Born: 1964 - Priekule, Latvia

The Latvian mezzo-soprano, Antra Bigača, studied in the violin class of the Priekule Music School, then in the vocal class of Liepaja College of Music (professor Alla Kovalyova-Schulmann). After graduating from the vocal class of prof. Ludmila Brown at the Latvian Academy of Music she became, in 1989, a soloist of the Latvian National Opera. She was further instructed by Thomas Hampson (UK), K. Angeloni (Italy), A. Orlovitz (Denmark).

Apart from opera, Antra Bigača's repertory includes a wide range of concert and chamber music. Collaborating with the Hermanis Braun Foundation, she performed many original and noticeable programs. Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninov, Schumann, Schubert, Wolf and Medtner can be mentioned among her favourite composers. She also sings Latvian classical music and a range of modern Latvian composers' songs, dedicated to her. The singer actively performs in Latvia and abroad. She has worked with such famous conductors as T. Voycehovsky, J. Aleksa, Vladimir Spivakov, G. Rinkevicius, J.Oomarkas, Saulius Sondeckis, T. Mikelsen, A. Mustonen, V. Platonov, A.Vilumanis etc. In 2001 she took part in performances of the Bach Passions under the baton of Robert Canetti at the Abu-Gosh Music Festival in Israel. She is a prize-winner of the J. Medins Vocal competition (Latvia, 1989, 1992) and was awarded the Latvia Grand Prix in music (1995).

Antra Bigača recorded a great deal of vocal pieces, especially by Latvian composers, at the Latvian Radio. She has recorded with the Latvian Radio Choir, the New-York Latvian Choir and the Rigas kamermuziki chamber orchestra. She participated as a soloist in the recording of I. Risas two CD's, A. Maskat's CD and R. Kalson's opera The Prodigal Son (Matilda). In 2002 her debut solo CD was released.

Source: Liner notes to the CD 'Abu Gosh Concerts Festival Volume 5 - J.S. Bach: The Passions' (Timeless Recordings, 2005)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (October 2005)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Robert Canetti

Alto

Selections from BWV 244, BWV 245

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