Søndergård's Winter Playlist

Winter days sometimes stretch long and bleak, but music helps bring us through. We asked Music Director Thomas Søndergård for a glimpse into his winter playlist to get a sense of the music that brings him into a hygge state of mind—that uniquely Danish spirit of contentment, coziness and quiet appreciation. Ranging from opera to pop music, Thomas’ Winter Playlist recalls good times and good grooves. Take a listen.

“Wintertime is theater time. I've always loved the feeling of being inside an opera house. I love opera as an art form, but I also love just being inside an old, dusty red velvet and gold opera house. It’s a feeling of both excitement and feeling safe and cozy at the same time.

I’ve conducted this work many times. It’s an all-time classic that I never grow tired of it: ‘O soave fanciulla’ from Puccini’s La Bohème.”

“A musician that I love is Stevie Wonder: the groove, the timing, and all the good songs. ‘I Wish’ is a song about looking back and remembering the good times, and what can be better on a cold winter's day?”

“Talking about the good times and looking forward to more of them. This is another favorite. It’s the first song I danced to with my husband Andreas on our wedding day in 2022.”

“And last, but not least, another wonderful memory. I was fortunate enough to conduct Wagner's opera The Valkyrie in Copenhagen a couple of years ago. It was such a great experience, and I would love to do that again sometime. Maybe in Minneapolis, who knows? Here is the so-called ‘Todesverkündigung’ with the fantastic American soprano Linda Watson, with whom Andreas and I area also great friends.”