A Masterclass with Christine Goerke, soprano

This masterclass will feature students from the Department of Music, Webster University, and OTSL's Artists-in-Training program in performance, guided by internationally renowned soprano Christine Goerke.

Sandra Geary, piano

“The hours creep on apace” from H.M.S. Pinafore by (Gilbert and Sullivan)
     Ava Hettenhausen, Bayer Fund Artists-in-Training Program

“The Jewel Song” from Faust by Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
     Neha George, Washington University

“Lonely House” from Street Scene by Kurt Weill (1900-1950)
     Surav Amin, Washington University

“Cruda sorte” from L’Italiana in Algeri by Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868)
     Calista Goldwasser, Webster University
 

“Ms. Goerke displays a big, blazing soprano that not only has the gale-force power and sheen to slice through Strauss’ huge orchestra, but also seamless legato and an entire paintbox of colors.” - The Wall Street Journal

Biography:

Soprano Christine Goerke has appeared in many of the most prestigious opera houses of the world including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera House, Paris Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Real in Madrid, and the Saito Kinen Festival. She has sung much of the great soprano repertoire, beginning with the Mozart and Handel heroines and now moving into dramatic Strauss and Wagner roles. 

Ms. Goerke has also appeared with a number of leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Radio Vara, the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms, and both the Hallè Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Symphony at the Edinburgh International Festival. She has worked with some of the world's foremost conductors including James Conlon, Sir Andrew Davies, Sir Mark Elder, Christoph Eschenbach, Claus Peter Flor, James Levine, Sir Charles Mackerras, Kurt Masur, Zubin Mehta, Andris Nelsons, Seiji Ozawa, David Robertson, Donald Runnicles, Esa-Pekka Salonen, the late Robert Shaw, Patrick Summers, Jeffery Tate, Christian Thielemann, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Edo de Waart.

Ms. Goerke's recording of Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony with Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Classical Recording and Best Choral Performance. Her close association with Robert Shaw yielded several recordings included the Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes, Poulenc's Stabat Mater, Szymanowski's Stabat Mater, and the Grammy-nominated recording of Dvorak's Stabat Mater. Other recordings include the title role in Iphigenie en Tauride for Telarc and Britten’s War Requiem, which won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance. 

Ms. Goerke was the recipient of the 2001 Richard Tucker Award, the 2015 Musical American Vocalist of the Year Award, and the 2017 Opera News Award. She currently serves as the Associate Artistic Director of the Detroit Opera.

**All programs subject to change

Financial assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.  www.missouriartscouncil.org

Sponsored by Mary Pillsbury