Luba Orgonasova hails from Slovakia and sings at all the major opera
houses of the world. She is one of the most sought-after interpreters of
lyrical coloratura parts in the fields of opera and concert performance.
She was one of Herbert von Karajan's last discoveries: in 1990 she sang the
part of Marzelline (Fidelio) at the Salzburg Festival - a role that marked
the beginning of her meteoric career.
The Dutch musician Ton Koopman was born in 1944 and ranks among the
outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He
studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to
conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original
instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating,
historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded
the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the
Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher,
Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of
the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles,
teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the
Royal Music Academy in London. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back
to the "Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum" founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has
been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been
the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in
addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs
regularly at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche.
