Virgin Classics Signs Diana Damrau Exclusive

Virgin Classics has the pleasure of announcing the signing of a long-term exclusive recording contract with German soprano Diana Damrau. Her first release on the label (due out January 2008) will be a recital programme of opera arias by Mozart, Salieri and Righini, with the recently founded period instrument ensemble, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, under the direction of its conductor, Jérémie Rhorer.

Alain Lanceron, President of Virgin Classics, on the new signing: “In just a few years, Diana Damrau has risen in stature to become one of the small circle of singers who define the modern history of opera performance. Virgin Classics is proud to welcome her to a roster already so rich in vocal talent.”

Diana Damrau, born in Günzburg an der Donau in Germany, studied at the Musikhochschule Würzburg with Carmen Hanganu and in Salzburg with Hanna Ludwig. Her first engagements took place at the Stadtheater Würzburg and the Nationaltheater Mannheim at Oper Frankfurt. In 2002, Ms. Damrau’s international career was launched and she was invited to sing at the most important theatres in Munich, Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg.

Soon thereafter, the artist appeared in Vienna, Brussels, Washington and London and since 2002 at the Salzburg Festival. Ms. Damrau has sung under the direction of renowned conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Lorin Maazel, Sir Colin Davis, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Riccardo Muti, Ivor Bolton, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Pierre Boulez and Peter Schneider on the opera stage as well as the concert podium.

For further information on Diana Damrau, visit her website at Diana-damrau.com.