Among the most renowned singers of her generation, Ruxandra Donose has captured critical and popular acclaim in leading opera houses and concert halls around the world. Particularly associated with Mozart and French lyric repertoire, she has transitioned in recent years to the German dramatic repertoire, enjoying huge successes as Kundry <em>Parsifal</em>, with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic; both Sieglinde <em>Die Walküre </em>with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vladimir Jurowski and Fricka in a new Ring Cycle in Geneva; Elektra in Manfred Trojan’s <em>Orest </em>at Opernhaus Zurich and Staatsoper Vienna; and Judith <em>Bluebeard’s Castle </em>with the Bamberg Symphony and Adam Fischer.

In the 2021/22 season, Donose makes her debut at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma as Calpurnia in the world premiere of Giorgio Battistelli’s <em>Julius Ceasar</em>, under the baton of Daniele Gatti; and stars as Laura <em>La Gioconda, </em>alongside Joseph Calleja at the Grange Park Festival<em>. </em>On the concert platform, Donose will join the Dresden Philharmonic for Mahler’s <em>Das Lied von der Erde </em>under the baton of Vasily Petrenko and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra for Wagner’s <em>Wesendonck Lieder </em>conducted by Ilyich Rivas.

Highlights of the 2020/21 include Alcina <em>Orlando Furioso </em>at Teatro Real de Madrid; the New

Year’s Eve Concert with Westdeutscher Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra and Cristian

Măcelaru; and invitations for Mahler <em>Das Lied von Erde </em>with the Oslo Philharmonic under the baton of Vasily Petrenko; Sieglinde in a semi-staged concerts of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the Royal Festival Hall; as well as invitations to sing Brangaene <em>Tristan und Isolde </em>and Eboli <em>Don Carlo</em>, both at the Royal Opera House.

Recent engagements for Donose include Elektra in Marco Arturo Marelli’s production of <em>Orest </em>with Wiener Staatsoper; her debut as Fricka in Dieter Dorn’s production of <em>The Ring Cycle </em>at Grand Théâtre de Genève; Sieglinde <em>Die Walküre </em>with Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic Orchestra; <em>Bluebeard’s Castle </em>with the Bamberg Symphony conducted by Adam Fischer; the title role of <em>Norma </em>at Opéra de Rouen and Adalgisa in a new production in Geneva; Jocasta in Enescu’s <em>Oedipe </em>at the Enescu Festival in Bucharest and the Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Vladimir Jurowski; Eboli <em>Don Carlo </em>at Grange Park; Eduige <em>Rodelinda </em>at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Further highlights include Arsace <em>Semiramide </em>in Lyon and Paris; Komponist <em>Ariadne auf Naxos </em>and Donna Elvira <em>Don Giovanni </em>at Royal Opera House and Deutsche Oper Berlin; <em>Carmen </em>in the UK premiere of Calixto Bieito’s production at ENO and in Cincinnati; the title role of <em>La Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein </em>in Geneva; Idamante <em>Idomeneo </em>at the Ravinia Festival with James Conlon and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Octavian <em>Der Rosenkavalier </em>at Bayerische Staatsoper, Bolshoi and Cincinnati Opera; Dorabella <em>Così fan Tutte </em>for LA Opera and Spoleto; Tamiri in a new production of Vivaldi´s <em>Il Farnace </em>in Paris, Strasbourg and Mulhouse; and Marguerite <em>La Damnation de Faust </em>in Seattle.

Donose has appeared with many leading orchestras worldwide, and remains in high demand as on the concert platform. Recent concert engagements include Beethoven’s <em>Symphony No. 9 </em>with Philharmonia Orchestra and at the Tanglewood Festival; <em>La mort de Cléopâtre </em>with the Philharmonia Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; <em>Das Lied von der Erde </em>at the Enescu Festival; Mozart <em>Requiem </em>with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Verdi <em>Requiem </em>with the Czech Philharmonic and Fabio Luisi; <em>Les nuits d’été </em>on European tour with Liège Philharmonie; Rossini <em>Stabat Mater </em>at Royal Festival Hall with London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin; <em>L’heure espagnole </em>with London Symphony Orchestra and Josep Pons at the Barbican; and a Rosenblatt recital at the Wigmore Hall. A highly revered interpreter of Marguerite <em>La Damnation de Faust, </em>the role has featured prominently in her concert career, including performances with the Berlin Sinfonie-Orchester, Berlin Philharmonic, Tokyo Philarmonic, the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zürich, Orchestre National du Capitôle in both Toulouse and Valencia; Orchestre de Paris; Cleveland Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, San

Francisco Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, and as the vehicle for her Verbier Festival debut.

Highly acclaimed roles include Charlotte <em>Werther </em>(Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin), Cenerentola (Glyndebourne Festival, Liege, Deutsche Oper Berlin), Sesto <em>Giulio Cesare </em>(Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne, San Francisco Opera, Vienna State Opera), Nicklausse <em>Tales of Hoffman </em>(Royal Opera House, The Met, San Francisco Opera, Opera de Paris), Komponist <em>Ariadne aux Naxos </em>(Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Philadelphia), Concepcion <em>L’heure espagnole </em>(Royal Opera House), Octavian <em>Der Rosenkavalier (</em>Bayerische Staatsoper and Deutsche Oper Berlin). In 2008 she premiered the <em>The Fly </em>at Los Angeles Opera.

Her most recent recordings include <em>Arminio </em>for Decca, <em>Tamerlano </em>for Naïve and Caldara’s rediscovered opera <em>La concordia dei Pianeti </em>for Deutsche Grammophon, as well as her first solo album <em>Romance</em>. Further discography includes Schubert’s <em>Ständchen </em>(Philips), Dvorak’s <em>Stabat Mater </em>with Giuseppe Sinopoli (Deutsche Grammophon), Mahler’s <em>Das Lied von der Erde </em>with Michael Halasz (Naxos), Bach’s <em>Mass in B minor </em>with Sergiu Celibidache, Beethoven’s <em>Ninth Symphony </em>with Béla Drahos (Naxos), Cherubino in <em>Le nozze di Figaro </em>with Bertrand de Billy (Arte Nova), <em>La Cenerentola </em>(DVD, Opus Arte), <em>Oedipe </em>(Naxos), Songs by Nicolae Bretan (Nimbus) and Vivaldi´s <em>Il Farnace </em>(EMI/Virgin).

With her crystal clear graceful soprano voice, Baggio is one of the most successful, critically acclaimed and sought-after Israeli Sopranos.
Upcoming engagements for 2022-23: Miranda (La Tempesta) in Wexford Festival, Violetta (La Traviata) in Volksoper Vienna and Staatstheater Darmstadt, Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre &amp; Schönberg’s Brettl- Lieder with Luxembourg Chamber Orchestra, Britten’s Les Illumination with Ingolstadt Orchestra, Concerts with Jerusalem Quartet in Leer Festival and Wigmore Hall in London.
Her performances in 2021-22: Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) in Semperoper Dresden, Violetta (La Traviata) at the Israeli Opera, Frasquita (Carmen) in Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Mahler Symphony No.4 with La Toscanini in Parma, Mahler Symphony No.2 with Bochumer Symphoniker, Concerts with Jerusalem Quartet in Zürich Tonhalle, Heidelberger Frühling, Vancouver Recital Society and more.
In season 2019-20, she sang a role debut of Gepopo/Venus in Ligeti’s Opera ‘Le Grand Macabre’ at Semperoper Dresden in a new production conducted by Omer Meir Wellber and directed by Calixto Bieito, the role of Ilia (Idomeneo) conducted by Michele Gamba at the Israeli Opera. She sang with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra Ayal Adler’s ‘Alone, I return from the night’, Berg’s Sieben Frühe Lieder with The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, and joined the ‘Jerusalem Quartet’ in a CD tour of ‘The Yiddish Cabaret’ which was released by ‘Harmonia Mundi’. Among the performed venues: Theatre des Champs-Elysées, Wiener Konzerthaus, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Gewandhaus in Leipzig and Dresden Philharmonie.
She sang Musetta (La Boheme) at ‘Semperoper Dresden’ with Maestra Speranza Scappucci, Oscar (Un Ballo in Maschera) at Opera National de Lorraine in Nancy, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Angers-Nantes Opéra &amp; Opéra de Rennes in France, Giulia (La Scala di Seta) at The Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, The vixen (The Cunning Little Vixen) at The Bergen National Opera, The Child (The Child Dreams) at Wiesbaden Maifestspiele, Olympia (Hoffmanns Erzählungen) at the Landestheater Mecklenburg.
Among her Concert performances: Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire in Berlin with Daniel Barenboim as well as with The Israeli Chamber project in a tour in Israel and the US, Ayal Adler’s ‘Alone, I return from the night’ with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra with Omer Meir Wellber, Mahler’s Symphony 8 at Dresdner Musikfestspiele and Bernstein’s ‘Kaddish’ with The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with ONPL and Pascal Rophé and Rishon LeZion Orchestra with Dan Ettinger, Brahms’ Requiem with the Valencia Orchestra in Palau de les Arts and Omer Meir Wellber, Gala Concert with The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Zubin Mehta, Mozart’s Mass in C minor with Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Mahler’s Symphony 4, Mozart’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Bach’s Matthäus Passion with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.
At the Israeli Opera, Baggio sang the roles of Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Juliette (Roméo et Juliette), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Gilda (Rigoletto), Oscar (Un Ballo in Maschera), Musetta (La Bohéme), Tytania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Micaëla (Carmen), Norina (Don Pasquale), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Marie (La Fille du Régiment), Pamina (Die Zauber-flöte), Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice), Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), The Vixen (The Cunning Little Vixen), Lisette (La Rondine), The Child (The Child Dreams), Despina (Cosi fan Tutte), Olympia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Frasquita (Carmen), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Lucinde (Armide), First Nymph (Rusalka) and Parteonis (La Belle Hélène).
Baggio performed under the baton of distinguished conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Frédéric Chaslin, Daniele Callegari, Rani Calderon, Dan Ettinger, Asher Fisch, Gabriel Feltz, Michele Gamba, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Oren, Pascal Rophé, Speranza Scappucci, Karl-Heinz Steffens, Omer Meir Wellber, Alberto Zedda and others.
Baggio was a member of The Israeli Opera Studio. Her extensive career has gained her many prizes including 2nd prize in the operetta category at the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition in Vienna, Israeli Minister of Culture Award, Rosenblum Prize for the performing arts, Silverman Prize, Grabov Award, Basser Award, America-Israel Cultural Foundation, Israel Vocal Arts Institute Foundation.

Soprano <strong>Chen Reiss</strong> has established a strongly-acclaimed and distinctive career, enchanting audiences with “one of the most perfect Strauss voices one could wish for” (Classical Source), “a voice of silver brightness and clarity” (Bachtrack) with “immaculately produced and enticing tone matched by superb musicianship” (Opera News, USA).

Born in Israel, she came to prominence as a member of the ensemble of the Bavarian State Opera under the music directorship of Zubin Mehta, and has for a number of years been a resident artist at the Vienna State Opera. She has also performed leading parts at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Teatro alla Scala, Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Netherlands Opera, Wiener Festwochen, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Israeli Opera.

Recent highlights include Marzelline in a new production of Beethoven’s Leonore (the original version of Fidelio) and her role debuts as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) and Aennchen (Der Freischutz) at the Vienna State Opera where she also returned in signature roles including Ginevra (Ariodante) and Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Zerlina and Ginevra at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, her role debut in the title role of Mozart’s Zaide in her debut at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, her debut at Teatro Real in Madrid and Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona as Ginevra (Ariodante) under William Christie, and her role debut as Liu (Turandot) with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

She appeared in concert with signature repertoire including performances of Mahler’s Second and Fourth symphonies with the Munich Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Daniele Gatti, and the Philharmonia Orchestra under Lahav Shani, as well as at an Israel Philharmonic gala performance to mark Zubin Mehta’s farewell after 50 years as the orchestra’s Music Director. She debuted with the Berlin Radio Symphony under Vladimir Jurowski (Haydn Die Jahreszeiten), the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Antonio Pappano (Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem), the Czech Philharmonic under Semyon Bychkov (Mahler Symphony No.4 and Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem) and the Filarmonica della Scala (Mozart arias with Zubin Mehta), and sang Strauss’s Four last Songs for the first time with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia under Carlo Rizzi. She also guested with the Orchestre National de France with Berg’s Sieben fruhe lieder and Lulu Suite, Mozart’s Coronation Mass with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, and Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.

Highlights of this season and beyond include the title role in Cavalli’s La Calisto at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, her first performances of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater with the Orchestra National de France and Mahler’s Das Klagende Lied with the MDR-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, and visits to the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Tonkuenstler-Orchester, Beethoven-Orchester Bonn and Orchestre Philharmonique de Liege, in repertoire including Strauss Lieder and Bruckner’s Te Deum and Mass in F minor. She follows recent CD releases of ‘Immortal Beloved’ a recording of Beethoven arias and scenas with the Academy of Ancient Music for Onyx Classics, and Mozart’s ‘Ch’io mi scordi di te’ and Beethoven’s Terzetto with Thomas Roesner and the Beethoven Philharmonie for Odradek, with a disc of orchestral lieder and scenas of Fanny Hensel and Felix Mendelssohn with the Jewish Chamber Orchestra of Munich.

She is a regular guest with distinguished ensembles and institutions including the BBC Proms, the Salzburg, Schleswig-Holstein, George Enescu, Rheingau and Lucerne Festivals, the Vienna Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Berlin, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Concerto Köln, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Orchestre de Paris, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Dallas Symphonies, as well as in Carnegie Hall, Vienna’s Musikverein, Wigmore Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Laeiszhalle Hamburg and Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. She counts among her collaborators such conductors as Daniel Barenboim, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniel Harding, Manfred Honeck, Marek Janowski, Paavo Järvi, Adam Fischer, Omer Meir Wellber, Donald Runnicles, Christian Thielemann and Franz Welser-Möst.

Chen Reiss’s operatic repertoire includes: Gilda (Rigoletto), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Amina (La Sonnambula), Nannetta (Falstaff), Zdenka (Arabella), Marie (La fille du régiment), Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Ilia (Idomeneo), Konstanze (Die Entfuehrung aus dem Serail), Gretel (Hansel und Gretel), Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice) and the title role in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen. Her concert repertoire includes the sacred works, concert scenes and arias of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Schumann, Rossini’s and Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Gorecki’s and Bernstein’s 3rd symphonies, and the songs of Mahler, Zemlinsky, Berg and Richard Strauss.

With the Vienna Philharmonic she was the guest soloist at a gala concert for the 30th anniversary celebrations of Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, and with the Orchestre National de France she took part in the 2019 Bastille Day ‘Concert de Paris’, televised live from Paris’s iconic Eiffel Tower. In December 2014 Chen Reiss was invited to sing for Pope Francis during the Christmas Mass, which was broadcast worldwide. She has recorded a wide range of repertoire including a disc of Mozart, Salieri, Haydn and Cimarosa arias, and a recital “Le Rossignol et la Rose” presenting a romantic compilation of songs with distinguished pianist Charles Spencer (both for Onyx Classics), roles in complete recordings of Die Fledermaus (Capriccio), Don Giovanni and Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem (Helicon) and Lehar‘s Das Fürstenkind (CPO), and DVD releases of Fauré’s Requiem with Orchestre de Paris conducted by Paavo Järvi, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle, she sang the soundtrack to Tom Tykwer’s film “Perfume: the Story of a Murderer”.