|
Biography
Stephen Mager has been composer-in-residence for the Bach Society of Saint Louis since 2004. He has written extensively for chorus and orchestra, and his works have been performed by such distinguished ensembles as the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus; VocalEssence, Minneapolis; and the Dallas Symphony Chorus.
His choral symphony, Sinfonia Pastorale, received its Saint Louis premiere in 1997 with the Bach Society, to critical praise: “…the music does indeed have a painterly quality to it. The orchestration is complex and colorful, and the music is inclined to linger over beautiful images… [Mager] writes gratefully for the voice…” (Saint Louis Post-Dispatch). The Bach Society has commissioned half a dozen major choral works: an Easter choral cycle, The Lamb's High Feast (2005); I saw eternity (2006); in 2008, Missa lucis (“Mass of Light”), aptly described as “lushly lyrical” (Saint Louis Post-Dispatch); in 2012, an extended, dynamic setting of the Te Deum (details below – listen to the premiere performance!);and Hommage à Saint-Michel (2014), “a highlight of the program” (Saint Louis Post-Dispatch). His most recent work for the Bach Society is Sarabande, premiered in April, 2016, and dedicated to the memory of the Society's founder, William Heyne.
Dr. Mager's carol settings have also received critical attention and are featured on two compact discs, Joy for Every Age (1998), and most recently, Let Our Gladness Have No End (2016) . “These excellent carol settings . . . exhibit a slightly different kind of charm and sophistication that owes much to their more expansive . . . fully integrated orchestrations” (David Vernier, Classicstoday.com). His carols are featured on a dozen or more commercial recordings by choral ensembles in the United States.
His opera, Dream of the Pacific, was commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition (2004), and subsequently produced by Opera Omaha (2005), Kansas City Lyric Opera (2005), and Washington National Opera (2006), the latter by the young artists program sponsored by Plácido Domingo. “Mager excels at conveying a wide variety of feelings…all in a musical language that is both lyrical and comprehensible” (Washington Post).
Stephen Mager was honored as the Composer of the Year for 2001, by the American Guild of Organists, Saint Louis Chapter. The award acknowledges his service to the cause of sacred music. His publishers include Oxford University Press and MorningStar Music.
Productions
Click company name to view productions details.
|
Artist Information
All information is derived from OPERA America's Season Schedule of Performances and titles databases which date back to 1991. OPERA America is constantly updating this data. If you feel that a work or an artist has been omitted or that information is incorrect, please use the linked forms below. Title Information Form Artist Information Form
|