Through elegant musicality and an insightful approach to contemporary and established repertoire, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has earned a reputation as one of the world’s finest pianists. He is especially known for his diverse interests beyond the classical world, including numerous collaborations in film, fashion, and visual art. He is a devoted educator and the first-ever Artist-in-Residence at the Colburn School, which awards several scholarships in his name.

A prolific recording artist, Thibaudet has appeared on more than 70 albums and six film scores; his extensive catalog has received two Grammy nominations, two ECHO Awards, the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, the Diapason d’Or, the CHOC du Monde de la Musique, the Edison Prize, and Gramophone awards. His recent recordings include Khachaturian, a celebration of the Armenian composer’s works including his Piano Concerto and several solo piano pieces; Gershwin Rhapsody, a selection of Gershwin pieces recorded with Michael Feinstein, including four newly discovered ones; and Carte Blanche, a collection of deeply personal solo piano pieces never before recorded by the pianist. He is the soloist on Dario Marianelli’s recently reissued score for Pride & Prejudice; his playing can also be head on Marianelli’s score for Atonement, Alexandre Desplat’s scores for The French Dispatch and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, and Aaron Zigman’s score for Wakefield.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet was born in Lyon, France, where he began his piano studies at age five and made his first public appearance at age seven. At 12, he entered the Paris Conservatory to study with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Ravel. Among his numerous commendations is the Victoire d’Honneur, a lifetime career achievement award and the highest honor given by France’s Victoires de la Musique. In 2010, the Hollywood Bowl honored Thibaudet for his musical achievements by inducting him into its Hall of Fame. Previously a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Thibaudet was awarded the title Officier by the French Ministry of Culture in 2012. In 2020, he was named Special Representative for the promotion of French Creative and Cultural Industries in Romania.

Praised by Opera News for her “unusually rich and resonant” voice, contralto Sara Couden is a premier interpreter of operatic, orchestral, chamber, and song repertoire. Her 2025–26 season includes a debut with Detroit Opera as Rita in Poul Ruders’s The Handmaid’s Tale; a debut with the Houston Symphony in selections from La vida breve; a role and house debut as Ježibaba (Rusalka) with Pacific Northwest Opera; Die Hexe/Die Mutter (Hänsel und Gretel) with Lakes Area Music Festival; and appearances with the St. Louis Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, and Tucson Symphony as the Alto Soloist in Händel’s Messiah.

Couden’s latest triumphs include her San Francisco Opera debut as Rita (The Handmaid’s Tale), a return to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Mrs. Sedley (Peter Grimes), her debut appearance in recital at the Manchester Music Festival, and a role debut as Baba the Turk (The Rake’s Progress) with Lakes Area Music Festival; as well as company debuts with the Philadelphia Orchestra as Mother/Chinese Cup/Dragon Fly (L’Enfant et les sortilèges), the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as the Alto Soloist in Julia Perry’s Stabat Mater, the Seattle Symphony in Händel’s Messiah, and the California Symphony in songs by Mahler. Couden also recently released her debut solo album, the Complete Vocal Works of Artur Schnabel, on the Steinway & Sons label.

Highlights from previous seasons include her debut with the Metropolitan Opera as Tetka (Jenufa) and Albine (Thaïs), as well as returns to Carnegie Hall as the Alto Soloist in Karl Jenkins’s Stabat Mater and to the Met to cover Erste Magd (Elektra) and Marta and Pantalis (Mefistofele). She also made role debuts as Ottavia (L’Incoronazione di Poppea) and Nurse in Dukas’s Ariane et Barbe-Bleue with West Edge Opera, Juno (Semele) and Marquise de Berkenfeld (La Fille du Régiment) with St. Petersburg Opera, Israelitish Man (Judas Maccabaeus) with Philharmonia Baroque, Ormindo (Ermelinda) with Ars Minerva, Dejanira (Hercules) at the Staunton Music Festival, and Testo in Stradella’s La Susanna with Heartbeat Opera and Opera Lafayette.

Juanjo Mena began his conducting career in his native Spain as Artistic Director of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra in 1999. His uncommon talent was soon recognized internationally with appointments as Principal Guest Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic and Chief Guest Conductor of the Orchestra del Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. In 2011, he was named Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, which he led for seven seasons, taking the orchestra on tours of Europe and Asia and conducting annual televised concerts at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms. He held the position of Principal Conductor of the Cincinnati May Festival until 2023.

A sought-after guest conductor, Mena has led Europe’s top ensembles and he also appears regularly with all the major orchestras in his native Spain. Since his North American debut with the Baltimore Symphony in 2004, he has conducted most of the continent’s leading orchestras. In Asia, he is a regular guest conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo.

In the world of opera, Mena conducted a new production of Arthur Honegger’s Joan of Arc at the Stake with Marion Cotillard in the leading role, paired with Debussy’s La damoiselle élue staged by Madrid’s Teatro Real. His operatic repertoire also includes Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, Richard Strauss’s Salome, Elektra, Ariadne auf Naxos, Bartók's Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, and Schoenberg’s Erwartung.

His latest release of Roberto Gerhard’s orchestral works with the BBC Philharmonic on the Chandos label was praised by The Guardian as “deft and exuberant.”  His disc of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6 was described by The Classical Review as “intensely musical” and “impressive.” Mena’s rich discography with the BBC Philharmonic on Chandos also includes an acclaimed Gabriel Pierné release selected as a Gramophone Editor’s Choice, Weber symphonies, Ginastera’s orchestral works to mark the composer’s centenary, and works by Arriaga, Albéniz, Montsalvatge, Turina, and Manuel de Falla.

Juanjo Mena studied conducting with Sergiu Celibidache following his musical education at the Madrid Royal Conservatory. In 2016, he was awarded the Spanish National Music Award. He lives with his family in his native Basque Country.