Jordlys Hege Høisæter

• Gisle Kverndokk (b. 1967):
• 1 Hälfte des Lebens 05:12
• Kjell Mørk Karlsen (b. 1947): Engel og stjerne:
• 2 Engel og stjerne: I. Dette eine 02:36
• 3 Engel og stjerne: II. Kvarandre 01:39
• 4 Engel og stjerne: III. Jamne bølgjer 01:51
• 5 Engel og stjerne: IV. Engel og stjerne 01:57
• 6 Engel og stjerne: V. Ingenting 03:08
• Synne Skouen (b. 1950):
• 7 Essay-ord 02:16
• Thomas Sleeper (b. 1956): Triptych:
• 8 Triptych: I. Before the passion 02:17
• 9 Triptych: II. Crucifixus 01:58
• 10 Triptych: III. Pietà 02:09
• Synne Skouen:
• 11 Memento Malin 03:06
• Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen (1903 - 1984): Trøytt hjarte:
• 12 Trøytt hjarte: I. Ver still mi sjel 02:09
• 13 Trøytt hjarte: II. Trøytt hjarte 01:53
• 14 Trøytt hjarte: III. Da du var ung 02:28
• Synne Skouen:
• 15 Det bittelille lyset 01:17
• Synne Skouen: Tåkesanger:
• 16 Tåkesanger: I. Sang 1 01:04
• 17 Tåkesanger: II. Sang 2 01:18
• 18 Tåkesanger: III. Elfis parole 00:38
• 19 Tåkesanger: IV. Sang 3 00:23
• 20 Tåkesanger: V. Sang 4 01:09
• 21 Tåkesanger: VI. Call Notes 01:25
• Kjell Mørk Karlsen: Ein stille vind:
• 22 Ein stille vind: I. Svevnens kjærleik 02:12
• 23 Ein stille vind: II. Har vore 02:53
• 24 Ein stille vind: III. Ein stille vind 02:39
• 25 Ein stille vind: IV. Berre veit 01:47
• 26 Ein stille vind: V. Uboteleg 05:28
• Synne Skouen:
• 27 Ordløs 00:53
• Rolf Wallin (b. 1957): Drei Gedichte von Rainer Maria Rilke:
• 28 Drei Gedichte von Rainer Maria Rilke: I. Liebes-Lied 03:23
• 29 Drei Gedichte von Rainer Maria Rilke: II. Buddha in der Glorie 04:18
• 30 Drei Gedichte von Rainer Maria Rilke: III. Schlußstück 02:30
• Total Runtime 01:07:56

Info for Jordlys

Classical singing is a meditation shared with an audience, an insightful sing­ing teacher once said to me. My profes­sional path — the process of developing voice and musicality to my present pro­fessional level — has, in addition to remarkable musical experiences and a wee bit of glamour, also presented many ob­stacles and challenges. I have been com­pelled to come face to face with myself again and again in order to continue. Fascinating and broadening it has been, this privileged journey, yet also de­manding and difficult at times. Coaches and close friends have made audacious leaps possible. In addition, I have had along the way experienced companions in all the superb composers and writers for whom I have been allowed to be an in­strument.

I had an ardent wish to be able to re­cord and share some of these musical treasures from my own generation, while my human, transient voice is still in its prime and I can function as an in­strument for these works. In close in­teraction with the musicians of course — one by one in this somewhat unusual repertoire — in serious, beautiful, jar­ring, strange songs, which deserve to be heard and preserved for posterity.

Some of the songs were composed with my voice in mind. I have collaborated closely with most of these compos­ers over the years — I have partici­pated in premiere performances of operas and larger and smaller-scale works of Skouen, Kverndokk, Mørk Karlsen, and Wallin. One deceased composer, Sparre Olsen, and one foreign guest, American Thomas Sleeper, have been included in somewhat irregular fashion, but their welcome into this circle is no less gen­uine and heartfelt.

I had a few other Norwegian contemporary composers on the guest list, but with space limited, I had to draw the line. There will be other opportunities per­haps?

Decisions regarding the selection of songs (and their texts) were made along the way, with a few numbers even added after the recording had begun. Such was the case with Synne Skouen's Memento Malin in connection with the staging of the opera Ballerina at the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in 2017 (the work earned Skouen a nomination for the Nordic Council Music Prize), and Engel og stjerne (Angel and Star), written for cellist Frida Fredrikke Waaler Wærvågen and this writer on the occasion of a Mørk Karlsen concert in Kampen Church in November 2016. Tåke­sanger (Fogsongs) was completed in 2014 but then set aside and has its premiere performance on this release … with the help of modern tech­nology; the work was originally intended for a live ensemble.

It is not a total coincidence perhaps that the earliest authors here — Hölder­lin and Rilke — have been important sources of inspiration for several of our contemporary writers, Jon Fosse be­ing one example. Transcience, autumn and death, religious contemplation and mys­ticism, of utmost importance also life’s miracles, love, nature ... as the some­what introspective native of Norway’s west coast that I am, I feel a deep kin­ship with these manifestations of life’s quest and find immense joy and profound meaning in being able to give expression to them. And am happy to be able to add a few Breathers and a little humour!

It is my hope that others listening to this CD will be able to discover a bit of light and sustenance for their own journey. (Hege Høysæter)

Hege Høisæter, mezzo-soprano

Hege Høisæter
also received wonderful reviews for her leading role as Edith in a world premiere of Synne Skouen’s Ballerina at The Norwegian Opera & Ballet, September 2017. After having been a member of the soloist roster there for 14 years, her career as a full-time freelancer is now escalating.

In September 2018 she returned to The Norwegian Opera & Ballet as the Countess in The Queen of Spades: ”Hege Høisæter is magnetic as the nostalgic and bitter, ageing Countess.” Aftenposten, 2018

She already started fulfilling her 4 contracts with The Gothenburg Opera performing in ALL the Ring Cycle Operas 2018-2021; in the roles of Erda (both), a Valkyrie and 1st Norne. The premiere of Rhenguldet, including her first Erda, was in this setting broadcast in real time on Sveriges Radio on November 17th 2018.

In February 2019 she sang Maddalena at The Kristiansund Opera Festival. In March the same year she performed the role of The Wife for Oslo International Church Music Festival at the Europe premiere of Upon This Handful of Earth (Kverndokk/Bull). Among her future plans are two major roles for The Norwegian Opera & Ballet – in 21 and 22. She is also planning an extended tour together with distinguished instrumentalists and another profiled singer. More details to come.

In collaboration with LAWO Classics, the solo CD JORDLYS Norwegian Contemporary Songs , is scheduled for release on October 18th 2019. The CD includes several works written especially for and dedicated to Ms Høisæter. A link to Spotify and other streaming sources will be available on this site from the date of the release.

Born and raised i Bergen, Norway, she studied at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and at The Norwegian Opera Academy.

Ms Høisæter joined the Norwegian Opera & Ballet in 2002, where her primary roles have included: Sextus (La clemenza di Tito, Mozart), Carmen, Cornelia ( Giulio Caesare, Händel), Auntie (Peter Grimes, Britten), Gräfin Geschwitz (Lulu, Berg), Ottavia (Poppea, Monteverdi), Kabanicha (Katya Kabanovà, Janàcek), Waltraute (Götterdämmerung, Wagner), Jocasta (Oedipus Rex, Stravinsky), and Mescalina ( Le Grand Macabre, Ligeti).

In addition Ms Høisæter has led the casts of numerous world premieres, by distinguished composers such as Synne Skouen, Gisle Kverndokk, Glenn-Erik Haugland, Ole-Henrik Moe, Kjell Mørk Karlsen and Rolf Wallin.

She has been working closely with and performed under conductors such as Rinaldo Alessandrini, John Fiore and Alessandro de Marchi, and with orchestras including The Bergen Philharmonic, The Orchestra of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet, Oslo Sinfonietta, The Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra and The Royal Norwegian Marine Band. She sang Suzuki ( Madama Butterfly, Puccini) at The Oscarsborg Opera in 2016.

In addition she has been collaborating regularly with several distinguished instrumentalists in a series of creative chamber settings, exploring the Lied and Art Song repertoire extensively.

Her singing has on numerous occasions been broadcast on national and international TV and radio.

This album contains no booklet.