Dísella and Danzmayr

This ISO concert showcases three works with links to the New World. On the podium is Austrian conductor David Danzmayr, who has enjoyed considerable success west of the Atlantic. Dvořák wrote his New World Symphony, one of the mainstays of nationalist symphonic music from the 19th century, while residing in the US. In the same vein, pioneer Charles Ives sought inspiration in the music of his fellow Americans, including anthems, military marches, and psalms. Three Places in New England ranks among his most popular compositions.

Dísella Lárusdóttir has chalked up one artistic victory after another during her tenure with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She has been praised effusively by critics, most recently in the New York Times, where she was lauded for her performance in Philip Glass' opera Akhnaten: “Penetrating and resonant … with nearly mechanical exactitude and endurance, but … expressive within the discipline.” In April 2022, Dísella and her colleagues from the Met won the Grammy award for best opera recording for their recording of Akhnaten. On this programme, Dísella sings Konstanze's plaintive aria from Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio and Cunegonde's virtuosic song “Glitter and be Gay”, from Leonard Bernstein's Candide.