January 03, 2006 -

Ottawa, Canada -- Donna Brown and Russell Braun, two of Canada’s leading classical singers, join together for a special recital of solos and duets on the theme of love in the opening concert of the Bombardier Great Performers Series in Southam Hall on Monday, January 9 at 20:00. “Loves Perils – Love’s Charms” features the renowned Ottawa soprano and the celebrated lyric baritone accompanied by pianist Carolyn Maule in famous solo arias and lesser-known duets in repertoire that ranges from German and French art songs to delicious British musical comedy. Featured composers are Mozart, Schumann, Fauré, and Massenet with a finale of Ivor Novello and Noel Coward. Russell Braun has performed in recital at the NAC with tenor Michael Schade, while Donna Brown will be making her NAC recital debut.

Donna Brown is renowned for the floating, angelic quality of her voice. She grew up and studied in Ottawa before taking her career to Europe where she became one of the leading sopranos performing on many of the world’s great opera and concert stages. She has worked with such conductors as Sawallish, Guilini, Gardiner, Rilling, Mazur, Barenboim, Pinnock, Dutoit and Zukerman. She has been filmed for television in France, England, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and Japan. Donna Brown has over two dozen recordings to her name including Gitanjali, an NAC commission by R. Murray Schafer written especially for her voice. Donna Brown has now returned to Canada to base her international career out of Ottawa.

Russell Braun is one of the most sought-after lyric baritones on the international stage today, performing regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, the Salzburg Festival, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, l’Opéra de Paris and the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. His current season includes a challenging combination of recitals, concerts and opera on two continents. The season began with a much-anticipated recital of Die Winterreise in Toronto at which his new recording of this song-cycle was released. In November he made his debut at La Scala in the title role in Pelléas et Mélisande one of his signature roles. In December he made his debut in the title role of Casanova by Daniel Schynder with the Absolute Ensemble in New York. In June Braun returns to Paris for performances of Iphigénie en Tauride at the Opéra Bastille, Dido and Aeneas at Le Châtelet and a recital in the Chapelle Royale at Versailles.

PROGRAMME

Love’s Perils….Love’s Charms

SCHUMANN
So wahr die Sonne scheinet, Op. 37, No. 12
Intermezzo, Op. 49, No. 2
Frühlingsnacht, Op. 39, No. 12
Die Lotosblume, Op. 25, No. 7
Der Nussbaum, Op. 25, No. 3
Das Glück, Op. 79, No. 15
Waldesgespräch, Op. 39, No. 3
Mondnacht, Op. 39, No. 5
Weit, weit, Op. 25, No. 20
Widmung, Op. 25. No. 1
Er und Sie, Op. 78, No. 2

MOZART
Komm, liebe Zither, komm, K. 367b (351) (Anon.)
Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte, K. 520 (Gabriele vom Baumberg)
An Chloe, K. 524 (Johann Georg Jacobi)
Männer suchen stets zu naschen, K. 433 (Anon.)
Das Veilchen, K. 476 (Goethe)
Un moto di gioia mi sento, K. 579 (Lorenzo da Ponte)

MOZART
La noci di Figaro : "Crudel! Perchè finora farmi languir così?"
Don Giovanni: "Là ci darem la mano"

FAURÉ
Puisqu'ici bas, Op. 10, No. 9
Au bord de l'eau, Op. 8, No. 1
Tristesse, Op. 6, No. 2
Les roses d'Ispahan, Op. 39, No. 4
En sourdine, Op. 58, No. 2

MASSENET
Poème d'amour
I. Je me suis plaint aux tourterelles
II. La nuit, sans doute, était trop belle
III. Ouvre tes yeux blues
IV. Puisqu'elle a pris ma vie
V. Pourquoi pleures-tu?
VI. Oh! ne finis jamais, nuit clémente et divine Rêvons, c'est l'heure

NOEL COWARD
Someday I'll find you / Dearest love
I'll follow my secret heart
Bar on the Piccola Marina

IVOR NOVELLO
Why isn't it you?
Shine through my dreams
Waltz of my heart
My dearest dear
We'll gather lilacs
My life belongs to you

Tickets for this Bombardier Great Performers recital on January 9 are on sale now at $25.00, $41.00, $43.00, $51.50 and $53.00, with box seats at $65.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111.  Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s web-site at www.nac-cna.ca.  Subscriptions for the full series of four concerts are available by calling the Subscription Office at 613-947-7000, ext. 620.

New for 05-06: Groups of 10 and more save 15% to 20% off the regular price of tickets to NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances.  To reserve your seats call 947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca.  Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card.

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For more information please contact:
Jane Morris, Communications Officer,
National Arts Centre Orchestra
(613) 947-7000, ext. 335
jmorris@nac-cna.ca