Agnieszka Rehlis

 

Mezzo-soprano. Graduated with distinction from Vocal Studies at the K. Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław (1996), where for three years she held scholarships from the Ministry of Culture and Art. Won the 1st Prize at the Franciszka Platówna Vocal Competition in Wrocław (1991), and the 3rd Prize at the 3rd Interuniversity Vocal Competition at Duszniki Zdrój (1994). Participated in numerous master courses with Krystyna Szostek-Radkowa, Adele Stolte, Christian Elsner, and Gerhard Kahry, culminating in the concerts of the “Wratislavia Cantans” Oratory and Cantata Music Festival.

 

Agnieszka Rehlis was a soloist of the Wrocław Opera in 1996–2007, where she had her stage début in 1996 as Jadwiga in S. Moniuszko’s “Haunted Manor”. With the Wrocław Opera, she performed numerous major roles, including Fenena in “Nabucco”, Flora in “La Traviata”, Meg Page in “Falstaff”, Magdalena in “Rigoletto”, Siebel in Ch. Gounod’s “Faust”, Mercedes in G. Bizet’s “Carmen”, Eurydyka in Z. Rudziński’s “Antygona”, and in W. A. Mozart’s operas: Cherubin in “The Marriage of Figaro” and Dorabella in “Cosi fan tutte”. With the Wrocław Opera, the artist toured Germany, the Netherlands, England, Ireland, Belgium, France, Italy, and Taiwan. At the same time she participated in grand opera productions held at Wrocław’s Hala Ludowa (“Carmen”, “Nabucco”, “Il Trovatore”, “Haunted Manor”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “Gold of Rhein”) and in the premiere production of A. Ponchielli’s “Gioconda” presented on the River Odra in Wrocław and recorded live by Polish National TV (2003).

 

In 2003 she had her debut in the Grand Theatre-National Opera in Warsaw as Fenena in Verdi’s “Nabucco”. The artist performs primarily oratorios and cantatas, and her repertoire covers over sixty such works, ranging from J. S. Bach to K. Penderecki.

 

She has given concerts in philharmonic halls of Poland and Europe: Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Ukraine, Lithuania, Austria, Latvia, Russia, Slovenia, and Spain”.

 

Rehlis performed at international festivals, including Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival, “Wratislavia Cantans”, Chopin Festival at Duszniki Zdrój, International Meetings East–West in Zielona Góra, the Probaltica Festival of Music and Art from the Baltic States in Toruń, Usedomer Music Festival in Peenemunde, Festival Pablo Casals in Prades (France), festivals of sacred music in Marseilles and Nuremberg, George Enescu International Festival, Rheingau Music Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, “Contrasts” International Music Festival in Lviv (Ukraine), Pražské Jaro Festival, and the Beijing Music Festival, and worked with recognised conductors including Jiří Bělohlávek, Gabriel Chmura, Lawrence Foster, Marco Guidarini, Gustavo Dudamel, Jacek Kaspszyk, Kazimierz Kord, Bramwell Tovey, Antoni Wit, and Long Yu, and was accompanied by recognized orchestras including Polish National Radio Symphonic Orchestra, NDR Symphonic Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de la Juventud Venezolana Simón Bolivar, Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra. The artist has repeatedly performed in concerts conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki in Poland and abroad, performing his works such as: “Polish Requiem”, “Te Deum”, “Credo” and “Seven Gates of Jerusalem” (at International Fair Midem Classique 2000 in Cannes) and participated in the world premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki’s Symphony No. 8 “Lieder der Vergänglichkeit” (“Songs of Transitoriness”).

 

In September 2005, Rehlis recorded K. Penderecki’s “Te Deum”, and in 2006 “Lieder der Vergänglichkeit” both on Naxos label. Other of her recording received the FRYDERYK Awards of the Phonographic Academy – I. J. Paderewski’s “Manru” (in the category: Most Outstanding Recording of Polish Music, 2004), Stanislaw Moniuszko’s “Masses” part 1 (in the category: Album of the Year – Choral and Oratory Music, 2009). The second CD with Moniuszko’s “Masses” under DUX label was awarded by the French Academie du Disque Lyrique with the “Golden Orfeus – Arturo Toscanini” (in the category: Best phonographic initiative). The artist has also made DVD recordings, including K. Penderecki’s “Polish Requiem” performed at a concert commemorating the anniversary of the tragic events of December 1970 in Szczecin Shipyards or “Seven Gates of Jerusalem” directed by Jaroslaw Minkowicz and Tomasz Baginski, which won the Grand Prix – the “Czech Crystal” (in the section “music on screen”) at the International Television Festival– Golden Prague.

 

Last artistic season, apart from important performances of oratory music (like Maciejewski’s “Requiem” at the Westminster Cathedral in London) brought her success in the field of opera. Agnieszka Rehlis took part in the first stage production of Mieczysław Weinberg’s opera “The Passenger” directed by David Poutney at the Bregenz Festiwal. She also sung at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg in a guest ballet spectacle of the Warsaw Grand Theatre entitled “Chopin”. Excellent roles in premiere spectacles at the Grand Theatre-National Opera such as: Mafio Orsini in Donizetti’s “Lukrezia Borgia”, Lisa in Weinberg’s “The Passenger” or Wagner’s “Wesendonk Lieder” to the words of Matilda Wesendonk at the premiere of the ballet “Tristan” as well as Berlioz’s song in the ballet “Chopin” were very highly rated by the audience and the critics.

 

On 14th January 2011 Agnieszka Rehlis had the honor to perform in a special concert at the Warsaw Philharmonic which officially closed the celebrations of the Chopin Year. Together with the Orchestra Sinfonia Varsovia under the baton of Valery Gergiev she performed the newest work of Krzysztof Penderecki “A Sea of Dreams Did Breathe on Me”, composed to the words of Polish poets.

 

Year 2014 brings her debut in Houston Grand Opera, TX, USA, her debut in New York at Lincoln Center Festival, as well as tour in Israel with Maestro Krzystof Penderecki and Israel Philahrmonic Orchestra with Polish Requiem by K. Penderecki.