Karen Kamensek
Conductor
Up Next
Bernstein: Wonderful Town
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera
“Kamensek is experienced in Glass’s operas, and under her the orchestra sounded right at home. There was an excellent balance of instrumental colors—and with the singers—and the playing had focus and equipoise, the kind of warmth one can feel, and it flowed and built a profoundly affecting momentum while always held with a light and certain grip.” – New York Classical Review, 2019
About Karen
Karen Kamensek’s remarkable versatility and expansive artistry, coupled with her deep commitment to championing composers of the 20th and 21st century, is reflected in her work in both the opera house and on the concert stage. Recently, she made her long-awaited Metropolitan Opera debut with the Olivier award-winning Phelim McDermott production of Glass’ Akhnaten, as well as debuts with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra conducting works by Camille Pépin and Tōru Takemitsu, respectively.
2021/22 marks an exciting return to the stage for the arts and Ms. Kamensek after the on-going pandemic forced the cancellation or postponement of numerous performances across the globe. Ms. Kamensek begins her season with a long-awaited conducting debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago with a new-to-Chicago production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, and brings 21/22 to a close with a welcome return to the Metropolitan Opera for a revival of Glass’ Akhnaten, the critically-acclaimed and sold-out production in which she made her house debut there in 2019 that was just awarded a Grammy in the category of "Best Opera Recording". In February she leads the orchestra of the Opéra National du Rhin in the world premiere of Glass’ ballet Alice choreographed by Amir Hosseinpour and Jonathan Lunn, and in April she makes her debut with the Arizona Opera in a new production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Her orchestral conducting performances for the season include a Mostly-Bernstein program with the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris and a debut with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring Borisova-Ollas, Shostakovich, and Sibelius.
Upcoming Performances
Due to the impact of the global pandemic, Ms. Kamensek's upcoming performances are subject to change. Please continue to check her schedule for the most up to date information.
Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 6pm
Monday, August 22, 2022 at 7pm
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 7pm
Thursday, August 25, 2022 at 7pm
Friday, August 26, 2022 at 7pm
Bernstein: Wonderful Town
Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Oslo Opera House (Oslo, Norway)
Eileen Sherwood, Beate Mordal
Ruth Sherwood, Astrid Nordstad
Robert Baker, Jørgen Backer
Wreck, Aleksander Nohr
Karen Kamensek, conductor
“...Karen Kamensek’s authoritative conducting of the Met orchestra...From the start of the overture, the score bathed the ear in textured sound that conveyed, in its gently shifting luminosity, something of the distance of the archaic.”
The Washington Post, 2019
"Kamensek…deservedly earning the biggest applause of the night during the final curtain.”
Opera Wire, 2019
“...conductor Karen Kamensek weaves everything into a wonderful, ever shifting tapestry of sound.”
Bachtrack, 2016
“Keeping it all under a tight rein was conductor Karen Kamensek, making a most laudable ENO debut. The orchestra clearly found her direction stimulating, as they were on top form throughout.”
Seen and Heard International, 2016
Ms. Kamensek talks with Operabiz Podcast host Daniel Welch about making her Metropolitan Opera conducting debut this season, her road to conducting, her collaboration with Philip Glass, and a largely European career. She shares her insights on Glass' music as well as a fresh perspective on life on the podium.
Images
Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera
Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera
Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg
Photo Credit: Benno Hunziker
Photo Credit: Yossi Zwecker
Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg
Photo Credit: Benno Hunziker
Photo Credit: Denise Biffar
Contact
For booking information, please contact:
ARSIS Artist Management GmbH
in collaboration with Michael Lewin International
Mag. Gabriele Trombitas
Managing Director
+ 43 699 1075 4898
Kramergasse 9/3, 1010 Vienna, Austria
For public relations inquiries, please contact:
Raechel Alexander
RA Communications