Chameleon at the Opera

January 18 2004

W.A.Mozart: Don Giovanni for flute , violin and cello.
Allegro molto, Andante con moto,
Allegro, Andante, Presto.

Gershwin/Jascha Heifetz: Transcriptions for violin and piano on Porgy & Bess: Tempo di Blue, Summertime, It ain’t necessarily so.

Bizet/Borne: Carmen Fantasie for flute and piano

Ludwig van Beethoven:
12 Variations on “ein Madchen oder Weibchen” from Mozart’s Magic Flute for piano and cello.

Franz & Karl Doppler: Rigoletto Fantaisie
Duo Concertant for flute, cello & piano.

Stewart Robertson ,piano,
In addition to serving as Music Director of Florida Grand Opera, Mr Robertson currently serves as Music Director and Principal Conductor of Glimmerglass Opera. Mr. Robertson is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Bristol University. He studied piano in London with Dennis Mathews, and conducting with Otmar Suitner at the Salzburg Mozarteum and Professor Hans Swarowsky at the Vienna Academy, where he graduated with highest distinction. Mr. Robertson first attracted international attention as a second prize winner in the 1977 Austrian Radio Conductors’ Competition at the Salzburg Music Festival. He became the youngest conductor to lead a performance at the Cologne Opera since the debut of Herbert von Karajan. A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Robertson's notable former engagements include numerous World Premieres. Mr. Robertson also conducted many international orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Danish Radio Orchestra, Philharmonia Hungarica, Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra, Swiss-Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Scottish National and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestras, and the Orchestra of Maastricht.

Christine Nield, flute, born in New York, studied extensively with Philip Dunigan, James Galway, & Marcel Moyse. She has participated in the Accademia Chigiana in Siena Italy, the New England Bach Festival, the Library of Congress Music Series, the Marlboro Music Festival & plays annually in Festival Miami. She is principal flute of the Florida Grand Opera. She is Professor of Flute at the University of Miami. Ms Nield has recorded solo & chamber music on the Audiofon, Centaur, Coronet and Altarus labels; orchestral recordings are on Harmonia Mundi.

Iris van Eck, cello, a native of Holland, studied at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Jean Decroos & Rene van Ast before moving to the United States where she studied with Raya Garbousova. She also studied at Master classes with Paul and Maude Tortellier, William Pleeth and Lyn Harrel. She has appeared as a soloist with various orchestras in the U.S. & in Europe and is principal cellist for the Florida Grand Opera . Her cello is an old French instrument made by Bernardel Pere.

Mei Mei Luo, violin, Born and raised in China, she took Second Prize in the Nations Youth Violin competition in China, and a Third Prize in the San Diego Youth Music Competition. At age 12 she performed with the prestigious Peking Opera Company. In 1997, Mei Mei was selected from a worldwide group of Chinese musicians to participate in the reunification celebration of the return of Hong Kong to Mainland China. She now plays as assistant concertmaster for the Florida Grand Opera. Ms. Luo performs on an 1803 Johannes Giagliano violin made