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The Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera Voice Fellowship 2011

Wigmore Hall and Independent Opera are pleased to announce Anna Huntley (mezzo-soprano) and Dominik Köninger (baritone) as the recipients of the Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera Voice Fellowship 2011-2013.

Following nominations by the jury of the Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition, six singers were auditioned and interviewed by representatives from Wigmore Hall and Independent Opera. The panel was looking for singers that demonstrated a commitment to both opera and song, with the potential to develop in both areas.

Independent Opera will provide funds for Wigmore Hall to invest £10,000 over two years in each of the selected singers. A significant feature of the Fellowship will include career guidance from the Director of Wigmore Hall and the possibility of receiving coaching sessions from established Wigmore artists. With Wigmore Hall’s regular access to nearly 20 young artist organisations, as well as a unique relationship to the finest recitalists performing in London, the mentoring scheme developed with Independent Opera is an exceptional opportunity.

“This is both a generous and significant bursary and we look forward to working with these two very promising young singers over the years ahead” said John Gilhooly, Director of Wigmore Hall.

The Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera Voice Fellowship began in 2007. The first recipient of the award, Matthew Rose (bass), enjoys an impressive operatic career and he gave his debut recital at Wigmore Hall in November 2010, following coaching sessions during his 2-year Fellowship from some of the world’s leading singers, including Thomas Quasthoff and Brigitte Fassbaender. In 2009 the Fellowship was awarded to Gaëlle Arquez and Clara Mouriz.

Independent Opera Artist Support, created in 2007, is a comprehensive programme of scholarships, fellowships and partnerships designed to continue the work of Independent Opera by providing ongoing financial assistance to young professionals involved in the production of opera. The programme of scholarships and fellowships has in the past been available to singers, directors, designers and choreographers, and is an integral component of the company’s objective: to give those involved in the staging and production of opera the support they need at the outset of their careers.

 

Fellowship Recipient Biographies:

 

Anna Huntley is a graduate and scholar of both the RAM and the RCM’s Benjamin Britten International Opera School. Her awards include Third Prize in the International ‘Das Lied’ Competition, Berlin 2011; the Michael Oliver Prize in the London Handel Singing Competition 2009, an Independent Opera Postgraduate Voice Fellowship 2009–10 and most recently, a Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera Voice Fellowship 2011–2013.

A Samling scholar and a Live Music Now! artist, Anna performs extensively on the concert platform across Europe and is a regular soloist in oratorio. Her performances include recitals at St Martin-in-the-Fields and the National Portrait Gallery, and at the Kammermusiksaal der Berliner Philharmonie which was broadcast on Deutschlandradio; a concert of Handel arias with Laurence Cummings at the El Escorial Festival, Madrid; Handel’s The Choice of Hercules with Daniel Taylor in the Tilbrook Bach Festival; Dido/Sorceress (cover) in Purcell’s ‘After Dido’ for ENO; Hermia/A Midsummer Night’s Dream for ETO and Glyndebourne Festival Opera Chorus 2008.

 

Born in Heidelberg, the German baritone Dominik Köninger studied in Karlsruhe with Professor Roland Hermann.

He has been awarded a number of scholarships and prizes, among them First Prize at both the Mozart Festival Competition Würzburg 2006 and the Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition 2011. Since his debut in 2004, his opera and concert engagements allowed him to work with conductors and directors such as Kent Nagano, Bertrand de Billy, Robert Wilson and Robert Carsen, at prestigious venues including the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Philharmonie Berlin, Rudolfinum Prague, Hamburg State Opera, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Theater an der Wien and Bavarian State Opera.

His roles on the opera stage have included Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Dandini (La Cenerentola), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) and Dr Falke (Die Fledermaus) among others. From the 2012–13 season, Dominik will be an ensemble member of the Komische Oper Berlin and he will make his debut at NNT in Tokyo in 2013.

For further information on the voice fellowship please contact Polly Brown at Wigmore Hall.

For press enquiries please contact Stefanie Kucsko at Valerie Barber PR: stefanie@vbpr.co.uk