Women in Classical Music

Part 3 of 3 – Anna Prohaska

This Friday, watch Anna Prohaska perform with the Símon Bolívar Youth Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado, at the 2010 Lucerne Easter Festival Concert.

Anna Prohaska is a multi-award winning Austrian lyric soprano. Her career is one of distinction. Since her 2002 debut, she’s been selected for, amongst others, the  Académie européenne de musique in Aix-en-Provence, and the Internationale Handelakademie Karlsruhe. Her high-profile performances include the Requiem-Strophen with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and playing Inanna in the world premiere of  Babylon by Jörg Widmann, with the Bavarian State Opera conducted by Kent Nagano. Her many awards include best baroque vocal in the International Classical Music Awards for her album Serpent & Fire and winning the Art Prize Berlin for the performing arts. Few have matched the professional achievements of Anna Prohaska.

The Símon Bolívar Youth Orchestra, renamed in 2011 to the Símon Bolívar Orchestra, was founded in 1978 and named after the Venezuelan military leader Símon Bolívar, who freed Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama from Spanish occupation. The Venezuelan orchestra received international critical acclaim after a 2007 concert in the BBC Proms in the UK. The orchestra is known for its social impact, for most of its members come from poor socio-economic backgrounds.

In a poll of leading conductors carried out by the BBC Music Magazine, Italian-born Claudio Abbado is considered the 3rd best conductor of all time. He has won over 13 awards, including the Grand Cross of the Légion d’honneur (highest French order of merit) and a gold medal from the Royal Philharmonic Society. Claudio has been the principal conductor for both the London Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra. He founded and directed the ad hoc Lucerne Festival Orchestra for the event featured in this concert performance.

The Lucerne Festival Concert, first called the Concert de Gala and renamed in 2000, is a triannual concert held in Switzerland featuring some of the best classical musicians and conductors. Notable guest ensembles and artists include the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic orchestras. We feature the 2010 Easter version of the concert.

Join us as we celebrate female talent in the world of classical music.

Fridays in May on Stingray Classica (ch 332) from Friday, 28 May