Product Description Iraq. Dafur. The Middle East... Our neighborhoods. Our own hearts, arguably the cradle of the peace or war we find around us. Sweet Peace is a moving collection of international classical songs that celebrate peace or express the tragedy of war. The texts of this album span five previous centuries, yet the emotions expressed are entirely of our time: the joy of those reunited with loved ones at war's end, the anguish of a soldier's widow; an individual's desperate yearning for inner peace and the relief of one whom it has visited. '....sweet peace and consoling peace, that places a cool kiss upon all scars..., that descends upon the weary...' Georges Boutelleau Will our human nature ever evolve to keep pace with our technical ability to destroy one another? Perhaps if it is our priority. Think peace. Speak peace. Act peace. Pray for peace. And sing peace. Claire Stadtmueller made her Carnegie Hall debut in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with David Randolph and the St. Cecilia Chorus and Orchestra. Egon Stadelman wrote for the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, 'Of the solo quartet, soprano Claire Stadtmueller was by far the most outstanding. She enjoyed a star moment and took advantage of it to the loudly exclaimed enthusiasm of the audience.' She has since performed at Carnegie Hall in Handel's Israel in Egypt, Mozart's Requiem and Mass in C Minor, Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, and Bach's Christmas Oratorio and St. Matthew Passion. She has also appeared at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, and on National Public Radio's A Prairie Home Companion and WGBH Boston's Classics in the Morning with host Ron della Chiesa. Opera roles she has performed include the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor, Pamina (The Magic Flute), Miss Silverpeal (The Impresario), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), Rosario (Granados' Goyescas), Dew Fairy (Hansel and Gretel) and the Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors). As a recitalist, Ms. Stadtmueller has performed at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, at New York City's Trinity Church, and on numerous series in New Jersey and Rhode Island. *************** Michael Strauss studied at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and began his teaching career at the University of the Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, where he taught piano, chamber-music and was head vocal coach of the Opera Department. As a performer, Mr. Strauss has been associated with the South African Broadcasting Company, appearing frequently as a soloist and accompanist on radio and television. He has also been the featured concerto soloist with the main orchestras of the country. For the past ten years Mr. Strauss has been active in and around the Boston area as a performer, accompanist, conductor and vocal coach. He has recorded with various chamber music ensembles for WGBH radio. His conducting credits include the New England premiere of Bizet's The Pearlfishers. He has also toured with The Boston Music Theater featuring American music in Brussels in 1999 for the 50th anniversary of NATO and more recently in 2001 in Paris and Brussels. In July 2002 he performed with the same group in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Mr. Strauss is currently an opera coach for the department of opera studies at New England Conservatory. He is also on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory. Review "...richly communicative singer, her music making is as strong and direct as the message of the works she presents." -- Thomas Hinds, Music Director, Montgomery Symphony"...richly communicative singer; her music making is as strong and direct as the message of the works she presents." -- Thomas Hinds, Music Director, Montgomery Symphony Orchestra"...thanks for your beautiful CD 'Sweet Peace.' I love it." -- Frederica von Stade, mezzo soprano, letter 11/14/02"Of the solo quartet, soprano Claire Stadtmueller was by far the most outstanding." (Carnegie Hall, Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis".) -- Egon Stadelman, New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, May 9-15, 1998"She brings to these songs a fine clear soprano voice, impeccable diction and a wonderful feeling for the text." -- Thomas Lawlor for the Warwick Beacon"Stadtmueller stood out considerably. Her timbre and demeanor reminded me of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf." (Carnegie Hall, Mozart's "Mass - C Minor") -- Egon Stadelman, "New Yorker Staats-Zeitung", December 19-25, 1998"Stadtmueller stood out considerably. Her timbre and demeanor reminded me of Elizabeth Schwarzkopf." (Carnegie Hall, Mozart's "Mass - C Minor" -- Egon Stadelman, New Yorker Staats Zeitung, December 19-25, 1998"Thanks for the very beautiful CD....Your voice sounds accurate and expressive." -- Ned Rorem, composer, letter 9/5/02"Thanks for the very beautiful cd." "Your voice sounds accurate and expressive." -- Ned Rorem, composer, in a letter dated September 5, 2002 From the Artist The texts of this album span five previous centuries, yet the emotions expressed are entirely of our time: the joy of those reunited with loved ones at war's end, the anguish of a soldier's widow; an individual's desperate yearning for inner peace and the relief of one whom it has visited. "....sweet peace and consoling peace, that places a cool kiss upon all scars..., that descends upon the weary..." Will our human nature ever evolve to keep pace with our technical ability to destroy one another? Perhaps if it is our priority. Think peace. Speak peace. Act peace. Pray for peace. And sing peace. About the Artist Claire Stadtmueller made her Carnegie Hall debut in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in 1998. She has since performed at Carnegie Hall in Handel's Israel in Egypt, Mozart's Requiem and Mass in C Minor, Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, and Bach's Christmas Oratorio. She has also appeared at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, and on National Public Radio's A Prairie Home Companion and WGBH Boston's Classics in the Morning. Opera roles she has performed include the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor, Pamina (The Magic Flute), Miss Silverpeal (The Impresario), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), Rosario (Granados' Goyescas), Dew Fairy (Hansel and Gretel) and the Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors). As a recitalist, Ms. Stadtmueller has performed at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, at New York City's Trinity Church, and on numerous series on the East Coast. Michael Strauss has taught piano, chamber music and was head vocal coach of the Opera Department at the University of the Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. As a performer, Mr. Strauss has been associated with the South African Broadcasting Company, appearing frequently as soloist and accompanist on radio and television. For the past ten years Mr. Strauss has been active in the Boston area as a performer, accompanist, conductor and vocal coach. He has toured Brussels, Paris, Moscow and St. Petersburg with The Boston Music Theater. He is currently an opera coach for the department of opera studies at New England Conservatory. See more