衛武營國家藝術文化中心 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

For over three decades, Nathalie DESSAY has conquered international stages with her vocal technique and dramatic intensity. Throughout her musical career, she has faced numerous life-changing challenges, from her stunning debut as a soprano to overcoming the limits of her body after multiple surgeries. She has continually explored deeper interpretations and reached new artistic heights, leaving countless classics.

The New Yorker praised her "blazing theatrics and astonishing coloratura facility have made her one of the biggest names in opera during the past twenty years," while The Guardian noted, "expressive soprano still hits the heights," and The Daily Telegraph (UK) described her "sublime voice had found its way to our hearts nonetheless." This concert marks both her first and final farewell performance with Taiwanese audiences, a musical celebration that will forever honor the extraordinary charm of this legendary soprano.

  Pre-talk  

2025/11/8(Sat)19:00 Concert Hall 3F Lobby

  Program  

W. A. MOZART: Excerpts from Le Nozze di Figaro, K. 492
　Cavatina di Barbarina "L'ho perduta me meschina"
　Recitativo e Aria di Susanna "Giunse alfin il momento—Deh vieni non tardar"
　Aria di Cherubino "Voi che sapete"
　Recitativo e Aria di la Contessa "E Susanna non vien—Dove sono"

E. CHAUSSON: "Le colibri," Op. 2, No. 7

R. HAHN: "Le rossignol des lilas"

M. RAVEL: "Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis," M. 69, No. 2

L. BEYDTS: "La colombe poignardée" from Chansons pour les oiseaux, No. 1

F. POULENC: "Reine des mouettes" from Métamorphoses, FP 121, No. 1

M. RAVEL: "Oiseaux tristes" from Miroirs, M. 43, No. 2

F. POULENC: "La dame de Monte-Carlo," FP 180

G. C. MENOTTI: "Steal Me, Sweet Thief" from The Old Maid and the Thief

G. C. MENOTTI: "Monica's Waltz" from Le Médium

S. BARBER: Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24

A. PREVIN: "I Want Magic!" from A Streetcar Named Desire

※The presenter and performers reserve the right to change the repertoire.

  Creative and Production Team  

Soprano｜Natalie DESSAY

Piano｜Philippe CASSARD

  Artists Introduction  

Soprano｜Natalie DESSAY

Since the beginning of her career, Natalie DESSAY has sung on the greatest international stages. She has sung works by MOZART (Blondchen, Königin der Nacht, Pamina) and STRAUSS (Fiakermilli, Zerbinetta, Sophie...). Throughout her career, she has been a regular guest at the Vienna Staatsoper, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, La Scala in Milan, the Liceu in Barcelona, the Royal Opera House in London and, of course, the Opéra national de Paris. Natalie DESSAY is also a great interpreter of the French repertoire: Ophelia, Minka, Lakmé, Olympia, Juliette, Manon. She has also enjoyed great success in the bel canto repertoire, in La Sonnambula and above all in Lucia di Lammermoor, a role she has sung at the Chicago Opera, the Metropolitan Opera and the Opéra national de Paris, and which she has recorded under the baton of Valery GERGIEV. She also sang Marie (La Fille du Régiment), directed by Laurent PELLY, which was performed at Covent Garden, the Vienna Staatsoper, the Metropolitan Opera and the Opéra national de Paris. 

She has sung Violetta (La Traviata) in Tokyo, at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, at the Vienna Opera and at the Metropolitan Opera, always with immense success.

She reprised Marie (La Fille du Régiment) at the Opéra national de Paris, and the title role in Manon at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse.

After meeting Emmanuelle HAÏM, Natalie DESSAY began to interpret works by HANDEL, among others. She sang the role of Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) at the Opéra national de Paris.

She works with Michel LEGRAND, with whom she has toured Europe and South America, and has recorded 2 CDs: Entre elle et lui (Erato) and Between Yesterday and Tomorrow (Sony). With Philippe CASSARD, her recital pianist, she has given over 120 concerts since 2012 on the most prestigious stages: Carnegie Hall in New York, Jordan Hall in Boston, Barbican in London, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Musikverein in Vienna, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Théâtre des Champs Élysées in Paris, etc. Thanks to this collaboration, 3 CDs have been released: Debussy (Erato), Fiançailles pour rire (Erato) and Schubert (Sony).

Natalie DESSAY was appointed Kammersängerin by the Wiener Staatsoper.

For several years now, Natalie DESSAY has also been performing in the theatre. She made her highly acclaimed debut in Howard BARKER's monologue Und at the Théâtre Olympia in Tours, then in a number of French towns, as well as at the Théâtre des Abbesses and the Dejazet in Paris. In July 2018 she was at the Festival d'Avignon, performing La Légende d'une vie by Stefan ZWEIG at the Théâtre Montparnasse.

Piano｜Philippe CASSARD

Philippe CASSARD studied with Dominique MERLET and Geneviève JOY-DUTILLEUX at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. In 1982, he won first prizes in piano and chamber music. He continued his studies for two years at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, where he received guidance from the legendary Nikita MAGALOFF. A finalist in the Clara Haskil Competition in 1985, he won First Prize in the Dublin International Piano Competition in 1988.

Since then, he has been invited by the greatest European orchestras (London Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Orchestres national de France and Philharmonique de Radio France, Capitole de Toulouse, Budapest Philharmonic, Danish Radio Orchestra, etc.), and has performed under the baton of Sir Neville MARRINER, Marek JANOWSKI, Sir Roger NORRINGTON, Charles DUTOIT, Yan-Pascal TORTELIER, Armin JORDAN, Thomas HENGELBROCK, Vladimir FEDOSSEIJEV…

From 1993 onwards, Philippe CASSARD presented the complete cycle of DEBUSSY's piano works in one day and 4 recitals: after London's Wigmore Hall, he played them in Paris, Lisbon, Dublin, Sydney, Tokyo and Vancouver, each time with great success. Reissued in 2012 by Decca, this complete recording won the Grand Prix de l'Académie du Disque in 1994.

His love of chamber music and singing has enabled him to perform with artists such as Christa LUDWIG, Karine DESHAYES, Wolfgang HOLZMAIR, Samuel HASSELHORN, Michel PORTAL, David GRIMAL, Anne GASTINEL, Cédric PESCIA, the Ebène, Modigliani and Hermès quartets....

He forms a duo with Natalie DESSAY, which has given over 120 concerts since 2012 on the most prestigious stages. Three CDs (Debussy, Mélodies françaises and Schubert) bear witness to their complicity.

Among a discography of 40 titles, his recordings of SCHUBERT have been acclaimed and rewarded throughout the world. A CD of Beethoven Trios released in 2021 was awarded the Diapason d'or, the FFFF by Télérama and the Choc by Classica. Philippe CASSARD is one of the most popular voices on France Musique, with over 650 broadcasts since 2005. He has published two essays on SCHUBERT and DEBUSSY (Actes Sud) and a book of memories (Par petites touches, Mercure de France).

  Tour  

Taipei｜11/10 National Concert Hall

©Lyodoh Kaneko

  Co-sponsor  

  Cultural Development Partner