DENES  STRINY, Conductor
 

Maestro Denes Striny, Founder and Artistic Director of Shaker Mountain Opera .

 

In 2001, Mr. Striny founded the Shaker Mountain Opera and in the premiere festival season conducted the Albany Symphony Orchestra in Wagner's Die Walkure with an international cast. It was hailed by the press as "stunning," "a gesture worthy of the great Wagner himself," and "an evening to write home about." Striny also conducted an all Verdi program with international soprano Lauren Flanigan, and the operas La Boheme and Lucia di Lammermoor.  The 2002 season had Striny conducting Wagner's Gotterdammerung with Metropolitan Opera Soprano Carol Yahr, bass John Cheek, also from the Metropolitan Opera, and Dwight Hill from the Berlin Opera. Other concerts conducted during the 2002 season were the Music of Richard Strauss with Metropolitan Opera Soprano Carolyn James and Cavalleria Rusticana with Rome Opera Soprano Nina Edwards and Royal Norwegian Opera tenor Thomas Ruud. Striny also conducted fully staged versions of Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, and La Traviata.  Maestro Denes Striny was the principal conductor of the Amalfi Coast Music Festival and Institute in Salerno, Italy for seven years, where he conducted the Rome Festival Orchestra, and the Badia di Cava Music Festival in Cava de Tirenni, Italy, where he conducted the  Bulgarian National Orchestra. In 2001, he conducted Cavalleria Rusticana with Metropolitan Opera soprano Myra Merritt, which was broadcast throughout Italy on RAI Television, “charged with electricity… Striny conducted with precision and control, leading his forces to one exciting climax after another.  It was a night to remember." 

 

In 2003, Striny conducted a concert version Tosca and  fully staged performances of Manon.  And in 2004 he conducted  “Aida” in the opening concert of Shaker Mountain Opera with the Albany Sympony Orchectra,  and  Ebony Ecumenical Chorus joining Shaker Festival Chorus with international soloists Angela Brown,  Eduardo Villa, Luis Ledesma, John Cheek, Damon Nestor Ploumis, and Tatiana Ishemova.  He then conducted a fully staged version of Tales of Hoffmann.

 

" Maestro Striny was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and attended The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree in voice and Master of Music degree in conducting. As a singer, Mr. Striny has sung leading tenor roles in many of the major opera houses in the United States. He made his European debut with England's Opera North as Walther in Wagner's Die Meistersinger to great critical acclaim. Mr. Striny has also sung throughout Germany, Japan and Australia. For his role in Carmen, the newspaper The Australian wrote, "Tenor Denes Striny's Jose was a knockout!" The Australian Daily Mirror wrote, "Denes Striny and Maria Ewing provided a thrilling and unforgettable night out." The London Financial Times called him "a gutsy clear­ voiced tenor," and Opera News called him "a robust and clarion Radames." .

 

Mr. Striny's first book, Head First: The Language of the Head Voice, with a foreword by international opera legend Birgit Nilsson, is due out soon. Birgit Nilsson is also the Honorary Chair of Shaker Mountain Opera. She is a tremendous supporter and friend.