Newsletter, December 2012 Svenska Konsertbyrån Fredrik Zetterström is the recipient of Operapriset 2012 We are proud to announce that baritone Fredrik Zetterström is the recipient of Operapriset 2012 (The Opera Prize), which is handed out by Swedish music magazine Tidskriften Opera. Fredrik Zetterström received it for his interpretation of Wozzek at NorrlandsOperan in Umeå last season. When you were singing Wozzek, did you get a good feeling about your performance? "Yes, I did. The director and conductor were very good up there. There was a good atmosphere in many ways in Umeå." Now you're playing the role of Anckarström (Renato) in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera, which is based on the murder of king Gustav III of Sweden at the Royal Swedish Opera. How does it feel to play the murderer at the same place as the actual event? "It is something that strikes you from time to time, especially in the last scene you think 'this is exactly where it happened'. It's indeed inspiring." You've played a lot of roles during your career. Do you have an absolute favorite? "I do. It's WOZZECK, but not because of the Opera prize. It's hard to say why. Sometimes the music just speaks to you, and your voice just fits the notes in some way. I try not to over-analyze, I just like the role." In 2013 Fredrik Zetterström will do the title role in the Scandinavian premiere of Aribert Reimann's expressionist opera Lear, which will be playing at Malmö Opera 27 April-29 May. Scandinavia's leading Queen of the Night It’s safe to say that by now Karolina Andersson has established herself as Scandinavia’s leading Queen of the Night. She has sung the role at the Royal Swedish Opera, Gothenburg Opera, Vienna Volksoper, Kassel Opera and NorrlandsOperan. On December 15 and 22 Ms Andersson will be doing the role also at Theater Bremen. Next Spring we will be seeing her as Regan in Reimann’s Lear at Malmö Opera (see above). Tripling Wagner Michael Weinius will be performing together with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and soprano Kristina Hansson at their grand Christmas concert, conducted by Mats Rondin. Last week Mr Weinius performed at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas concert. The new year begins for Mr Weinius by giving New Year's Concerts with Dalasinfoniettan in Falun. Later in 2013, he will be singing Siegmund/Die Walküre at the Royal Swedish Opera, Walter/Die Meistersinger in a concert with Hallé Orchestra and the title role of Parsifal at Bayerische Staatsoper München. Staying in southern Scandinavia Swedish baritone Daniel Hällström recently played the role of Count Almaviva in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at the Danish National Opera (Den Jyske Opera) in Aarhus (8 October-5 December). On December 13 he will be performing with the Odense Symphony Orchestra in L’Enfance du Christ by Hector Berlioz. Later this spring, Daniel Hällström, will be at Malmö Opera with soprano Karolina Andersson and baritone Fredrik Zetterström in the production of Lear. He will be playing the Duke of Albany. Making a CD with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra British violinist Daniel Hope recently performed Alban Berg's Violin Concerto with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland. On January 9th, Mr Hope will return to Scandinavia to perform and to make a CD recording with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Going north Young Chinese tenor, Yinjia Gong was recently seen at Stockholm’s Folkoperan, where he was playing Gustavo in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera. Next he will be joining the Malmö Symphony Orchestra in their New Year’s Eve Concert. In February he will start rehearsing Rodolfo/La Boheme at NorrlandsOperan in Umeå. Svenska Konsertbyrån (The Swedish Concert Bureau) in Stockholm is one of northern Europe's leading artist management agencies within the field of classical music. Press contact Maximilian Schattauer Managing Director [email protected] +46-8-665 80 88.