Biography English
Felicitas Stephan, born in Mannheim in a family with a multi-European background, began playing the cello very early and already at the age of seven was a student of the legendary solo cellist Hans Adomeit.
She graduated with the artistic diploma in the class of Carl-Gustav Settelmeier at the Musikhochschule Dortmund in Germany. Various master classes with Prof. Sebastian Baer, Prof. Maria Kliegel und William Pleeth and others had enriched her musical education.
Teatro Verdi in Pisa, Robert-Schumann-Haus in Zwickau, the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010, music festivals at Lake Garda, in Frankonia or the Havelland, the „Schönberger Musiksommer“, Turin, Triest, Paris, Novi Ligure, Lucca, Graz, Antwerpen, Murcia, Kronberg/Romania and many others – since more than 20 years she is performing throughout Europe as a soloist as well as a much sought-after partner for chamber music.
With the melting sound of her cello she creates something extraordinary – music with a soul. Her concerts are events that make you feel that every moment is a treasure. With her surprising and dramatic art of storytelling Felicitas Stephan is creating images full of crackling tension and overwhelming emotionality. Her touching and colourful cello playing gives the audience a feeling of pure joy and happiness.
She reveals the secrets of the great composers with her rich interpretations full of phantasy and the superb sound of her Flemish cello built by Joseph Benoît Boussu in 1752. From the harmonies of the sonatas of Johannes Brahms over the South-American Saudade of Egberto Gismondi to the new sounds of Hans Werner Henze – Felicitas Stephan disposes of an impressively broad musical versatility.
The interesting discography of Felicitas Stephan includes several first recordings, f.e. the CDs „ Masterpieces of great female composers “ and „ Duo Pontecelli – music from Brazil “ as well as her CD „ Sonho Brasileiro “ that all got enthusiastic reviews. Many of her recording are frequently broadcasted in the radio.
The Brazilian composer and guitarist Jaime Zenamon wrote some compositions especially for her and invited her to join his concert tours. Also the composers Vadim Nevelovsky, Buck Wolters and Ulrich Schultheiss wrote several music pieces for her and during the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010 she met the composer Hans Werner Henze.
In her romantic musical getaway, an old half-timbered house high above the Ruhr valley, she exercises and rehearses daily. It is a place where musicians, composers, painters and writers come together and here is also the artistic heart of the festival „Celloherbst am Hellweg“, which Felicitas Stephan has been the artistic director of since the festival has been established in 2004.
Felicitas Stephan also teaches playing the violoncello very successfully, her students are regularly awarded at music competitions like „Jugend Musiziert“ and they get accepted at renowned music conservatories. She also has a master class in Cervo/Italy at the „Accademia Europea Mozart“.