Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025

Daniel Sæther

Biography

DANIEL SÆTHER is a trained countertenor from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Academy in The Hague.

Since 2011, he has performed as a countertenor both in Norway and internationally, giving concerts in Sweden, Italy, Spain, England, Vietnam, and Brazil, with a broad repertoire ranging from early music to contemporary works.

In Norway, he is in high demand as a soloist and ensemble singer in concerts, opera, and theater. He has worked with the National Theatre, the Norwegian National Opera, and the Oscarsborg Opera.

From 2018 to 2020, he was awarded the Norwegian State Artist Grant to work with contemporary music for countertenor on baroque instruments, documenting this through concerts and recordings.

He was instrumental in founding Ensemble C4, which has an extensive chamber music concert program in Norway, focusing on baroque and contemporary music.

In 2020, he released the album Unexpected Songs, followed by Vintersong in 2022 on LAWO Classics. Vintersong was nominated in four categories at the German Opus Klassik awards, including “Singer of the Year.”

In the spring of 2025, he will release his latest album, Yellow Sands, featuring commissioned works by Gisle Kverndokk, Lene Grenager, Bjørn Kruse, and Herman Vogt for countertenor and baroque instruments on LAWO Classics.

 

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Festival Performances Year 2025

Louis Vierne: Piano Quintet, op.42
Johan Dalene, Sonoko Miriam Welde (violins), Timothy Ridout (viola), Julia Hagen (cello), Leif Ove Andsnes (piano)

Interval

Arne Nordheim: From Three Unexpected Songs: 2. Ore, fermate il volo
Daniel Sæther (countertenor), “Ensemble C4”

Biagio Marini: Balletto secondo, op.22 no.2
«Ensemble C4»

Knut Vaage: “Opp av jorda” (Spring) (World première) text: Ruth Lillegraven
Daniel Sæther (countertenor), “Ensemble C4”

Johann Sebastian Bach: St John Passion, BWV 245
Benedikt Kristjánsson (tenor), Norwegian Soloists' Choir, Grete Pedersen (conductor), Baroque ensemble (no break) Evangelist: Benedikt K Jesus: Gunther Vandeven Petrus: Peder Arnt Kløvrud Pilatus: Jan Kuhar Ancilla: Magnhild Korsvik Servus: Øystein Stensheim Von den Stricken meiner Sünden: Marian Dijkhuizen, contralto Ich folge dir gleichfalls: Ditte Marie Bræin, soprano Ach, mein Sinn: Benedikt K Betrachte, meine Seele: OlleHolmgren, bass Erwäge: Benedikt Eilt, ihr angefochten Seelen: DavidMcCune, bass Es ist vollbracht: Mari Askvik, contralto Mein teurer Heiland: Olle Holmgren Mein Herz: Benedikt Zerfliesse, mein Herze: Hanne MaritMordal Iversen, soprano

“Grand Finale in Three Parts”

Alesandro Scarlatti: Sinfonia di concerto grosso no.8 in G major
«Ensemble C4»

Edvard Grieg: From Six Romances, op.39
Mari Eriksmoen (soprano), James Baillieu (piano)

Henri Duparc: Three Songs
Eirik Grøtvedt (tenor), Yulianna Avdeeva (piano)

Geirr Tveitt: 3 Folk Tunes from Hardanger
Leif Ove Andsnes (piano)

Knut Vaage: “kom lindereid kom” (Summer) (World première) text: Erlend O. Nødtvedt
Daniel Sæther (countertenor), “Ensemble C4”

Interval

Felix Mendelssohn: String Octet in E-flat Major, op.20
Opus13 (String Quartet), Johan Dalene, Oda Holt Günther (violins), Timothy Ridout (viola), Julia Hagen (cello)

Interval

Antonio Vivaldi: Trio Sonata no.12 in D minor, RV 63 “Follia Variations”
«Ensemble C4»

Louis Andriessen: Workers Union
Festival musicians