Sibylla Rubens 

A long-time favorite of OBF’s conductor Helmuth Rilling and an in-demand summer festival performer, soprano Sybilla Rubens finally comes to Eugene. Rubens began her career by studying concert and opera in Germany and debuted at the Deutsche Symphonieorchester Berlin performing Mendelssohn’s “Lobgesang.” Rubens has spent a great deal of time working with Rilling. Recently, she performed under his baton at Carnegie Hall in 2007 in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and toured with him in Italy during the 2007-2008 season.

Nathan Berg

While artists at this year’s OBF hail from all over the globe and many come from as far as Eastern Europe, it’s also nice to see someone from north of the border. Baritone Nathan Berg, born in Saskatchewan, began his studies in Canada but soon learned from the best of the U.S., France and London, where he won the Gold Medal for Singers. His repertoire varies greatly from Bach to Verdi. He played the title role in the Marriage of Figaro for the New York City Opera and performed in La Boheme in Paris, Tokyo, Toronto and Vancouver, B.C.

Lothar Odinius

Popular OBF performer Lothar Odinius, a tenor from Germany whom music critic Göran Forsling describes as having “a fine lyrical tenor with brilliance at the upper end and a surprisingly powerful lower register,” began his musical career studying at the Berlin Academy of Arts. Later he joined the ensemble of the Staatstheater Braunschweig as a lyric tenor. While his repertoire consists mainly of Baroque and classical pieces, especially Mozart, he regularly performs Schubert’s Magic Harp and Bach’s St. John Passion. Odinius toured Europe in December ’07 and has performed in recitals around the globe.

Ingeborg Danz

Known as one of the finest Bach performers of her generation, Germany’s Ingeborg Danz returns to the OBF stage after an absence of several years. As a mezzo-soprano and contralto, she has toured throughout the world including the U.S., Japan, South America, Russia and Europe. Like Rubens, she has a close professional relationship with Rilling and collaborates with him at the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart. Her main fields are oratorio, concert performance and Lieder (songs typically arranged for a single singer and piano). She’s known for her performances of Bach, but of course her repertoire is varied, and you’ll be lucky to catch her warm voice at the festival.

Michael Nagy

Although one of the younger festival artists, he is undoubtedly among the most talented. Michael Nagy began his training in Stuttgart studying song creation and Lieder. Nagy had not been training for long when he won the Schubert Prize at the International Schubert Competition. Starting in 2004, he spent two years as a member of the Berlin Komische Oper, where he performed as Papageno in The Magic Flute, Sid in Albert Herring and The Count in The Marriage of Figaro. He has performed in Lieder recitals in Austria, Germany and Italy and debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2007. One OBF staff member referred to Nagy as a “bari hunk,” so we’re pretty sure you won’t want to miss his performances.