Closer to Paradise Valer Sabadus & Spark

• 1 Koschitzki: Closer to Paradise 05:15
• 2 Satie: Les anges (From "Trois Mélodies") 02:16
• 3 Ritter, Vivaldi: Sinfonia (Ouverture from "Giustino", RV 717) 02:43
• 4 Vivaldi: Vedrò con mio diletto (From "Giustino", RV 717) 04:43
• 5 Ritter: Intermezzo 01:32
• 6 Gore: One Caress 03:33
• 7 Riedel: Seemann 05:03
• 8 Fritz: Grazia 02:01
• 9 Dalla: Caruso 06:57
• 10 Weill: Youkali (From "Marie Galante") 06:28
• 11 Ferré: Écoutez la chanson bien douce 02:38
• 12 Schumann: In der Fremde (From Liederkreis, Op. 39) 02:41
• 13 Fauré: Au bord de l'eau 02:01
• 14 Ritter: Closer 02:00
• 15 Manilow: Could it be Magic 05:05
• Total Runtime 54:56

Info for Closer to Paradise

On their new album “Closer to Paradise” Spark, the Classical Band, form a unique partnership with the internationally acclaimed countertenor Valer Sabadus to produce, in musical form, a feeling of longing, that wonderful, painful yet bitter-sweet emotional state ’twixt melancholy and happiness. The spectrum of works ranges from the classical masters such as Antonio Vivaldi, Robert Schumann, Gabriel Fauré, Erik Satie and Kurt Weill through to French chansonnier Leo Ferré, Italian cantautore Lucio Dalla, American singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, British synth-rock-group Depeche Mode and the German cult band Rammstein. Rounded off with some compositions by the Spark musicians themselves, the pieces blend into an aural study of emotions, the fruit of an exciting musical collaboration and a consistently thrilling recording project.

The archetype of happiness, a sanctuary of peace and harmony, the focus of our longings: the innovative chamber-music formation Spark quickly recognised Paradise as the central topic at the heart of this album. The works, specially arranged, re-worked, completely re-orientated, or even totally new, all underscore aspects of longing and rapture – thereby creating a link to a star singer with a vocal register that will take your breath away. Countertenor Valer Sabadus, a frequent performer on all the great stages around the world, turns premonition of out to be the perfect companion for Spark’s journey closer to paradise, whether when languishing in Vivaldi’s intoxicating aria Vedrò con mio diletto, sensing the powerful yet fragile death in Rammstein’s Seemann or yielding to the French insouciance of Youkali: Sabadus and Spark are a match made in heaven.

The arrangements, tailor-made for his voice, offer him the opportunity to demonstrate a truly stupendous versatility. From Romantically whispered passages through to forceful, rock-laden melodies, the global star pulls out all the stops of his vocal art and is thoroughly persuasive – not least because he never resorts to pretence and also because the intelligently conceived sounds of Spark provide precisely the right framework for his highly emotional interpretations. Yet again, the Classical Band shines in the role of classical chameleon – as a group able to engage sensitively with its guest and while simultaneously celebrating a stylistic diversity that is truly second to none. Classical masterworks, folk songs, chansons and rock songs – all are mixed up with wild abandon, Spark’s innovative concept providing them with their own coherence that is aurally persuasive and dramaturgically convincing. The natural blend of classical and modern music brings an astonishingly fresh aura to this classical album. In their new context, the individual works have gained a sense of timelessness. In just the same way that the feeling of longing is all-embracing and timeless.

Valer Sabadus, counter-tenor
Spark:
Andrea Ritter, recorder
Daniel Koschitzki, recorder, melodica
Stefan Balazsovics, violin, viola
Victor Plumettaz, cello
Arseni Sadykov, piano

Valer Sabadus
In 2020, Valer Sabadus will be awarded the Handel Music Prize of the city of Halle. The award ceremony will take place after the concert with the Venice Baroque Orchestra on May 30, 2020 in the Händelhalle. This award is of great importance to the countertenor not only as it is this composer in particular who has consistently played a key role in his career as a singer and artist but also because he has maintained a long-standing, rewarding concert tradition with the International Handel Festival in Halle.

Further highlights in the 19/20 season include concerts at the Handel Festivals in Karlsruhe and Halle, as well as at the SWR Festival in Schwetzingen with the Venice Baroque Orchestra and Nuovo Aspetto. With the ensemble L'Arpeggiata and thrilling programs such as "Himmelsmusik" and "La Lyra d'Orfeo", Valer Sabadus will make guest appearances at the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, the Konzerthaus Dortmund and the Opéra royal de Versailles. The season culminates in extraordinary concerts with the classical band SPARK and the hugely successful cross-genre program "Closer to Paradise" in Giessen and a tour of France in June with concerts in Froville etc.

November 15th marked the ERATO Warner Classics release of the album "La Lyra d’Orfeo" on which Valer Sabadus can also be heard. Vader Sabadus has become known for his unconventional collaborations and programs. Several projects boast exciting trailers including "Closer to Paradise" with SPARK, "Continuum" with rapper Sammy Deluxe and ensemble Musica Alta Ripa as well as "Love Songs" with singer Dima Orsho and ensemble Musica Alta Ripa.

In recent years, Valer Sabadus has enjoyed great success not only with his albums, including the 2018 release of "Caro Gemello" with Concerto Köln, but also with major concert tours and a portrait cycle at the Cologne Philharmonie. In addition to concerts across Europe, tours in 2019 also led to his very successful debut appearances in Japan and Russia.

Valer Sabadus came to international fame in 2012 for his outstanding interpretation of the role of Semira in Leonardo Vinci’s opera ‘Artaserse’ at the opera houses in Nancy, Lausanne and Cologne, the Theater an der Wien, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, the Opéra Royal de Versailles, and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. The production also appeared on CD and DVD, and won countless prizes. In the same year, German music critics awarded him a prize for his solo CD ‘Hasse Reloaded’ (OehmsClassics). In addition, he reaped considerable international acclaim as Menelao in Francesco Cavalli’s rediscovered opera ‘Elena’ at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence; the production also appeared on DVD. In 2013, he made his brilliant debut in the title role of Handel’s ‘Serse’ at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in a production by Stefan Herheim. In 2015 and 2016, he shone in the title role of ‘Teseo’ at the Handel Festival in Karlsruhe, for which he received rave reviews. He enjoyed an outstanding debut in terms of both role and venue when he appeared as Emperor Nero in Claudio Monteverdi’s ‘L’incoronazione di Poppea’ at the Theater an der Wien in September 2015. In 2016 and 2017 Valer Sabadus performed compositions by Monteverdi's student Francesco Cavalli. In Cavalli’s early Baroque operas ‘Eliogabalo’ as Giuliano and the title role of ‘Giasone’ as he made his debut in Opéra national de Paris, at the Grand Théâtre de Genève and the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam. In January 2018 he appeared in several performances in the role ‘Ange’ in Claus Guth's production of Handel's oratorio ‘Jephta’ at the Opéra National de Paris.

Valer Sabadus began his vocal training at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich under Prof. Gabriele Fuchs at the age of 17, and graduated in 2013 with distinction as a member of the Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding, specialising in Musical Theatre. The production of Johann Adolph Hasse’s ‘Didone abbandonata’, which he recorded with Hofkapelle München and Michael Hofstetter, was to prove a major milestone in his career. He debuted as early as 2009 under Riccardo Muti at Salzburg Whitsun Festival in a production of ‘Demofoonte’ (Niccolò Jommelli), which transferred to the Ravenna Festival and the Opéra National de Paris. He also enjoyed great success as Sesto in Günter Krämer’s production of ‘La Clemenza di Tito’ at the Mozart summer festival in Schwetzingen, as Ruggiero in Antonio Vivaldi’s ‘Orlando furioso’ and as Endimione in ‘La Calisto’ by Francesco Cavalli at the opera house in Frankfurt. His first appearance at the Handel Festival in Halle was in the title role of Rinaldo with the Lautten Compagney in 2011. Other engagements have taken him to the opera house in Cologne in the title role of Leucippo (Johann Adolph Hasse), to the Staatsoper Berlin, the Semperoper Dresden and the Opéra Royal de Versailles.

In addition to his busy life as an opera singer, the young countertenor also adores the concert and oratorio repertoire. He has performed evening recitals of lieder and arias at events such as the Lucerne Festival, the Schubertiade in Hohenems, and the ‘Winter in Schwetzingen’ Festival. He has already given solo performances at the Philharmonie concert halls in Essen and Cologne, the Frauenkirche in Dresden, the Chapelle Royale de Versailles, the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, at Grafenegg Festival and at Innsbruck Festival of Early Music. Valer Sabadus has frequently teamed up successfully with leading early music ensembles, including Concerto Köln, Basel Chamber Orchestra, the Hofkapelle München, the L’Arpeggiata ensemble and Il pomo d’oro.

The richly varied discography of Valer Sabadus ranges from early baroque works by Claudio Monteverdi and Francesco Cavalli to Italian sacred music and opera, and contemporary works by Enjott Schneider. He has been awarded several prestigious prizes for his recordings, including the ECHO Klassik 2012 and 2015, and in 2013 he was selected by the ICMA as its Young Artist of the Year in the Vocal category.

This album contains no booklet.