Rhinegold with the New Jersey Opera Company.

Ms. Kahan performs regularly as a soloist at Bard College, including Lord Nelson Mass under the baton of James Bagwell, The Angel in Ottorino Respighi's Laud to the Nativity with conductor Sharon Bjorndal, and with the American Symphony, Leon Botstein conducting.

A favorite of European audiences, Ms. Kahan has appeared in concert in many cities including Helsinki, Copenhagen, Nice, Naples, Istanbul and Athens where she has performed such pieces as Brahms' Liebeslieder Walzer, Debussy’s Arriette Oubliee, and Canteloubes’ Chants D’Auvergne.

Equally comfortable in the Oratorio venue, she has performed as the soprano soloist in works by Beethoven (Mass in C and the Ninth Symphony), Bach (B Minor Mass and Magnificat), Haydn (Lord Nelson Mass) and the Requiems of Brahms, Fauré, Mozart and Verdi.

The debut of pianist Babette Hierholzer with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra was followed by numerous performances lead by the renowned Conductors Sir Colin Davis, Klaus Tennstedt, Leopold Hager and Semyon Bychkov. Other engagements have included the Radio-Symphony-Orchestra Berlin, Philharmonia Hungarica, Orquesta Sinfonica de Chile, Orquesta Sinfonica de Venezuela, Staatskapelle Berlin, Hamburg Symphonic Orchestra, Krakow Philhamonic Orchestra. In 1986 she gave her American debut with the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra playing Liszt Concerto No. 1 and her Canadian debut with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra playing Beethoven Concerto No. 2. 

Ms. Hierholzer made her first public appearance at the age of eleven in the Philharmonic Hall in Berlin, playing Mozart Concerto KV 488. She has performed extensively both in recital, chamber music and as soloist with orchestra in most of the countries of Europe, as well as in the United States, South America and Africa. Babette Hierholzer was born in Freiburg, Germany and studied with Elisabeth Dounias-Sindermann, Wolfgang Saschowa in Berlin, with Herbert Stessin in New York, with Paul Badura-Skoda in Essen and Vienna, with Maria Tipo in Florence and with Bruno Leonardo Gelber in Buenos Aires. Ms. Hierholzer won numerous first prizes, the “Viotti Concorso Internazionale de Musica” in Vercelli, Italy, the “Joanna Hodges” International Competition in Palm Springs and played her New York debut at Weill Carnegie Hall as winner of the “East & West Artists Prize For New York Debut”. 

Ms. Hierholzer is the Artistic Advisor of the German Forum http://www.germanforum.org/. She has recorded numerous recordings playing works by Bach, Schumann, Mozart, Schubert and Scarlatti Sonatas (Vol. 1, 2 & 3). Also she performed the sound track and double/stand-in role for Clara Wieck (played by Nastassja Kinski) in Peter Schamoni’s movie Spring Symphony about the life of Robert and Clara Schumann.

In December 2010 she was invited to play Mozart's Concerto for two pianos in Venezuela under conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Sinfónica de la Juventud Venezolana Simón Bolívar.

 

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