Ulysses Quartet
Eva Maria Summerer, mezzo soprano
Ulrich Roman Murtfeld, piano
Presented Sunday, November 12, 2017 ¡Eviva Teresa!
Discovering child prodigy, pianist, singer, composer & conductor
Teresa Carreño (1853-1917)
The program was moderated by pianist Babette Hierholzer
"It is difficult to express adequately what all musicians felt about this great woman who looked like a queen among pianists - and played like a goddess. The instant she walked onto the platform her steady dignity held her audience who watched with riveted attention while she arranged the long train she habitually wore. Her masculine vigour of tone and touch and her marvellous precision on executing octave passages carried everyone completely away."
Sir Henry Wood
Ulysses Quartet
The name ‘Ulysses’ pays homage to Homer’s hero Odysseus and his ten year voyage home. Additionally, the quartet’s base in Washington Heights, New York City, lies in close proximity to the resting place of former U.S. president, Ulysses S. Grant.
The Ulysses Quartet believes intensely in the power of music to inspire, enlighten, and bring people together. They are committed in sharing this passion by increasing access and appreciation for classical music while enhancing audience engagement.
To this end, the quartet offers interactive programs and workshops for all ages that demystify traditional repertoire while introducing new and exciting works. Their programs invite participants to learn about the inner workings of the string quartet, and explore connections that music makes with our world today, through the rich history of its creation.
Eva Maria Summerer, mezzo soprano
German mezzo-soprano Eva Maria Summerer has won over audiences in Europe and the United States with her "well-tempered mezzo" (Die Welt), „warm, rich voice“ (Süddeutsche Zeitung) and vibrant interpretations of operatic roles, early music and oratorio, art song and contemporary vocal music.
A versatile singer, she has appeared at the Bayreuther Festspiele as Mary in Der Fliegende Holländer, as Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel in a Bayerische Staatsoper production for childern, as the title role in Rossini’s Cenerentola, Emilia in Verdi’s Otello, Orfeo in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Cornelia in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Bradamante in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso, Moldau in Vinje’s Prinzessin Anna, and 3rd Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute...
Ulrich Roman Murtfeld, piano
"Murtfeld is a pianist to reckon with. He has a point of view and a vivid imagination. His playing is both a pleasure to listen to and (speaking as an American) downright refreshing. Heartily recommended."
- Patrick Rucker, International Record Review
