Package: Meisterstimmen

The Times described Joyce DiDonato as possessing a voice of »nothing less than 24 carat gold« and the Kansas-born soprano has been dazzling audiences for more than a decade. Equally at home in the baroque repertoire of Händel as in the belcanto operas of Rossini or Donizetti: her light-footed and athletic coloratura is technically flawless and she also cheekily and knowingly plays with her diva image. In Interviews and blog posts Joyce DiDonato offers glimpes of life behind the scenes and shows that, behind her dazzling vocal and stage presence, lies a considerable amount of hard work. A few years ago, she left the audience at a performance of Rossini's »Il barbiere di Siviglia« gaping in awe and wonder when she stoically continued to sing (flawlessly) for an act and a half after breaking her leg on stage.

Elīna Garanča is known for her perfectionism: Since making her debut in 2003 as Annio in Mozart's »La clemenza di Tito« at the Salzburg Festival under Nikolaus Harnoncourt, the Latvian mezzo appears regularly on the leading opera and concert stages all over the world. The singer chooses every one of her appearances and the roles she takes on with meticulous care. Elīna Garanča is particularly fond of Mozart, as well as the Romantic repertoire. And she will enthrall and entrance the audience at the Wiener Konzerthaus with a selection of vocal pearls from works by Massenet, Verdi and Berlioz, accompanied by the Wiener KammerOrchester.

Expressive vocal art from Beethoven to the 20th century is the motto of the concert by Thomas Hampson and will provide impressive proof of how the lyric baritone -- as he once said in an interview -- is willing to push his voice to its dramatic limits, always with absolute control and poise.

With his new project »My Favorite Things«, singer Thomas Quasthoff demonstrates his ability to stroll confidently between different worlds. With his characteristic voice, the free-thinker adds a new facet to his love of the sung word: accompanied by his long-standing musical partners, Frank Chastenier on piano, Dieter Ilg on bass and percussionist Wolfgang Haffner,  Thomas Quasthoff invites you on a delightful and memorable journey through his favourite jazz and blues songs.