Newton Symphony Orchestra

October Concert Guest Artist: Linda Mabbs, Soprano

The elegant soprano Linda Mabbs has been acclaimed for the excellence and versatility of her performances in oratorio, opera, recital and orchestral repertoire. The leading Dutch newspaper NRC said that she “sang as if from heaven” and Opera News called her performances “not only beautifully sung, but intensely acted with passion and pathos”. The Washington Post has cited her 1997 world premiere recording of Argento’s Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night as “ the most brilliant opera recording” of the year.

Linda Mabbs has performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Hiroshima Symphony; Diepenbrock’s Hymne an die Nacht with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, and Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem with the Dallas Symphony. In this past season, Ms. Mabbs performed Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Columbus Symphony, the Mozart Requiem with the Flint Symphony, and Haydn’s Die Schoepfung and the Nelsonmesse with the Classical Music Festival of Austria. Highlights of the 2003-04 season included performing Strauss’ Four Last Songs with the National Symphony Orchestra, and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with Houston Masterworks Chorus.

Linda Mabbs’ engagements in the 2001-2002 season included performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with the Dallas Symphony, and with the Maryland University Orchestra. For Opera Carolina, she recreated her signature role of the Marschallin in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier to critical acclaim. The University Musical Society in Ann Arbor heard her Messiah; she returned to the Berkshire Choral Festival performing the Fauré Requiem and Haydn’s Kleine Orgelmesse; and she sang Mozart’s Mass in C Minor for the Eisenstadt Classical Music Festival. In recent seasons, Linda Mabbs has debuted with New York City Opera as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and with Washington Opera singing Madame de Rosemond in Susa’s Dangerous Liaisons. Recognized internationally for her performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, (“Linda Mabbs was in fearless command of her punishingly stratospheric part” – The Dallas Morning News), she has sung the symphony with numerous orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw, Vancouver, Bilbao and Columbus Symphonies. Other recent orchestral engagements include appearances as soloist in Haydn’s Harmoniemesse with the Saint Louis Symphony; Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Dallas Symphony; Strauss’ Four Last Songs with both the Pasadena and Fairfax Symphonies; Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Columbus Symphony; selections from Purcell’s Fairie Queen with Tafelmusik; and Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day with Music of the Baroque in Chicago.

Linda Mabbs has sung with such esteemed conductors as Riccardo Chailly, Sir Neville Marriner, Mstislav Rostropovich, Robert Shaw, Claus Peter Flor, Franz Welzer-Möst, Andrew Litton and Leonard Slatkin. She appeared in recital with Sir Peter Pears, with whom she prepared the American premiere of Britten’s Cabaret Songs. Robert Hanson composed his Songs of America for her. Her wide operatic repertoire includes roles ranging from Handel heroines and Dido in Dido and Aeneas to the Countess in both Le Nozze di Figaro and Cappriccio.

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