Waltraud Meier
Even during her school days, Waltraud Meier, mezzo-soprano and renowned Wagner interpreter, simultane- ously sang in five choirs. In 1976, she made her debut as Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana) at the Würzburg Opera. Her international career started in 1983 with her triumphal success as Kundry in Wagner’s Parsifal at the Bay- reuth Festival. Honoured with numerous prizes and awards, the artist is Kammersängerin to Bavaria and Aus- tria. In 2003, Waltraud Meier received a Grammy Award for her performance as Venus in the recording of Tann- häuser conducted by Daniel Barenboim. In May 2005, Waltraud Meier was honoured with the highest cultural award of France, the order “Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”.

Joseph Breinl
born in 1974 in Munich, has been Waltraud Meier’s permanent Lied accompanist since the summer of 2004. Numerous broadcast recordings for all major European broadcasting services as well as widely noticed performances on most of the world’s major stages found an enthusiastic response throughout the specialised press and made Joseph Breinl into one of the most sought-after Lied pianists and chamber musicians of the young generation. Joseph Breinl received multiple awards at international contests, among others the “Wigmore Hall Competition” in London and the “International Chamber Music Competition Kuhmo”.