*Nelly Miricioiu*
Hailed as a singing-actress, Nelly is one of the most versatile artists of our day. Her repertoire extends from Mozart and bel canto to Verdi, Puccini and the verismo to modern italian opera Respighi and Zandonai, taking in French and Russian composers too. As Rodney Milnes wrote in Opera Magazine “this extroadinary diva can sing anything and sing it well “.
Since her Covent Garden debut in 1982 as Nedda in I Pagliacci opposite John Vickers, Piero Cappuccili and Thomas Allen and the 1983 triumphant La Scala debut as Lucia di Lammermoor, Nelly has been heard in all major opera houses of the world. She has worked with some of the most prestigious conductors and directors (in leading roles that include Tosca with Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Neil Schicoff), Mimi (with Placido Domingo), Violetta in La Traviata (with Franco Bonisolli, Roberto Alagna, Renato Bruson, Alfredo Kraus) and opposite many other leading artists of the day. It was the bel canto repertoire and her dedication to rediscovering forgotten operas where Nelly found her niche. Universally acclaimed for her luscious sound, beautifully constructed technique and exceptional theatrical stage presence, Michael Davdison wrote about her in an article in Opera Magazine: “The highly individual timbre of Miricioiu’s voice, her imagination and intensity, her exceptional range and sense of timing make for a unique talent. ”
[“www.nellymiricioiu.com”:http://www.nellymiricioiu.com]
*Nicole Fiselier* (1982, soprano) received her bachelor degree in classical singing in 2006 under tuition of Roberta Alexander. In 2007-2008 Nicole participated in a course on acting for singers, called Acting Opera. She has taken part in masterclasses with Nicholas Clapton, Margreet Honig, Emma Kirkby, Nelly Miricioiu and Jard van Nes. At the moment Nicole is receiving coaching from Marjan Kuiper and Peter Nilsson. In 2012 Nicole was invited by the IVC to join the International Belcanto Summer school with masters Luca Gorla, William Matteuzzi, Nelly Miricioiu and David Parry.
At Codarts Nicole performed in a project consisting of heights of ‘a Midsummer Night’s Dream’ by Britten (Tytania). During the spring of 2005 she was Jessie in ‘Mahagonny Songspiel by Weill, with the ensemble Gruppo Montebello, conducted by Henk Guittart. With the Rotterdam Young Philharmonic conducted by Jan Stulen Nicole interpretated an aria and some ensembles from Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna). She sang leading roles in ‘Venus and Adonis’ (Kamerkoor Rotterdam, role: Venus), ‘Multi Media Vespers’ (director: Cilia Hogerzeil, Muziektheater Hollands Diep, composer: Jan Hagen/ René Uijlenhoet), the children’s opera ‘A is een aapje’ (SIE), ‘Wie is Mignon’, (director: Rata Kloppenburg, Schatkameropera, Kameropera Festival, titlerole) and ‘Bastien und Bastienne’ (director: Pepijn Cladder, Opera aan Zee, role: Bastienne). Nicole sang supporting roles and was member of the choir in: ‘die Lustige Witwe’ (director: Robert Herzl, conductor: Martin Sieghart, Het Gelders Orkest, choirmember/Grisette), ‘Blauwbaard’ (Holland Opera, director: Joke Holboom, composer: Chiel Meijering, supporting role/choir). In 2010 Nicole performed the role of Clorinda (La Cenerentola, Rossini) in the Resident Artist Program of the Nederlandse Reisopera with Het Gelders orkest directed by Xander Straat. In 2012 Nicole sang the maincharacter in an opera based on Tjaikovski’s Swanlake for Holland Opera. From 2010 Nicole is yearly invited for recitals at the Festival Opéra dans la Rue in Aix-en-Provence, Festival Opera aan de Schie and Rotterdamse Operadagen.
Nicole is regularly performing in oratorio- and lied concerts. In 2011 she was one of the soprano soli in an enscenated Matthäus Passion. Nicole performed oratorio soli under the baton of Gijs Leenaars, Hein Meens, Danny Nooteboom, Leo Rijkaart, Barend Schuurman, Jos Vermunt amongst others. With Cathelijne Noorland (piano) Nicole has founded Duo Ruby in 2010 and have been performing several lied and operaprograms.
Nicole is member of the Laurens Collegium which worked with conductors such as Jaap van Zweden, Frans Brüggen and Jan-Willem de Vriend. As member of the Ribatutta Ensemble she sang the soli in the world première of four pieces by Chiel Meijering. This season Nicole will also have her first production as member of the choir of the Vlaamse Opera (Belgium). With the band Efterklang, Rotterdam Synfonia and Modern Fantazias she performed in Eindhoven, Brussels and Uppsala.
Upcoming new repertoire during 2013: Messiah, Johannes Passion, Krönungsmesse, Schöpfung and title role in the newly written opera ‘Dora’ by René Veen, a Schatkamer Opera production.
[“www.nicolefiselier.com”:http://www.nicolefiselier.com]