Mozart Masterclass Roberta Alexander - Stephanie Desjardins, soprano

The International Vocal Competition’s “Mozart masterclass and More” course week reached its conclusion on 3rd December 2020. Under the motto ‘The world keeps on singing’, eight talented young singers worked intensively with the masters Vesselina Kasarova, Roberta Alexander and Thomas Oliemans on Mozart repertoire. In addition to the master classes, the participants also had online discussions with leading international professionals and the Presentation Concert on the programme. "Mozart masterclass and more" was set up to provide a stage for young singing talent after the 54th edition of the International Vocal Competition had to be moved to 2022 due to COVID-19. General Director of the IVC Ivan van Kalmthout is delighted that the masterclasses have continued. “Our mission is to give young singing talent the opportunity to develop. The sharing of knowledge by the masters is essential for these vocalists. Just like performances: gaining experience is important for their young careers.” www.ivc.nu // Stephanie Desjardins, Soprano Canada (*1988) Graduated from Dutch National Opera Academy under Sasja Hunnego and Ira Siff in 2019 - Sings roles such as Fiordiligi in Mozart's Così fan tutte, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni - Sang the role of God in The Flying Dutchman composed by Niek Idelenburg at Holland Opera - Debuted this year at Dutch National Opera in the ensemble of Ritratto by Willem Jeths - Sings in 2021 at Holland Opera the role of Contessa in the new production The Divorce of Figaro. Course repertoire: · Ach ich liebte, war so glücklich (Konstanze) - Die Entführung aus dem Serail · Crudele?...Non mi dir (Donna Anna) - Don Giovanni · Temerari, sortite...Come scoglio immoto resta (Fiordiligi) - Così fan tutte · Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden (Pamina) - Die Zauberflöte · Exsultate, jubilate - K. 165 · Crudel! perchè finora (Susanna, Count Almaviva) - Le nozze di Figaro · Fuggi, crudele, fuggi! (Donna Anna, Don Ottavio) - Don Giovanni Pianist: Ernst Munneke // Roberta Alexander, Soprano Among the most compelling singing actresses of our time, the admired black American soprano, Roberta Alexander, enjoys international renown for her riveting, incisive characterizations, miraculous vocal and dramatic range. She was reared in a musical family. She studied at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor from 1969 to 1971, receiving M. Music in 1971, and with Herman Woltman at the Royal Conservatory of Music at The Hague. Roberta Alexander appeared as Pamina at the Houston Grand Opera in 1980, as Daphne in Santa Fe in 1981, and as Elettra in Idomeneo in Zürich in 1982. Following a tour of Europe, she made a successful debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Zerlina in November 1983. Among the operatic heroines she has unforgettably portrayed are the title role of Janacek's Jenufa (a Glyndebourne production), Mimì in Puccini's La Bohème, and especially the great Mozart heroines: Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Vitellia in Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, the latter a major success with both the public and the press at the Glyndebourne Festival. In addition she has performed principal roles at New York's Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House/Covent Garden, and the major Houses of Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Zurich and Venice. In January 1999, Roberta Alexander sang concert performances of Jenufa, Act 2 with Sir Simon Rattle and the Philadelphia Orchestra, in Philadelphia and at New York's Carnegie Hall. Other recent North American highlights includes a Washington, D.C. recital on the distinguished Vocal Arts Society series and Britten's War Requiem with the Utah Symphony under its Music Director Keith Lockhart, both receiving rapturous critical acclaim. Equally esteemed as an orchestral soloist, Roberta Alexander recently enjoyed particular success performing Ravel's Shéhérazade with André Previn and the NDR Sinfonieorchester, telecast throughout Europe. She has also performed with the Vienna, London and Royal Philharmonics; Royal Concertgebouw, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Bavarian Radio Orchestras; Cincinnati, Atlanta and Dallas Symphonies; and collaborated with such distinguished conductors as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Andrew Litton, Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Carlo Maria Giulini, Leonard Slatkin, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Edo De Waart and David Zinman. Roberta Alexander's voluminous discography on the Etcetera, Philips, Sony, Teldec and BMG reflects her astonishing mastery of varied vocal styles: songs by Barber, Mozart, Bernstein, Ives, Copland, Strauss, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Puccini and Villa-Lobos; Handel's Giulio Cesare, Apollo e Daphne, Samson and Theodora; Mozart's Don Giovanni and Idomeneo; and such rarities as Goldschmidt's Der Gewaltige Hahnrei and Beatrice Cenci, Heppener's Four Songs of Ezra Pound and an Edison-winning recording of Andriessen's Songs with Orchestra.