The three soloists in our Handel’s The Power of Music season-opening concerts all have impressive resumes, but there’s more to these talented singers than their musical credentials. From an award-winning pianist to a performer who’s studied the science of keeping musicians healthy, Sherezade Panthaki, Rachael Wilson, and James Way have some interesting accomplishments and experiences under their belts. Get to know them a little better with five fast facts about each artist.
Sherezade Panthaki, soprano
- She grew up in India. Born and raised there, she began studying music at an early age.
- She was a pianist before becoming a singer. She earned national distinction as a young pianist before deciding that singing offered a more personal way to communicate through music.
- A familiar face at Philharmonia. She has performed with Philharmonia on multiple occasions and is featured on the recording of Handel’s Joseph and his Brethren, conducted by Nicholas McGegan.
- She helped found the Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble, an octet promoting diversity in classical music through performance and education.
- She’s an audience favorite. She won both Favorite Opera Singer and Favorite Vocal Recital in the 2024–25 San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards.
“I just love the idea of music being so ravishing, so beautiful, so filled with passion and expressivity that even heavenly bodies have no choice but to acquiesce to his power” – Sherezade Panthaki on Handel’s The Power of Music
Rachael Wilson, mezzo-soprano
- She is making her Philharmonia Baroque debut! The Power of Music marks her first performance with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale.
- She’s American, with a major European opera career. Her engagements have taken her to leading venues in Germany, Britain, Spain, Switzerland and beyond.
- She won a Bavarian Art Award in 2018, recognizing her performance as Fatime in Weber’s Oberon.
- Her repertoire spans centuries. From Handel’s Messiah to contemporary opera and Messiaen’s Harawi, her career crosses Baroque, Romantic and modern music.
- She’s appeared at Glyndebourne. She performed Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the celebrated English opera festival.
“I jump around between voice types; contralto, soprano, mezzo. It’s mostly that I’m really drawn to certain characters. It’s a question of if the character speaks to me.” – Rachael Wilson talking to OperaWire
James Way, tenor
- He is also performing with Philharmonia Baroque for the first time! In this debut appearance, James acts as both a narrator and a character in Alexander’s Feast.
- He was born in Sussex, England, and studied at King’s College London and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
- He made his BBC Proms debut in 2016, singing Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music at the Last Night of the Proms.
- He teaches at Cambridge University. He’s Deputy Director of Performance and an Assistant Teaching Professor in Music.
- He has a special interest in performer health. He completed postgraduate studies in performing arts medicine at University College London.
“One of my favorite phrases that I get to sing in this piece is “the sparkles that flash in their eyes.” In most editions, this aria is sung by a bass, but in the Dublin version, it’s sung by a tenor. So I get to fulfill my dream of being a Handelian bass, at least for a few notes!” – James Way on Handel’s The Power of Music
Preview the Music
Music Director Peter Whelan leads the first U.S. performances of Handel’s 1742 Dublin version of Alexander’s Feast in Handel’s The Power of Music, performed on period instruments and in the style of the time. The concerts feature soprano Sherezade Panthaki, mezzo-soprano Rachael Wilson, tenor James Way, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and Philharmonia Chorale under the direction of Valérie Sainte-Agathe.
Program
George Frideric HANDEL — Alexander’s Feast, or The Power of Music (1742 Dublin Version) (U.S. PREMIERE)
Peter Whelan, conductor
Sherezade Panthaki, soprano
Rachael Wilson, mezzo-soprano
James Way, tenor
Philharmonia Chorale, directed by Valérie Sainte-Agathe
Performances
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 • 7:30 PM
Bing Concert Hall
327 Lasuen St., Stanford, CA 94305
This program is co-presented as part of Stanford Live’s 2026/27 season.
Friday, November 13, 2026 • 7:30 PM
Herbst Theatre
401 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102
Saturday, November 14, 2026 • 2:30 PM
First Congregational Church of Berkeley
2345 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
Tickets
Tickets start at $40, and three-concert subscriptions start at $96. For tickets or information, call (415) 295-1900 (Mon-Fri, 10 AM-4 PM) or visit philharmonia.org/power.
