Let a Strong Woman Sing

, New York City
Reception to Follow
 
Tickets: $35.00 general admission
Available at strongwoman.eventbrite.com
 
Women in opera --- onstage and off --- are anything but delicate flowers. Soprano Julianna Milin and mezzo-soprano Viktoriya Vita Koreneva offer musical proof in their dramatic celebration of feminine strength and power, Let a Strong Woman Sing. Partnered by iconic coach/pianist William Hicks, the trio will present selections from Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame and Orleanskaya Deva (The Maid of Orleans); Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos;  Verdi’s Il trovatore, Aida, and Nabucco; Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, Bellini’s Norma, Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina, and Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffman, as well as Strauss’ Vier Letze Lieder “September” and “Beim Schlafengehn”.’
 
The works chosen reflect some of history and literature’s most fascinating characters in their greatest moments of challenge and revelation: Joan of Arc mourning the loss of her lambs and bucolic life, even as she accepts the heroic mantle awarded to her by God Himself. Leonora, who gives everything but her self-respect to save the man she loves. Aida and Amneris, dueling Ethiopian and Egyptian princesses whose love for the same man leads to both tragedy and triumph. Musically, these selections represent some of the most beautiful and dramatic work of the world’s greatest composers.
 
“It’s a combination of the powerful music and also the complexity of the characters that resonate with me,” says Koreneva. “I have to dig inside of me and find different shades of power. Joan of Arc fought alongside men --- similar to what I have had to do when I worked in Finance on Wall Street—- acting in such a way to demand respect. Jane Seymour is also powerful because she stood up to the king attempting to save Anne Boleyn’s life, even though as a woman she didn’t have any rights at the time.”
 
“As women and artists taking charge of our own lives and careers, we wanted to create a concert reflecting the strength and power of the women of opera,” says Milin. “These characters are often standing alone, making things happen themselves, and as an emerging artist I find that incredibly inspirational. For me, it's really about standing on my own and not waiting for anyone to hand me a career.”
 
About the Artists
 
Emerging spinto soprano Julia Anne Milin is widely regarded as part of the next generation of great Verdi sopranos in the Golden Age tradition. Hailed as a “powerful,” “big, glorious” voice with a “strong top,” her performances in the US, New Zealand and Europe have been categorized as “world-class.” In New York, she has appeared at Carnegie and Avery Fisher Halls, among other venues, in roles such as Amelia (Un ballo in maschera), Abigaille (Nabucco), Sieglinde (Die Walküre), Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte) and Komponist (Ariadne auf Naxos). In recent seasons, she sang the role of Tamara in the Philadelphia premiere of Rubinstein’s Russian opera The Demon and made her German debut as part of the Lotte Lehmann Sommerfestival, where her “impressive performance” of selections from Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung, Norma, La forza del destino, Ariadne auf Naxos, Ernani, Il trovatore and Mefistofele earned her “thunderous applause,” according to the Märkische Allegemeine. In New Zealand, she In New Zealand, she opened the prestigious Whakatane Summer Arts Festival of 2013, inspiring Q OnStage to write, “Remember Milin’s name—she’s a soprano that should come to have a major career in dramatic and spinto roles, an Aida, a Sieglinde, and more." Ms. Milin enjoys collaborating on the creation of new works, as well as in concert repertoire and opera for the screen, and has joined forces with organizations such as the Bleecker Street Opera Composers Forum and Pacific Opera’s collaboration with Engel Entertainment, which featured live and filmed-on-location performances that were aired on cable television in the US and internationally. For more information, please visit www.juliannamilin.com.
 
Mezzo-soprano Viktoriya (Vita) Koreneva has been described as “possessing a voice of distinct timbre, which she uses with a wonderful dramatic intensity”. A native of Moscow, Russia, her musical training includes piano and vocal studies at the Central Music School of Moscow under the auspices of the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory. Currently, Vita is pursuing her Music Composition degree at Berklee School of Music.  Most recently, she debuted with Bel Cantanti Opera of Washington, DC, in the title role of Zanetto (Mascagni), covered the role of Amneris (Aida) with the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera and portrayed Donna Elvira in the Vocal Productions NYC’s Don Giovanni. Ms. Koreneva has also appeared as Pythia and Alkmene in the American premiere of Olympic Flame (Panagiotis Karousos) at Athens Square in Astoria, NY; opened La Fête de la Bretagne Music Festival in New York; sang the alto solo in Mozart’s Requiem with the UN Orchestra; appeared in a special guest performance for the Cadet Opera Forum at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY and given a solo recital in Bordeaux, France dedicated to the music of Jules Massenet. Past operatic engagements include: Tebaldo (Don Carlo), Guilietta (The Tales of Hoffman), Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor), Le Prince Charmant (Cendrillon), Charlotte (Werther), La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), and Jezibaba (Rusalka). Ms. Koreneva was also a featured mezzo soloist in Rachmaninoff's All-Night Virgil (Solemn Vespers) with the Cathedral Choral Society at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC; a finalist of New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera International Vocal Competition, a prize winner at the International 2016 Lyra New York Competition, and a first prize recipient in the 2015 William Haralson Vocal Competition in New York. She is also a 2016 recipient of UNESCO Honorary Award for premiering Olympic Flame, and a 2014 distinguished recipient of recognition award for strengthening Russian-American cultural relations.  www.viktoriyavitakoreneva.com
 
Voice coach, pianist, and conductor William Hicks has coached, appeared in recital, on television and radio, and in master classes with some of the leading singers of all time, including Luciano Pavarotti, Licia Albanese, Franco Corelli, Anna Moffo, Roberta Peters, Renata Scotto, Teresa Stratas, Renee Fleming, Deborah Voigt, Regina Resnik, Marta Eggerth Kiepura, Thomas Hampson, and Harolyn Blackwell. From 1990 to 1995 he collaborated as repetiteur and pianist for Luciano Pavarotti. He joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1995 as Assistant Conductor, Solo Pianist, and Assistant Chorus Master, positions he held until 2001, at which time he recorded a series of shows by Jerome Kern with the London Sinfonietta. For New World Records he recorded 127 pieces by Victor Herbert, and is currently pianist and consultant for the Victor Herbert Renaissance Live Project. He has also recorded for BMG, Sony, and Patria Records. In addition, Maestro Hicks served as Associate Conductor for The Santa Fe Opera, The Canadian Opera Company, The Cincinnati Opera, The New York City Opera, and for Maestros Michael Tilson Thomas, Lorin Maazel, and John McGlinn. From 1982 to 2002 he served as Associate Conductor, Pianist, and Chorus Master to Maestro McGlinn, preparing and performing in all his recordings and broadcasts and appearing as soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra. He has worked for The Israel Vocal Arts Institute for their programs in Tel Aviv, Portland, Oregon, and Montreal. Maestro Hicks gives master classes as well as private instruction in musical preparation and presentation to young singers, pianists, and voice coaches throughout the world. He also has extensive training and professional experience as a singer, actor, and dancer.
 
About VOCAL PURSUITS
Vocal Pursuits (VP) promotes artists and produces concerts in a variety of entertainment genres, including opera, musical theater, pop, rock and roll, and jazz. For more information, please see www.vocalpursuits.com.