As the midnight sun encases northernmost Sweden, some of the country’s most radiant stars promise to bring the northern light to London. Back for a fourth time, this year’s Christmas From Sweden concert showcases one of Sweden’s most luminous operatic personalities, lyric soprano Miah Persson, alongside internationally established string ensemble Camerata Nordica lead by their charismatic Music Director, Terje Tønnesen.
Born out of the 2004-2005 classical music festival ‘From-Sweden’, Christmas From Sweden aims to explore the musical common ground between Britain and Sweden and in particular bring Swedish classical music to a British audience. The concert programme will offer beloved Swedish Christmas songs and carols mixed with timeless seasonal classics from Britain and abroad.
Christmas Eve – not Christmas Day – holds pride of place in Sweden’s festive calendar, so the 23rd of December, Lillejulafton (‘Little Christmas Eve’), is always filled with excitement, anticipation and magic – as the audience at Cadogan Hall is sure to discover.
Swedish soprano Miah Persson ‘has given British audiences enormous pleasure over recent years’, the Daily Telegraph noted following her appearance at Glyndebourne in 2012. This Sweden-born singer resides in London, and is in great demand with the major opera houses and orchestras around the world. Critics repeatedly praise her charm, elegance, insightful musicality and flawless voice. Throughout her career, she has appeared at the Paris Opera, Vienna State opera, Metropolitan Opera New York, Royal Opera House Covent Garden and most of the world’s leading operatic stages. In January 2015, she did her début at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, in Robert Wilson’s staging of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea.
Camerata Nordica, one of Europe’s leading camerata ensembles comprises 15-20 members of superior musicianship. The orchestra, which has been called ‘sensational and ‘outstanding’ by critics, performs without a conductor, standing in a half-circle formation. Last year, the ensemble coordinated the international project Emerging Classical Talent in the EU, and the group has toured the United States no less than eight times. Their critically acclaimed BBC Proms debut in 2013, at Cadogan Hall, featured the world premiere of Benjamin Britten’s Elegy for Strings and was described as ‘compelling’ by BBC Music Magazine. Camerata Nordica has since released several critically acclaimed albums on BIS.
Christmas From Sweden is presented by From Sweden Productions in close collaboration with Anglo-Swedish partners and sponsors, including the Embassy of Sweden in London.
ABOUT THE CONCERT October 5th, 2015fromsweden
From Sweden Productions proudly presents Christmas From Sweden 2015.
