FOTO: BETTINA VOLKE
News
JANA KURUCOVÁ
J
K
„In each song, Jana Kurucová showcased not only the natural beauty and plasticity of her mezzo-soprano but also a deep sensitivity to expressive details (accompanied by fitting facial expressions), as well as technical mastery of long phrases, extending to painterly, ethereal arcs."
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MAHLER: THE BOY'S MAGIC HORN
Raiskin, Kurucová, Plachetka
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FESTIVAL "SMETANOVA LITOMYŠL"
SLOVAK PHILHARMONIC BRATISLAVA
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SONG RECITALS
VOICE & PIANO
CURRE
NT
JANA KURUCOVÁ & STEPHAN MATTHIAS LADEMANN​
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The collaboration between Jana Kurucová and Stephan Matthias Lademann has been ongoing for several years and is characterized by an intense musical exchange and shared artistic development.
At the heart of their work lies a carefully curated song program encompassing a stylistically and culturally diverse repertoire. The two artists devote themselves to songs and literary-inspired vocal settings from the Slovak, Czech, German, and French cultural spheres, combining musical refinement with interpretative depth.
Their programs are distinguished by stylistic variety, linguistic sensitivity, and a close interweaving of music and literature—an intimate duo recital that brings different traditions into dialogue.
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Beethoven: To Hope Op. 94 (ger.)
Beethoven: Songs Op. 75 (ger.)
Berg: Seven early songs (ger.)
Brahms: Gypsy songs Op. 103 (ger.)
Brahms: selected songs (ger.)
Chausson: Perpetual song (fr.)
Cikker: 10 Lullabies (sk)
Debussy: selected songs (fr.)
DvoÅ™ák: From the Queen’s Manuscript Op. 7 (cz)
DvoÅ™ák: In the National Tone Op. 73 (sk)
DvoÅ™ák: Love Songs Op. 83 (cz)
DvoÅ™ák: Gypsy Songs Op. 55 (cz)
REPERTOIR
DvoÅ™ák: Biblical Songs Op. 99 (cz)
Fauré: The good song (fr)
de Falla: Seven spanish folk songs (sp)
Grieg: Six Songs Op. 48 (ger.)
Hindemith: selected songs (ger.)
Hrušovský: Three Reflections (sk)
Mahler: Five Songs (ger.)
Mahler: Songs on the death of children (ger.)
Mahler: The boy's magic horn (selection) (ger.)
Schneider-Trnavský: Little Flowers (sk)
Schoenberg: Four Songs Op. 2 (ger.)
Schubert: selected songs (ger.)
Schumann: selected songs (ger.)
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"It was another fascinating experience to observe the sensitivity of each song (...) in its specific moods and layers of expression. Delicacy, inner emotional movements, gentle legato phrases on the piano, the nuanced use of vibrato from almost none to natural, and above all, emotion and poetry—these are perhaps the key features that Jana Kurucová, together with her pianist, infused into Alma Mahler's songs, delighting the listener."
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ALMA MAHLER: FIVE SONGS
Kurucová, Lademann​
SLOVAK PHILHARMONIC BRATISLAVA
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STEPHAN MATTHIAS LADEMANN
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Born in Meissen, the pianist Stephan Matthias Lademann discovered his passion for chamber music and song interpretation during his studies at the Hochschule für Musik Dresden. He has been based in Vienna since 1997 and is now regarded as one of the most sought-after song accompanists of his generation. He has collaborated with artists such as Vera-Lotte Boecker, Diana Damrau, Paul Armin Edelmann, Daniela Fally, Edita Gruberova, Günther Groissböck, Robert Holl, Matthias Hausmann, Marlis Petersen, René Pape, Chen Reiss, Sibylla Rubens, and Robert Dean Smith. He has appeared in major international concert halls and at leading festivals, including the Salzburg Festival, Carnegie Hall in New York, La Scala in Milan, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Vienna Musikverein, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Berlin State Opera, the Munich Opera Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, as well as numerous other renowned European venues.
His discography reflects an exceptional stylistic range: alongside a live recording with Diana Damrau at the Salzburg Festival, it includes world premiere recordings of Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn in its original piano version and Das Lied von der Erde for tenor, baritone, and piano; the multi-award-winning CD Dimensionen – WELT with Marlis Petersen; and Robert Schumann’s song cycle Myrten, released as Songs and Letters with Martina Gedeck and Sebastian Koch. Since 2009, Lademann has also devoted himself to music-and-literature projects with renowned actors.
In addition to his performing career, he is Professor of Song and Oratorio Interpretation at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and regularly gives masterclasses in Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey, China, and Mexico City.
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BIOGRAPHY
​HAMBURG STATE OPERA
SONG RECITAL: DVOŘÁK, A. MAHLER, SCHÖNBERG...
STEPHAN MATTHIAS LADEMANN - PIANO
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„Kurucová succeeds in conveying a wide range of emotions with her warm, effortlessly modulated, and flawlessly controlled voice, even to those who do not understand Czech."
"Jana Kurucová, through her passion, dreaminess, and a musical wink during 'I walk among flowers,' wins us over to Alma Mahler's talent and her individuality and distinctiveness as a woman and composer."
"As an encore, Kurucová and Lademann presented us with the singer's favorite song, 'The Room,' by Alban Berg. With this short piece, which speaks of warmth and affection, she then sent her audience, who were captivated by the entire performance, into the holiday season.“
(Foto: Lydia Stach)
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SLOVAK PHILHARMONIC BRATISLAVA
SONG RECITAL: DVOŘÁK, A. MAHLER, HRUŠOVSKÝ, SCHÖNBERG
STEPHAN MATTHIAS LADEMANN - PIANO
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"Jana Kurucová has mastered this cycle (DvoÅ™ák: *Songs on Words from the Manuscript of the King's Scribe*, Op. 7) for quite some time... Her expressive interpretation of each song is characterized by honesty and emotional depth, thoughtfully crafted down to the smallest detail. In the opening ballad, "Kytice," the soloist reveals a soft, warm tone that caresses the listener’s senses in gentle phrases. "Róže," the title of the second song, is delivered in an enchanting legato, with dynamic nuances ranging from the faintest pianissimo to piano, and a profound connection to every word...She presented the complete cycle of five songs (Alma Mahler)... It was another fascinating experience to observe the sensitivity of each song (...) in its specific moods and layers of expression. Delicacy, inner emotional movements, gentle legato phrases on the piano, the nuanced use of vibrato from almost none to natural, and above all, emotion and poetry—these are perhaps the key features that Jana Kurucová, together with her pianist, infused into Alma Mahler's songs, delighting the listener...The final section was dedicated to Arnold Schoenberg and his work *4 Songs, Op. 2*. Jana Kurucová contributed a soft, sculpted, velvety tone to the individual songs, with sensitive shading of vocal expression (reminding me of the magic of brush and color palette when painting a picture), dynamics, and feeling."
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CZECH PHILHARMONIC PRAGUE
CONCERT: BERG: SEVEN EARLY SONGS
(Jindra, Tschechisches Rundfunk Orchester)
„The soloist was mezzo-soprano Jana Kurucová, who gave the songs a distinctive, darker hue in the predominantly lower and middle registers. In contrast, her higher registers opened impressively into a clearer timbre, which I found particularly striking in her performance. She navigated even the more complex passages of the part with clarity and assurance, demonstrating quick changes in register and expression. Jana Kurucová interpreted each song in a unique way, paying attention to their different characters. She blended very well with the strings in the lyrical song "The Nightingale," delivered the evocative "Love Ode" superbly, and sang the concluding song "Summer Days" with real intensity and impact.“
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SELECTED REVIEWS FROM VARIOUS SONG RECITALS WITH ORCHESTRA AND PIANO
FESTIVAL "SMETANOVA LITOMYŠL"
SLOV. PHILHARMONIC BRATISLAVA
MAHLER: THE BOY'S MAGIC HORN
Kurucová, Plachetka, Raiskin
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„In each song, Jana Kurucová showcased not only the natural beauty and plasticity of her mezzo-soprano but also a deep sensitivity to expressive details (accompanied by fitting facial expressions), as well as technical mastery of long phrases, extending to painterly, ethereal arcs."
SLOVAK PHILHARMONIC BRATISLAVA
BEETHOVEN: SONGS
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„Kurucová is a mature artist, and art song suits her exceptionally well. She demonstrates how much musicality, extraordinary talent, and expressive depth lie within her. Her phrases are shaped in sweeping arcs, free of pathos but charged with remarkable inner energy. Her interpretation of Beethoven is tasteful and classical, with a subtle romanticism that surfaces even in these masterful songs.“
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https://blog.sme.sk/vierapolakovicova/kultura
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“Beethoven’s An die Hoffnung, Op. 94, offered Jana Kurucová a wonderful opportunity for sensitive, refined, and expressive musicianship. The entire spectrum of colors and dynamics could be heard, and together with Róbert Pechanec, they delivered a solid yet flexible structure, rich in contrasts. Her voice was resonant in every register and at every dynamic level, and when she soared into forte, it was not an operatic sound but a concert-style tone. The song concluded with an ethereal pianissimo.”
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ARTE TV- CONCERT BERLIN
EUROPE @ HOME SLOVAKIA
(Daniel Hope)
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"The program Jana Kurucová selected followed a clear logic within the context of the concert’s theme—it focused on showcasing her homeland through the distinctive melodies of Slovakia. Daniel Hope hosted the concert in English, while it was the artist’s role not only to perform the songs but also to introduce them, explain their content, and elaborate on the reasons behind her program choices. Additionally, she charmed the audience with anecdotes about her homeland and its beauty. Jana Kurucová accomplished this with her unique charm, grace, and sincerity, expressing her love for Slovakia—its people, its nature, and its music.
The centerpiece of the 47-minute program featured songs by Mikuláš Schneider-Trnavský and Antonín DvoÅ™ák. With this selection, she idealized Slovakia as a land full of beautiful melodies and stunning nature. However, she gently reminded the audience twice that while Slovaks are warm-hearted and generous people, they can occasionally show a touch of jealousy.
Her primary goal was to convey the deep love she feels for the country beneath the Tatra mountains—the land where she grew up. This love, intensified by physical distance, also evokes an ever-deepening longing for her homeland. A similar sentiment was evident in the reflections of Lucia Popp and Edita Gruberová, shaped by the isolation of the totalitarian era."
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STATE PHILHARMONIC KOŠICE
CHAUSSON:POÉME DE L'AMOUR ET DE L'AMER Op.19
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"A Concert That Won’t Be Easily Forgotten."
"Jana Kurucová (soloist at the Deutsche Oper Berlin) impressed with profound expression, clarity of text, and the effortless beauty of her voice. Her high and low notes were equally dynamic and captivating, and in passages with the cello, they delved into the depths of darkness. Her vocal and verbal expressions were precise and impactful in the legato lines, nasal vowels, sustained tones, and in words like “le mort,” “l’amour,” and “la mer” (death, love, the sea). The singer created stunning musical imagery and evoked visions that transported the listener to the very edge of their emotions."
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