| Nancy Argenta |
Introduction “In the Tonhalle, the brilliant Canadian soprano Nancy Argenta performed with experience and intuition, singing the recitative in the only possible way - neither overly wretched or twee. She sang movingly, calmly, tenderly and musically, knowing that the greatest effect is achieved through even greater simplicity.” Rheinische Post, Wolfram Goertz BiographyWith a repertoire spanning three centuries, Nancy Argenta has been hailed not only as the supreme Handel soprano of our age but also praised for her performances of works by composers as diverse as Mahler, Mozart, Schubert and Schoenberg. Her teachers were Peter Pears and Vera Rosza. Ms. Argenta, now living in Canada, works at the international level with such conductors as Trevor Pinnock, Christopher Hogwood, John Eliot Gardiner, Paul Goodwin and Sir Roger Norrington. During past seasons, she was heard in performances with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Singapore Symphony, the Malaysian Philharmonic, the North Carolina Symphony and the Vancouver Bach Choir (MESSIAH), the Victoria Philharmonic Choir, and Bach’s MATTHÄUS PASSION for the Baldwin Wallace Bach Festival in Ohio. Increasingly active as a vocal pedagogue, she maintains a studio at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and in July and August of 2010 masterminded the second Summer Bach Academy. Concert highlights in recent seasons include MESSIAH for the Calgary Symphony, a concert of Mozart arias for the Victoria Symphony, MESSIAH and CREATION in Toronto with Tafelmusik, Bach’s MASS IN B MINOR in Germany, Bach and Mozart arias with the Vancouver Symphony and Vivaldi with the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Ms. Argenta has sung with the Philharmonia Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, St. Luke’s Orchestra of New York, Toronto and Montreal Symphony Orchestras, San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque, the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras and the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Ottawa. In opera, concert and recital she has appeared at many leading festivals including Aix-en-Provence, Mostly Mozart and the BBC Proms. Her ability to adapt from large-scale orchestral works to chamber music and recitals has earned her great recognition and respect within the world of music. The British Columbia native tours widely as a recitalist, presenting songs with their “original” keyboard accompaniment of harpsichord, fortepiano or modern piano. Recent recital locations with Maggie Cole, keyboards, include The Netherlands, Hungary, Israel, Canada and Spain. Her discography contains over 50 recordings: Recent CD releases include Handel’s SAUL with Paul McCreesh (Archiv) and Handel’s RESURREZIONE with the Combattimento Consort and ‘Lost is My Quiet’, a collection of English Music from Purcell’s time. Her discography also includes Bach’s JOHANNES PASSION, Mass in B Minor, MAGNIFICAT and WEIHNACHTS ORATORIUM with Gardiner, Purcell’s KING ARTHUR and Haydn Masses with Pinnock and Hickox, Mozart’s REQUIEM and DON GIOVANNI (Zerlina) with Norrington and a live recording of Mozart’s COSI FAN TUTTE (Despina) with Kuijken. She has recorded Schubert Lieder, Scarlatti Cantatas and two discs of Bach Solo Cantatas. Her disc of Purcell songs and airs, O Solitude was honoured with a Classic CD Award in the “Bach and Before” category. August 2010 Full RepertoireCONCERT
RECITAL
Engaged By
Reviews“Soprano arias from Rinaldo (the famous Lascia ch’io pianga) and Alcina and a duet from Solomon were presented… These had subtle pleasures as well, especially the Solomon duet, where Argenta and Taylor traded dulcet phrases back and forth like turtle doves. One of the challenges in performing the Stabat Mater is to find a way to give those potentially frivolous gestures weight so that the text receives the gravity it deserves. Both Argenta and Taylor accomplished this as if it were second nature.” Globe and Mail – Elissa Poole, April 2008
Rheinische Post – Wolfram Goertz
WZ – Inga Neuman
The Times – Geoff Brown
Guardian – Andrew Clements
Guardian – Tim Ashely
The Times – Hilary Finch
The Times – Deryk Baker
BBC Music Magazine (Haydn, MASS IN B flat, Chandos)
BBC Music Magazine – Graham Locke (Haydn HARMONIEMESSE; Salve Regina in E) |