German soprano to perform on Ankara stage

ISTANBUL

As the “Guest Artist in Residence” of CSO ADA Ankara, Deutsche Grammophon artist, soprano Mojca Erdmann will meet art lovers in Ankara for the first time. Award-winning Italian pianist Riccardo Bovino will accompany the artist, who is regarded as one of the most impressive voices that Germany has gifted to the international music scene.

Erdmann, who performed concerts with the world leading orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Elbphilarmonie and Cologne Philharmonic in her successful career, and worked with legendary conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Kent Nagano, will present to the CSO ADA Ankara audience a comprehensive repertoire of works by German Romantic composers.
In an interview ahead of her concert on Sept. 17, Erdmann replied questions.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood? How did you discover classical music? A: My father is composer and flutist, so I grew up surrounded by music. I started music in a children’s choir at the age of three. I started to play the violin at the age of six and loved it a lot, played in several youth orchestras. I even studied it next to singing at the music university Cologne.

Q: You have shared the stage with some of the most successful conductors and prestigious orchestras in the world. Is there a milestone in your career that holds a special place in your heart?
A: There are so many memories I have of special moments with great conductors and orchestras. I sang my first “Lulu“ under the baton of Daniel Barenboim and I also worked very often with Zubin Mehta - both of them are artists I always admired and who generously support me a lot. In 2021 we recorded together with both of them Schönbergs “Pierrot Lunaire.” Mehta conducted and Barenboim played the piano. I cannot tell how special this has been for me. I will always capture this treasure and gift deep in my heart.

Q: This will be your first concert in Ankara as the artist in residence. How do you feel about it?
A: I did a concert with orchestra songs a couple of years ago in Ankara. I am very grateful and feel honored to coming back as artist in residence and to sing in this fantastic new concert hall.

Q: What about the repertoire of your Ankara concert?
A: I love the late Robert Schumann songs, and the poems by Elisabeth Kulman in combination with his music are heartbreaking - she wrote around 800 poems in her short life and even she was that young there is a deepness and wisdom that is very touching. My love for Mozart exists my whole life and his music is something I cannot explain with words, it touches my heart and soul. The aria “Ch‘io mi scordi di te” I sang and recorded first time with Hélène Grimaud and since then is one of my favorite arias. Mendelssohns Lieder songs are amazingly beautiful and very colorful. Both, Mozart and him, had been Wunderkinder and wrote so much fantastic music in their short lives.

Q: You will take the stage with pianist Riccardo Bovino in Ankara. Can you tell us a little bit about your collaborative process with him?
A: The pianist Riccardo Bovino is a very dear friend of mine, and we know each other and worked together for many years. Especially during the COVID-19 lockdown, we deepened our collaboration as we both live in Switzerland and were able to see each other. He is a wonderful musician.

Q: Do you have any rituals to relax before going on the stage?
A: I want to be at the venue with enough time to prepare and to focus. I don’t like traveling on a concert day and try to avoid it whenever possible. And right before going on stage - yes, we tell each other “toi toi toi.”