Staatsoper Hamburg - Stück-Besetzung: Ludger Vollmer

Komposition

Ludger Vollmer

Composer

Ludger Vollmer

Studies:
Studied violin, viola and composition in Weimar and Leipzig; 1990 diploma (viola); 1998-94 orchestral musician in Leipzig, Magdeburg, Erfurt, since then freelance musician. Musician; 1994-95 student of Alfred Schnittke, Hamburg; 1994-98 Dipl.- Ped. Improv. (Peter Jarchow, Leipzig); 1995-99 Dipl.-Stud. Compos. with concert exam (Dimitri Terzakis, Leipzig); since 1995 study visits to Norway, Turkey, Israel, Greece;

Prizes:
2009 European Tolerance Prize
2011 German Theater Prize Der Faust for the Stuttgart production of the opera GEGEN DIE WAND (director: Neco Celik)
2014 Weimar Prize
2017 Thuringian Composition Prize

Important productions:
Opera:
PAUL UND PAULA oder DIE LEGENDE VOM GLÜCK OHNE ENDE (world premiere 2003, Carus); GEGEN DIE WAND (world premiere 2008, Schott); SCHILLERS RÄUBER_RAP'N BREAKDANCE OPERA (world premiere 2009, Schott); BORDER (world premiere 2012, Schott); LOLA RENNT (UA 2013, Schott); CRUSADES (UA 2017, Schott); TSCHICK (UA 2017, Schott); THE CIRCLE (UA 2019, Schott); ZUSAMMENSTOSS (UA 2024, Schott); BUDDENBROOKS (UA 2024, Schott)

Dance theater:
DREAMCATCHER (1996/97, premiere bönig körperschafft, electro-acoustics and live music, Festspielhaus Hellerau/ Tanzfest Dresden); DER DREISPITZ (Kunstfest Weimar 2002/ Mexico- Tour 2004, Dance Company Bettina Owczarek)

Orchestra:
BORDER - SYMPHONIC ESCAPES (premiere 2014, Schott); DANSES RITUELLES D'EVOCATION DU VÉRITABLE PRINTEMPS #4 (2017, Schott); ZWEI PARALLELEN, EINE SUITE (2017, Schott)

Solo with orchestra:
DIE BERNAUERIN, concerto for harpsichord and strings (premiere 1996, Schott); CONCERT for violin and orchestra (2020, Schott)

Cantatas:
CLARA! , cantata for the 200th birthday of Clara Schumann, 2 soli, choir, chamber orchestra (premiere Dresden 2019, Schott); EIN JEGLICHES HAT SEINE ZEIT, festive cantata 30 Jahre Friedliche Revolution; 2 soli, choir, organ & orchestra (premiere Jena 2019, Schott)

Chamber music:
MY LOVE IS AS A FEVER, for string quartet (premiere 2004, Schott); STEADFAST AGAINST THE SUN, for flute and guitar, (premiere 2003, Ed.Margeaux); TWO HYMNS for string quartet/ alt. Saxophone quartet (prem. 2010/ 2017, Schott); Trio for saxophone, accordion & percussion (prem. Hamburg 2017, Schott)

As well as: Acting music, film and media music

Career stages:
Teaching since 1990. MS Weimar and Jena (MKS) and FHS Jena (1998-2001); work as a composer (performances in Europe, Australia, Asia, both Americas) with a focus on music theater. Evening performances. Operas in Vienna (State Opera), Bremen, Istanbul, Stuttgart, Cologne, Karlsruhe, Darmstadt, Duisburg, Nordhausen, Regensburg, Hagen, Freiburg, Weimar, among others. Publisher: SCHOTT Music GmbH, jury member: e.g. “Jugend musiziert”, AMH (Deutsche Bank Foundation). 2019 Chairman of the German Composers' Association, LV Hamburg. 2020 President of the Hamburg State Music Council. Lives in Hamburg.

Find further information about Ludger Vollmer here.

Performances

Frühlings Erwachen

photo: Christiane Weber

Text

Martin G. Berger

Text

Martin G. Berger

Martin G. Berger was born in Berlin in 1987 and grew up in Berlin, Istanbul and Munich.

His work as a director, author and translator has taken him all over the German-speaking world, including Theater Basel, Hanover State Opera, Aalto-Theater Essen, Theater an der Wien, Staatstheater Kassel, Oper Dortmund, Staatstheater Darmstadt, Deutsche Oper Berlin (Tischlerei), Luzerner Theater, Theater Bremen, Theater Trier, Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar, Staatstheater Augsburg, Theater Heidelberg, Volksoper Wien (Kasino am Schwarzenbergplatz), Staatsoperette Dresden, Theater Oberhausen and Neuköllner Oper.

Martin G. Berger has received awards and nominations for his productions, winning the German theater prize FAUST in the category “Best Director Musical Theater” in 2020, after having already been nominated for it in 2018 and nominated for the Götz Friedrich Prize in 2015. He won the Karan Armstrong Prize of the Götz Friedrich Foundation, the German Musical Theater Prize 2016 for Best Director, the Trier Musical Award 2016 and the Orpheus Award for Special Services to Operetta in 2018. His production of The Barber of Seville was named Best Production in the 2019 NRW Critics' Poll.

Martin G. Berger is characterized by his wide range. He works in opera, operetta and musicals, but also in drama, in performance collectives and with puppeteers. He often adapts works in his own way and brings together performers from different genres for his productions.

Berger also appears as an author and translator. His translation of “Maskerade” premiered at Oper Frankfurt in 2021 in a production by Tobias Kratzer. His versions of “Candide”, “Follies” and “Anyone Can Whistle” are published by “Musik und Bühne”, “La Cage Aux Folles” by Felix Bloch Erben. The latter translation was first performed in 2022 in a production by Barry Koskie.

The musical “Der geteilte Himmel” premiered in 2022 at the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater (music: Wolfgang Böhmer), “Kasimir und Karoline” in 2023 at the Staatsoper Hannover (with Martin Mutschler, music: Jherek Bischoff), “Der 35. Mai” (with Jasper Sonne and Michael Ellis Ingram) will have its world premiere in 2024 at Theater Bremen. The new opera “Frühlings Erwachen” (music: Ludger Vollmer) will be produced by the Hamburg State Opera at Kampnagel in 2025.

Martin G. Berger was opera director at the Mecklenburg State Theater in the 21/22 season.

Berger's path into directing led him to several years as a permanent assistant at the Dortmund Opera and the Hanover State Opera. He assisted renowned directors such as Christine Mielitz, Sebastian Baumgarten, Stefan Huber and Benedikt von Peter.

Find further information about Martin G. Berger here.

Performances

Frühlings Erwachen

photo: Thomas M. Jauck

Inszenierung

Neco Çelik

Musikalische Leitung

Luiz de Godoy

Musical Direction

Luiz de Godoy

Birthplace:
Mogi das Cruzes, Brasil

Studies:
Piano at Universidade de São Paulo (Bachelor) and at Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas (Master), Erasmus stay with focus on piano and conducting at Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, Diploma course conducting at Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien (with honors)

Prizes:
Würdigungspreis der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (2019), Scholarship from UNESCO, the European Union and the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Erwin-Ortner-Preis zur Förderung der Chormusik (2016)

Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Leader Alsterspatzen since 2019/20

Repertoire:
Focus on choral symphonic repertoire (spiritual and secular oratorios; in particular Wiener Klassik and Deutsche Romantik), special relationship to performance practices of old and new music

Career stages:
conductor of the Wiener Sängerknaben (2016–2019), choir director of Chorakademie des Wiener Staatsopernchores (2016–2018), assistent of the artistic director of the Wiener Singakademie at the Wiener Konzerthaus (2015–2019), musical director of Opera Studio at Sommerfestival „ Música nas Montanhas“ in Poços de Caldas, Brasilien (2010–2012), corepeater of opera projekts at Theatro Municipal de São Paulo (2005–2009)

Stages:
Esplanade Singapur, Peking National Opera, Seoul Lotte Hall, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Taiwan National Theater, Teatro Real Madrid, Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, Tokyo Opera City Hall, Wiener Konzerthaus, Wiener Musikverein; Carinthischer Sommer, Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Grafenegg Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival

Cooperations with orchestras (as conductor):
Camerata Schulz, ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Orquestra de la Armada de Chile, Orquestra Juvenil da Bahia, Polish Baltic Filharmonic, Schubert-Akademie Wien, Youth-Orchestra Singapur et al.

cooperations (choral rehearsal / assistance):
Berliner Philharmoniker, Les Sciècles, Mariinsky-Theaterorchester Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Symphoniker et al.

Cooperations with artists:
Gustavo Dudamel, Valery Gergiev, Ton Koopman, Sir Simon Rattle, Simone Young, Franz Welser-Möst

Performances

photo: Fernanda Nigro

Bühne und Kostüme

Alexander Wolf

Video

Jan Speckenbach

Dramaturgie

Dr. Angela Beuerle

Musiktheaterpädagogik

Alanah Chrispeels

Amon Gabor

Grzegorz Pelutis

Baritone

Grzegorz Pelutis

Birthplace:
Słupsk, Poland

Studies:
Bachelor and Masters at Academy of Art in Szczecin, both graduated with honours, Janusz Lewandowski’s singing class (2016-2021)

Master classes:
Opera Academy Young Talent Development Programme of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera In Warsaw (since 2021):
Consant tutelage by: Izabela Kłosińska, Olga Pasiecznik, Eytan Pessen, Matthias Rexroth, Michał Biel, Katelan Tran Terrell;
Guest masterclasses: Edith Wiens, Ewa Podleś, Mariusz Kwiecień, Maciej Pikulski, Hedwig Fassbender, Tobias Truniger, Adrian Kelly, Vesselina Kassarova, Fausto Nardi, Małgorzata Walewska

Prizes:
3rd prize and Juan Pons Prize at I International Juan Pons Singing Competition - Palma de Mallorca, Spain, June 2022
2nd prize winner at 1st Swiss International Music Competition – online, July 2021
2nd prize winner and special prize winner of the Director of the K. Namysłowski Symphony Orchestra in Zamość at 7th Krystyna Jamroz National Vocal Competition - Kielce/Busko-Zdrój, Poland, February 2022
3rd prize winner at 7th National Vocal Competition in Drezdenko, Poland, November 2021
3rd prize winner in"Opera Singers" category at"Prague Romansiada" competition, Prague 2017
Only Polish contestant of Plácido Domingo's Operalia 2022

Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Member of the International Opera Studio of the Hamburg State Opera since the season 2023/24

Important parts:
Chorąży “Ensign” (Hrabina - "The Countess"), Dudziarz (Halka), The Mayor “Burmistrz” (Szarlatan, czyli wskrzeszanie zmarłych - “Charlatan, or resurrection of the dead”), Escamillo (Carmen), Archiereios (King Roger), et al.

Stages:
Teatr Wielki – National Polish Opera, The Castle Opera in Szczecin, Polish Philharmonic "Sinfonia Baltica" named after Wojciech Kilar in Słupsk, Gorzów Philharmonic, Tadeusz Baird Philharmonic in Zielona Góra, Stanisław Moniuszko Philharmonic in Koszalin, Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Cracow, Various concerts across Europe, e. g. Berlin, Kaliningrad, Prague, Magdeburg, Warsaw, Varna

Cooperation with directors:
Mariusz Treliński, Barbara Wiśniewska, Rafał Matusz, Jitka Stokalska, et al.

Cooperation with conductors:
Jerzy Wołosiuk, Małgorzata Bornowska, Tadeusz Kozłowski, Michał Klauza, Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny, Stefan Plewniak, et al.

Performances

photo: Jörn Kipping

Ilse / Frau Bergmann

Na'ama Shulman

Soprano

Na'ama Shulman

Birthplace:
Israel

Studies:
Bachelor (with honors) and Master of Music in Classical Singing at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance

Prizes:
Second Prize at the International Opera Competition in Jerusalem (2018), First Prize at the Charles Schneider Competition (2017), First Prize at the Tavor-Fintz Memorial Competition (2016)

Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Member of the International Opera Studio of the Hamburg State Opera from 2018/19 till 2019/20

Important parts:
Adina (L'elisir d'amore), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Musetta (La bohème), Clorinda (La Cenerentola), Despina (Così fan tutte), Servilia (La clemena di Tito), Najade (Ariadne auf Naxos), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), Juliette (Die tote Stadt), Berta (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Diana (Orpheus in der Unterwelt), Bacchis (La belle Hélène), 2. Niece (Peter Grimes), Lidochka (Moscow, Tscherjomuschki), et al.

Stages:
Staatsoper Hamburg, Theater Magdeburg, Staatstheater Mainz, The Jerusalem Opera, Piccolo Opera Festival Friuli Venezia Giulia, Jerusalem Theatre, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, et al.

Cooperation with directors:
Kirill Serebrennikov, Vera Nemirova, Olivia Fuchs, Stephen Lawless, Karen Stone, Igor Pison, Mirella Weingarten, Ulrich Wiggers, Shirit Lee Weiss, Anna Bernreitner, Eva Buchmann, Monica Waitzfelder, Ari Teperberg, et al.

Cooperation with conductors:
Kent Nagano, Paolo Carignani, Nathan Brock, Ricardo Minasi, Roland Kluttig, Christoph Gedschold, Pier Giorgio Morandi, Matteo Beltrami, Anna Skryleva, Svetoslav Borisov, Sebastiano Rolli, Pablo Mielgo, Paolo Spadaro, et al.

Cooperation with orchestras:
Magdeburgische Philharmonie, Ramat Gan Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Simfònica De Les Illes Balears, Ashdod Symphony Orchestra, Israel NK Orchestra, Concerto Hamburg, et al.

Find further information about Na'ama Shulman here.

Performances

Melchior

Jonathan Skala

Moritz

Timon Wiebers

Wendla

Sari Bluhm

Wendla

Rebecca Schneider

Hänschen

Mziwamadoda Sipho Nodlayiya

Martha

Sophie-Miyo Kersting

Ernst

Alwin Gloy

Chor

Mitglieder des The Young ClassX Ensembles

Really powerful voices: The Young ClassX Ensemble is not a normal youth choir, but a selection of talented young people who started singing in many different school choirs in Hamburg as part of The Young ClassX initiative - and now don't want to stop.

Under the direction of The Young ClassX choir module leader, Maria Ludwig-Petersen, they regularly work in their free time on a challenging repertoire that spans a wide range of popular music. One of their trademarks is the songs arranged especially for them, some of which are original compositions.

The effort is worth it, as the young people not only receive additional support through vocal coaching, but they also conquer the really big stages as The Young ClassX Ensemble: Elbphilharmonie, Kampnagel, Laeiszhalle - to name but a few. These young singers also inspire audiences beyond the borders of Hamburg and Germany with their passion for music. In 2017, they sang - also in cooperation with the Hamburg State Opera - at the Shanghai Opera in the production ‘Erzittre, feiger Bösewicht!’, a version of Mozart's Magic Flute adapted for young people. In 2022, their journey took them to Carnegie Hall in New York, where they performed under the direction of Kent Nagano in the world premiere of Sean Shepherd's ‘On a Clear Day’ together with the Philharmonic State Orchestra, the Alsterspatzen, the Audi Youth Choir Academy and the Dresdner Kreuzchor.

Initiated in 2008 by the Otto Group and Salut Salon, The Young ClassX has now reached over 30,000 children and young people. The music promotion programme has received several awards throughout Germany and is under the patronage of Prof. Dr Michael Otto, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Otto Group, and Dr Peter Tschentscher, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
In 2022, The Young ClassX was honoured with the OPUS Klassik for promoting young talent.

Find further information about Mitglieder des The Young ClassX Ensembles here.

Performances

Frühlings Erwachen

photo: Marcus Krüger

Jugendchor

Alsterspatzen – Jugendchor der Hamburgischen Staatsoper

Orchester

Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg

Orchester

Felix Mendelssohn Jugendorchester

Orchester

Felix Mendelssohn Jugendorchester

With over 100 members aged between 10 and 27, the Felix Mendelssohn Youth Orchestra is one of the largest youth symphony orchestras in Germany. Since it was founded in 1973 by Rainer Holdhoff, the orchestra has thrilled national and international audiences in concert halls such as the Mozarteum Salzburg, the Halle aux Grains in Toulouse and the Dvořák and Smetana Hall in Prague. In January 2017, the orchestra had the honour of being the first youth ensemble to play in the Great Hall of the newly opened Elbphilharmonie. In the same year, the MJO also received the European Young Orchestra Prize. Renowned conductors such as Christoph von Dohnányi, Kent Nagano, Sir Jeffrey Tate, Ion Marin, Guy Braunstein, John Axelrod, Robert Trevino and Eivind Gullberg Jensen have already rehearsed with the Felix Mendelssohn Jugendorchester, which has been a sponsor orchestra of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra since the 2013/2014 season. Prof Clemens Malich has been the artistic director since 2003.

After many years of collaboration, the Felix Mendelssohn Youth Orchestra has been sponsored by The Young ClassX since 2013. Many members of the orchestra teach as assistant coaches in the music initiative's instrumental module and pass on their enthusiasm for classical music to young scholarship holders.

The musical focus of this orchestra is on works from the Romantic period to the modern era as well as ‘great’ solo works. Soloists who have already performed with the MJO include young talents from the orchestra as well as artists such as Jan Vogler and Johannes Moser.

The Young ClassX was initiated by the Otto Group and Salut Salon in 2008 and has since reached over 30,000 children and young people. The music promotion programme has received several awards throughout Germany and is under the patronage of Prof. Dr Michael Otto, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Otto Group, and Dr Peter Tschentscher, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
In 2022, The Young ClassX was honoured with the OPUS Klassik for promoting young talent.

Performances

Frühlings Erwachen

photo: Jon Trachsel