Josep-Ramon OlivÈ’s winning performance included Mompou’sJo et pressentia com la mar (Combat del somni, No. 3), Schubert’s Du bist die Ruh, D776, Duparc’s Le manoir de Rosemonde,
Rachmaninov’s O dolgo budu ja, Op. 4 No. 3 and Strauss’ Heimliche Aufforderung (Secret invitation), Op. 27 No. 3 with
pianist Lana Bode. His programme also featured Handel’sSe il mar promette calma (from Lotario HWV 26), Korngold’sMein Sehnen, mein W‰hnen (from Die tote Stadt) and Rossini’s Largo al factotum (from Il barbiere di Siviglia,
accompanied by the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dominic Wheeler.
The other Gold Medal finalists, Daniel Shelvey, Bianca Andrew and Samuel Carl also
performed programmes of songs and arias of their choice before a Barbican
Hall audience.
Josep-Ramon OlivÈ
commented:
“I am completely overwhelmed, it’s a dream come true to win the Gold
Medal. It’s a great achievement that is the icing on the cake for my
time at the Guildhall School. I would like to thank my family, friends,
fellow colleagues at the School and of course my tutor
Professor Rudolf Piernay.”
The Final took place before a distinguished panel of judges including the
Guildhall School’s new Principal Lynne Williams; General
Director of Glyndebourne Sebastian F. Schwarz;
Vice-Principal & Director of Music, Guildhall SchoolJonathan Vaughan; Head of Opera, Guildhall SchoolDominic Wheeler; and accompanist Malcolm Martineau.
The Gold Medal award was founded and endowed by Sir H. Dixon Kimber in
1915. Since 1950 it has been open to singers and instrumentalists in
alternate years. Previous winners include William Primrose (1922),
Jacqueline du PrÈ (1960), Patricia Rozario (1979), Tasmin Little (1986) and
Bryn Terfel (1989).
Born in Barcelona, baritone Josep-Ramon OlivÈ studied at the Escola
Superior de Musica de Catalunya, followed by the Guildhall School’s Opera
Course. He is currently on the Artist Diploma programme under Professor
Rudolf Piernay and is a recipient of the Harry Rolfe Award.
His operatic roles include Il Conte in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro
, Tarquinius in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Orfeo in
Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Lesbo in Handel’s Agrippina, Aeneas
in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, Frank in Strauss’Die Fledermaus, Pantalone in Wolf-Ferrari’s Le donne curiose, ThÈsÈe in Martin?’s Ariane (
review
) and Uberto in Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona. His Oratorio
repertoire includes Brahms Ein Deutches Requiem, FaurÈRequiem, DuruflÈ Requiem, Mozart Requiem, OrffCarmina Burana, Handel Messiah and Bach B minor Mass, Magnificat.
He has performed with the London Handel Orchestra, Les Concert des Nations,
HespÈrion XXI, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of
Enlightenment. He has performed all around the world in venues including:
Palau de la M˙sica Catalana, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Konzerthaus Vienna,
Philharmonie de Paris, and the Barbican Hall. He has collaborated with
Jordi Savall, Kazushi Ono, Laurence Cummings and Sigiswald, Kujken and has
recorded for Alia-Vox, Columna M˙sica, Phaedra, Discmedi and MusiËpoca
labels. He is currently a member of the Capaella Reial de Catalunya,
conducted by Jordi Savall.
Josep-Ramon was awarded First Prize, as well as the Audience Prize, at the
2015 Handel Singing Competition; Second Prize at the 2013 International
Singing Competition ‘Symphonies d’AutÙmne’ (M‚con); Second Prize at the
2013 International Singing Competition ‘Germans Pla’ (Balaguer) and Second
Prize at the 2011 Concurso Permanente of Juventudes Musicales de EspaÒa. In
2015 he was nominated for ‘Oxford Lieder Young Artist’, together with
pianist Ben-San Lau.
His future plans include The Count in Le nozze di Figaro with
Clonter Opera; and Le Jardin des Voix Academy with William Christie and
Paul Agnew.
image=http://www.operatoday.com/Guildhall%20School%20Gold%20Medal%202017_Winner%20baritone%20Josep-Ramon%20Oliv%C3%A9_2%28c%29Clive%20Totman.JPG
image_description=Guildhall School Gold Medal
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product_title=Guildhall School Gold Medal
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product_id=Above: Josep-Ramon OlivÈ_
Photo credit: Clive Totman