Rachmaninoff: The Bells & Symphonic Dances Karina Canellakis, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir

• Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943): The Bells, Op. 35:
• 1 Rachmaninoff: The Bells, Op. 35: I. Allegro, ma non tanto 06:47
• 2 Rachmaninoff: The Bells, Op. 35: II. Lento 10:38
• 3 Rachmaninoff: The Bells, Op. 35: III. Presto 08:51
• 4 Rachmaninoff: The Bells, Op. 35: IV. Lento lugubre 11:21
• Symphonic Dances, Op. 45:
• 5 Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45: I. Non Allegro 11:58
• 6 Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45: II. Andante con moto (tempo di Valse) 10:03
• 7 Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45: III. Lento assai - Allegro vivace 14:22
• Total Runtime 01:14:00

Info zu Rachmaninoff: The Bells & Symphonic Dances

Das Niederländische Rundfunkphilharmonieorchester und der Niederländische Rundfunkchor präsentieren unter der Leitung ihrer Chefdirigentin Karina Canellakis „Rachmaninoff: The Bells & Symphonic Dances“ – eine kraftvolle und ausdrucksstarke Interpretation dieser späten Meisterwerke von Sergei Rachmaninoff. In „The Bells“ zeichnen strahlende Chorklänge und eine farbenreiche Orchestrierung eine Reise nach, die von jugendlichem Schimmer und lyrischer Wärme über unheilvolles Läuten und überwältigendes Drama bis hin zu einer abschließenden Vision von gelassener Transzendenz führt.

Die herausragenden Solisten – Dmytro Popov, Kristina Mkhitaryan und Alexander Vinogradov – bringen stimmliche Brillanz und emotionale Tiefe ein, während der Chor den Text mit Klarheit und einem strahlenden, goldenen Klang zum Leuchten bringt. In „Symphonic Dances“ weichen rhythmische Vitalität und erdige Kraft Momenten der Nostalgie und Introspektion, die in einem kühnen und mitreißenden Finale gipfeln, das die unverkennbare Stimme des Komponisten in seinem letzten Orchesterwerk einfängt.

Canellakis, die international für ihre emotionsgeladenen Darbietungen, ihre technische Meisterschaft und ihre interpretatorische Tiefe gefeiert wird, hat sich zu einer der gefragtesten Dirigentinnen ihrer Generation entwickelt. Sie kehrt als Chefdirigentin des Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra zu PENTATONE zurück und baut damit eine Aufnahmepartnerschaft weiter aus, die mit dem für den GRAMMY nominierten Album „Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra“ (2023) begann und mit „Bartók: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle“ (2025) fortgesetzt wurde.

Dmytro Popov, Tenor (Track 1)
Kristina Mkhitaryan, Sopran (Track 2)
Alexander Vinogradov, Bass (Track 4)
Niederländischer Rundfunkchor (Tracks 1–4)
Niederländisches Rundfunkphilharmonieorchester
Karina Canellakis, Dirigentin

Kristina Mkhitaryan
is a graduate of the Galina Vishnevskaya Studio School Moscow. She went on to study with Ruzanna Lisician at Gnesinss Music College and upon completion continued her vocal education at the Gnessin Academy of Music. After finishing the academy, Kristina trained in the Bolshoi Theatre’s Youth Opera Program under the guidance of Dmitry Vdovin. This was an important step in her professional growth.

A wonderful competitor, Kristina has won multiple awards throughout her career, most notably Second Prize at the 2017 Operalia Competition. Earlier prizes include a diploma at the 24th Glinka International Vocal Competition (2011) and first prize at the Bella Voce, International Competition (2004). She took second prize at the 2012 Obukhova Singing Competition, Lipetsk, became a finalist at the Hans Gabor Belvedere International competition, Vienna, and tookthird place at the Francisco Vinas 49th International Singing Competition, Barcelona in the same year. She also won first prize at the Queen Sonja International Competition in Oslo (2013), 3rd prize at the Neue Stimmen Competition (2013) and first prize at the Viotti Competition in Vercelli (October 2014).

Kristina has worked with many established conductors including Bertrand de Billy, Keri-Lynn Wilson, Domingo Hindoyan, Placido Domingo, Yuri Bashmet, Lorenzo Viotti, Francesco Ivan Ciampa, Fedor Beznosikov, Sasha Yankevych, Evelino Pidò, Marco Armiliato, Renato Palumbo, Fabio Biondi, Mikhail Granovsky, Maxim Emelyanychev, Philipp Chizhevsky, Dmitry Sinkovsky, Yves Abel, Konstantin Orbelyan, Leonardo García Alarcón, Jakub Hrůša, Anton Grishanin and Jan Latham-Koenig to name a few.

Career highlights have included her performance as Micaëla in Barrie Kosky’s Carmen at the Royal Opera House, La Traviata at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper, Palm Beach Opera, ROH Muscat, Opera di Roma in Caracalla and Ópera de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. She has also performed Rigoletto(Gilda) with Opera Australia, Hamburgische Staatsoper and Opera Bastille, Eugene Onegin (Tatiana) at the Royal Opera and Ballet London, Liceu Barcelona and Teatro Real Madrid and Il Corsaro(Medora) at the Palau de les Arts Valencia. During her studies in the Bolshoi Theatre’s Youth Opera Program, Kristina performed several operas on the country’s main stage. These included La Traviata, Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, La Sonnambula, The Tsar’s Bride, The Story of Kay and Gerda and others. Kristina debuted with Dutch National Opera in Eliogabalo (Anicia Eritea), returning there in 2023 for her role debut in the title role of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda. She has also performed I Capuleti e I Montecchi (Giulietta) and La traviata at Bergen Opera, Les Indes Galantes and Il Giasone by Cavalli at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, as well as La Traviata and Rinaldo (Armida) at Glyndebourne Opera Festival. Kristina is also regularly engaged at the Wiener Staatsoper, with roles there including La Traviata, L’elisird’Amore (Adina) Carmen (Micaëla), Turandot (Liù), Massenet’s Manon and Les Pêcheurs de perles (Leila). She recently made her role debut as Mimi in La Bohème at the Metropolitan Opera, having previously performed the role of Musetta there.

Kristina’s concert repertoire includes Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Gorecki’s Third Symphony, Mozart’s Exsultate, Jubilate, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and the cantata Il Delirio Amoroso with the Radio France Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Alarcon. A couple of years ago, she performed concert versions of two one-act operas by Rachmaninoff Francesca da Rimini and Aleko – with the Munich Radio Orchestra, as well as a concert version of Donizetti’s Maria Padilla at the Teatro de la Maestranza. Not so long ago, Kristina performed a concert version of the opera La Bohème in Armenia, at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan. In addition, Kristina gives chamber concerts, mostly of Russian romances, which she has performed, among other places, at London’s Wigmore Hall. From time to time, she also gives solo concerts featuring Russian, French and Italian music.

Dmytro Popov
Ukranian tenor Dmytro Popov began his career as a soloist with the Kiev National Theatre. He came to international attention in 2013 when he performed the role of Rodolfo (La bohème) at The Royal Opera House. He became the youngest ever opera artist to be granted the title of Honoured Artist of Ukraine (2003) which recognises outstanding contribution to performing arts. In 2007, he won the prestigious Placido Domingo Operalia Competition.

Dmytro has performed multiple roles across the world at significant opera houses with highlights including; Rodolfo (La bohème) at The Metropolitan Opera, Don José (Carmen) at Teatro Regio di Torino, Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Cavaradossi (Tosca) and Rodolfo (Luisa Miller) with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vodemont (Iolanta) with Teatro Real Madrid, Macduff (Macbeth) with Opéra National de Lyon, Andrej (Mazeppa) with Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Un Ballo in maschera at Theatre du Capitole de Toulouse and at the Bolshoi. Other operatic appearances include Tosca at Oper Stuttgart and Dresden Semperoper, La traviata at Wiener Staatsoper and La bohème at Bayerische Staatsoper.

Concert appearances have included Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Andris Nelsons, Verdi's Requiem at the BBC Proms with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and with Vladimir Jurowski at the Royal Festival Hall.

Dmytro has also released his highly acclaimed debut solo record Hymns of Love with Orchid Classics, recorded with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.

He has recently sung Don Jose in Carmen at the Teatro di San Carlo, returned to the Metropolitan Opera for their revival of La boheme, Iolanta at the Wiener Staatsoper, and Rusalka with Den Norske Opera. On the concert platform, he has featured in The Bells with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and in a concert performance of Francesca da Rimini with the Berlin Philharmoniker.

Alexander Vinogradov
began his music education at the age of 7, starting with the piano and the clarinet. From 1994 to 1995 he was a student at the Moscow State Technical University, also known as the “Russian MIT”. Vinogradov became a student of the Moscow Conservatory in 1995. While still a student at the Conservatory, he made his debut with the Bolshoi Theatre at the age of 21 as Oroveso in “Norma”. Since then he has established a remarkable career and has won numerous prizes in international singing competitions.

Vinogradov has worked with many leading conductors including Gustavo Dudamel, Daniel Barenboim, Kent Nagano, Vladimir Jurowski, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, Zubin Mehta, Plácido Domingo, Valery Gergiev, Philippe Jordan, Antonio Pappano, Semyon Bychkov, Yuri Temirkhanov, Vasily Petrenko, Dmitrij Kitajenko, Helmuth Rilling, Myung-Whun Chung and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

His engagements have included Staatsoper Berlin, Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Opera National de Paris, Teatro alla Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Real Madrid, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Palau des les Arts in Valencia, Arena di Verona, Teatro La Fenice, Staatsoper Hamburg, Bayerische Staatsoper, Semperoper Dresden, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Opernhaus Zurich amongst other acclaimed opera houses around the world and international music festivals.

His extensive repertoire includes Escamillo in “Carmen”, Filippo II in “Don Carlo”, Procida in “I Vespri Siciliani”, Silva in “Ernani”, Zaccaria in “Nabucco”, Pimen in “Boris Godunov”, Sarastro in “Die Zauberflöte”, Oroveso in “Norma”, Raimondo in “Lucia di Lammermoor”, Don Basilio in “Il Barbiere die Siviglia”, Daland in “Der Fliegender Holländer”, Banquo in “Macbeth”, Leporello in “Don Giovanni”, Il Conte Walter in “Luisa Miller”, Padre Guardiano in “La Forza del Destino”, Selim in “Il Turco in Italia”, Orest in “Elektra”, Colline in “La Boheme”, Timur in “Turandot”, Mephistopheles in “Faust” and “La Damnation de Faust”, Prince Gremin in “Eugene Onegin”, Lanceotto Malatesta in Rachmaninov’s “Francesca da Rimini” and title roles in “Le Nozze di Figaro”, “Attila” and “Aleko”.

On the concert podium, he has performed with the Staatskapelle Berlin, Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester, RAI Torino, Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala, LA Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Russian National Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in Amsterdam, RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthaus Vienna and Berlin among others.

Vinogradov has an extensive discography including Shostakovich’s 13th and 14th Symphony with Vasily Petrenko, Rachmaninov Songs accompanied by Iain Burnside (Delphian), Mahler 8th Symphony with Gustavo Dudamel (Deutsche Gramophone), Petite Messe Solenelle with Dantone and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris (Naïve), Luisa Miller at Teatro La Fenice (Naxos), Carmen at Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin (Euro Arts).

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