Simon O’Neill’s Distant Beloved Wins Award

Heldentenor Simon O’Neill has been announced Best Classical Artist for 2019, at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards in Auckland, following his debut album for Decca, Distant Beloved, with pianist Terence Dennis. Australian audiences will be familiar with O’Neill after his performances as Otello and as Sergei (in Lady Macbeth of Mtensk) for Opera Australia.

The New Zealander lieder by Beethoven, Schumann, Richard Strauss and Wagner – works which possess special meaning for the highly coveted international artist.

From Heathrow airport in London, O’Neill sent a message of gratitude: “Last night I performed Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 in Prague to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Velvet Revolution as Czechoslovakia was opened to Western Europe. To wake up this morning to the splendid news that our Decca ‘Distant Beloved’ recording won Best Classical at the Vodafone NZ Music Awards was simply wonderful.”

The tracks: LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827) An die ferne Geliebte

1.Auf dem Hügel sitz ich spähend
2. Wo die Berge so blau
3. Leichte Segler in den Höhen
4. Diese Wolken in den Höhen
5. Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au
6. Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder

ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
Myrthen, Op. 25

7. Widmung/ 8. Du bist wie eine Blume

RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949)

9. Zueignung, Op. 10 No. 1
10. Die Nacht, Op. 10 No. 3
11. Allerseelen, Op. 10 No. 8
12. Breit’ über mein Haupt, Op. 19 No. 2
13. Ruhe, meine Seele!, Op. 27 No. 1
14. Cäcilie, Op. 27 No. 2
15. Heimliche Aufforderung, Op. 27 No. 3
16. Morgen!, Op. 27 No. 4
17. Ich trage meine Minne, Op. 32 No. 1

RICHARD WAGNER (1813–1883)
Wesendonck Lieder

18. Der Engel
19. Stehe still
20. Im Treibhaus
21. Schmerzen
22. Träume

SIMON O’NEILL tenor
TERENCE DENNIS piano