Peter Pears Longtime Collaborator Julian Bream Passes Away

Julian Bream (left) accompanies Peter Pears on the lute. The two performed in concert and recorded together.

"The British guitarist and lutenist Julian Bream has died peacefully at his home in rural Wiltshire. He was 87. From unassuming suburban London beginnings in which he learned jazz guitar with the help of his father, Bream rose to become one of the very finest modern exponents of the classical instrument. His talents attracted composers of the stature of Britten, Walton, Tippett, and Hans Werner Henze. Bream’s ardour for the playing of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt started early and never died, but he decided in an instant that classical guitar would be his future on hearing a recording of the great Andrés Segovia in the later 1940s. After studies at the Royal College of Music (majoring in fact on piano) Bream swiftly gained recognition on his 

Baroque Jam: Bream and Pears rehearsing

chosen instrument. From early days, concert appearances were supplemented by BBC appearances and then by commercial recordings. Somehow he managed to integrate guitar-playing into his National Service, not least via army dance band appearances. Bream’s discovery of the lute and its repertoire in the early 1950s resulted in a lifelong devotion to the instrument, explored not just in solo repertoire but, for example, in his duo partnership with the tenor Peter Pears and via his own Julian Bream Consort. Among other significant collaborations were those with harpsichordist George Malcolm and fellow guitarist John Williams, both preserved for posterity on disc." Guitarist Julian Bream and tenor Peter Pears recorded several albums together including tracks with composer Benjamin Britten on piano. During his career, the world-famous instrumentalist also worked with The Golden Age Singers and soprano Victoria de los Angeles. His collaborations extended to other artists including three albums of duets with John Williams. Influenced by the stylings of Andrés Segovia and Francisco Tárrega, Bream went on to win four Grammy Awards recording for RCA, Decca, and EMI. "Bream was born in Battersea, London, England, but at the age of two moved with his family to Hampton in London, where he was brought up in a musical environment.Bream described his parents as both 'conventional suburban,' but in another way 'very unusual.' His father was a commercial artist, with an 'extraordinary talent for drawing'

Both artists worked often on Dowland and Bach

and a 'natural musician' according to Bream. Bream would lie under the piano in 'ecstasy' when his father played. His mother, of Scottish descent, was a very beautiful woman who was often, according to Bream, 'not always there' mentally and did not like music, but was a warm-hearted person. His grandmother owned a pub in Battersea, and Bream spent much time there during his youth. His father played jazz guitar and the young Bream was impressed by the playing of Django Reinhardt, he would later call his dog 'Django.' Bream began his lifelong association with the guitar by strumming along on his father's jazz guitar at an early age to dance music on the radio. He became frustrated with his lack of knowledge of jazz harmony,so read instruction books by Eddie Lang to teach himself. His father taught him the basics. The president of the Philharmonic Society of Guitarists, Dr Boris Perott, gave Bream further lessons, while his father became the society librarian, giving young Bream access to a large collection of rare music. On his 11th birthday, Bream was given a small gut-strung Spanish guitar by his father. He became something of a child prodigy, at 12 winning a junior exhibition award for his piano playing, enabling him to study piano and composition at the Royal College of Music. Aged 13, he made his debut guitar recital at Cheltenham on 17 February 1947; in 1951, he debuted at Wigmore Hall. Leaving the RCM in 1952, Bream was called up into the army for  national service. He was originally drafted into the Pay Corps, but managed to sign up for the Royal Artillery Band after six months. This required him to be stationed in Woolrich,

Duet: Pears and Bream reviewing a score

which allowed him to moonlight regularly in London with the guitar. After two years in the army, he took any musical jobs that came his way, including background music for radio plays and films. Commercial film, recording sessions and work for the BBC were important to Bream throughout the 1950s and the early 1960s. He played part of a recital at the Wigmore Hall on the lute in 1952, and later did much to bring music written for the instrument to light. 1960 saw the formation of the Julian Bream Consort, a period-instrument ensemble with Bream as lutenist. The consort led a great revival of interest in the music of the Elizabethan era. Bream pursued a busy career playing around the world. His first European tours took place in 1954 and 1955, followed (beginning in 1958) by extensive touring in the Far East, India, Australia, the Pacific Islands and many other parts of the world. Bream performed for the Peabody Mason Concert series in Boston, first solo, in 1959, and later with the US debut of his Consort. In addition to master classes given in North America, Bream conducted an international summer school in Wiltshire,England." See album covers of Julian Bream with Peter Pears and The Golden Age Singers after the jump.

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Leontyne Price Live MET Performances Get 2-CD Release

"Celebrate one of opera's greatest artists with Leontyne Price at the Met. This new release features excerpts from the beloved American soprano's Met performances of Aida, Tosca, Il Trovatore, Antony and Cleopatra, and much more." Pirate recordings of the American soprano have previously been available to the public, but now the Metropolitan Opera attempts to get the highlights of the most famous moments that Leontyne Price sang at the house in this new compilation. Pre-order your copy here.

Watch a video of Leontyne Price's farewell performance at the Metropolitan Opera in the title of Verdi's Aida.

Celebrating Kathleen Battle's 72nd Birthday With MET Streams

Kathleen Battle (center) is featured in the 1982 Metropolitan Opera production of Mozart's Così fan tutte with Maria Ewing (left) as Dorabella and Kiri Te Kanawa (right) as Fiordiligi (Photo: Winnie Klotz).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Metropolitan Opera has been deep-diving into its video broadcast troves to stream the content out to users in hopes of fundraising and continued engagement. In honor of Kathleen Battle's birthday today (see our previous tribute here), we highlight the recently aired performance of L'Elisir d'Amore featuring her performance alongside Luciano Pavarotti (view here) and on August 22 they will present Il Barbiere di Siviglia with fellow artists Rockwell Blake and Leo Nucci (view here). Read the company's feature "Practically Perfect," written by photo editor Jonathan Tichler, on Ms. Battle here. More of the soprano's MET production photos after the jump.

Kathleen Battle with Luciano Pavarotti in L'Elisir d'Amore (Photo: Robert Cahen).

Rossini Helps Launch "Muppets Now" Streaming On Disney +

Everyone Is a Critic: Show favorites Statler and Waldorf perched in their favorite box

It's time to play the music, It's time to light the lights. It's time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight! "Muppets Now is The Muppets Studio’s first unscripted series and first original series for Disney+. In the six-episode season, Scooter rushes to make his delivery deadlines and upload the brand-new Muppet series for streaming. They are due now, and he’ll need to navigate whatever obstacles, distractions, and complications the rest of the Muppet gang throws at him. Overflowing with spontaneous lunacy, surprising guest stars and more frogs, pigs, bears (and whatevers) than legally allowed, the Muppets cut loose in Muppets Now with the kind of startling silliness and chaotic fun that made them famous. From zany experiments with Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker to lifestyle tips from the fabulous Miss Piggy, each episode is packed with hilarious segments, hosted by the Muppets showcasing what the Muppets do best. Produced by The Muppets Studio and Soapbox Films, Muppets Now premieres Friday, July 31, streaming only on Disney+." The video trailer advertising the series makes use of music from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia with music from Figaro's aria "Largo al factotum della città." Watch the trailer for the new series and a video of Dmitri Hvorostovsky singing the whole aria after the jump. Be sure to check out this feature that documents opera singers that appeared on the original series The Muppet Show by clicking here.

Get more information on Muppets Now by clicking here.

  

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Helmut Newton Gets Resurgence In New Virtual Cinema Documentary

(Photographer Helmut Newton seen here with operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti)

"Obituaries and appreciations of the photographer Helmut Newton after his death on January 23, 2004, are riddled with the monikers Newton collected during an increasingly controversial career. In the New York Times, Newton was described as the '35mm Marquis de Sade'; in The Guardian, an 'enfant terrible'; and in Vogue magazine, for which Newton shot for decades, the King of Kink.' Yet none of those nicknames come quite close to capturing the sly luridness and bold subversion of Newton’s images, which transformed fashion photography while simultaneously raising questions about aesthetics and exploitation. The documentary 'Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful,' released in what would have been Newton’s centennial birthday year, only briefly dares to question the methodologies of the man who recoiled at the words 'good taste.' Instead, 'The Bad and the Beautiful' is less about Newton himself and more about how his work made the women he photographed feel...For as incomplete as 'The Bad and the Beautiful' feels in terms of addressing criticisms leveled at Newton, the inclusion of so many women’s perspectives is its own defensive statement." Read more about the documentary here. Watch the trailer and see more photos of Luciano Pavarotti shot by Helmut Newton after the jump.

(Another image of Pavarotti by Newton)

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Alexa Goes For Hell's Revenge In New Commercial From Amazon

Alexa, Amazon's virtual assistant that uses artificial intelligence technology, is activated by voice interaction to control music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, sports, and other real-time information, such as news. In their latest television commercial, they tap one of Mozart's most famous arias from Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) sung by the Königin der Nacht (Queen of the Night): "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen." Known as the "Vengeance Aria," it is wickedly high and hard to sing. The promo is pushing customers to create playlists with Summer Vibes. The client trying to relax interrupts the performance to request "something more fun" which quickly transforms the scene to Donna Summer singing "I Feel Love." Watch the full Amazon commercial, a performance of Edda Moser singing the complete aria, a video of Donna Summer, and check out the lyrics with translations for the aria after the jump. [Source, Source]

Claritin Allergy Medicine Could Save Escamillo From Spring Allergies

Claritin allows you to get back to your daily activities which may include kicking a soccer ball
into a shopping cart or going to the opera!

The latest commercial for allergy medication product Claritin features the overture from Bizet's Carmen. The tune is from the aria "Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre," more commonly known as Escamillo's "Toreador Song." Watch the commercial, and a video of James Levine conducting the overture, after the jump.

Chance To Live At Paul Robeson Residence In New York City

Paul Robeson was one of the first African-
American entertainers to live in the
apartment building on Edgecombe Avenue.

If you're hunting for a new spacious apartment in New York City, look no further than the National Historic Landmark building at 555 Edgecombe Avenue in Washington Heights. Former tenants include some of music's most famous African-American performers like Paul Robeson (for whom the building is now named) and Count Basie. The "ginormous" apartment has two bedrooms in addition to a full-size dining room measuring 13.5' by 10.5'! Apartment #6 is listed for $2,600. Call your broker and check out the listing here. "The Paul Robeson Residence, also known by its street address of 555 Edgecombe Avenue, is a National Historic Landmarked apartment building, located at 555 Edgecombe Avenue at the corner of West 160th Street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was originally known as the Roger Morris when it was built in 1914-16 – after the retired British Army officer who built the nearby Morris-Jumel Mansion – and was designed by Schwartz & Gross, who specialized in apartment buildings. For the first 25 years of its existence, the building was restricted to white

Count Basie was another star in the
Washington Heights building.

tenants. Around 1940, as the racial characteristics of the neighborhood changed, this policy was dropped. Subsequently, the building became known for the noted African-American residents, including musician and composer Count Basie, boxer Joe Louis, musician and bandleader Andy Kirk, actor and producer Canada Lee, the psychologist Kenneth Clark, and the actor and singer Paul Robeson, who lived in the building from 1939 to 1941. After Robeson's death in 1976, the building was declared a National Historic Landmark in his honor. In 1993, it was designated a New York City landmark. Edgecombe Avenue has also been co-named Paul Robeson Boulevard." [Source] See photos rooms in the apartment up for rent, after the jump.

Congratulations To Anna Netrebko And Yusif Eyvazov On Their Marriage

Russian soprano Anna Netrebko married Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov at the Palais Coburg in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday, December 29, 2015. Best wishes to the happy couple!

Renata Tebaldi Celebrated By Dolce&Gabbana Windows In Milan

"From 1st to 15th December the windows of the Via della Spiga 2 boutique are transformed into an elegant proscenium, paying homage to the great Italian soprano Renata Tebaldi, opera singer among the most popular and famous of all time for her unforgettable performances of Verdi and Puccini operas. The exhibit showcases some of the wonderful costumes the artist has worn in her long and acclaimed career, and kindly provided by the Renata Tebaldi Museum, images of the actress on the stage or in real life moments, and also original elements from the sets of historical works carried out at Teatro alla Scala. Objects, furniture and magnificent costumes, including the long turquoise dress of Aida and the velvet one of Tosca, give you the opportunity to relive the beauty and charm of the wonderful works of Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini. A blend of art, elegance and refinement on the occasion of the Premiere of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan." [Source] See more photos after the jump.

Jeopardy! Goes To The Metropolitan Opera For Costumes Category

Playing Henry VIII in the costume department for a behind-the-scenes video of Alex Trebek for Jeopardy!.

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek dressed as Méphistophélès in the MET costume department.

Contestants looked stunned trying to answer opera costume questions on Jeopardy!

Warner Classics Capitalizes On Natalie Dessay Discography

As Natalie Dessay makes the decision to exit the opera stage forever, her record label searches the archives to release a compilation pulled from her career over the last 15 years of singing Bach, Händel, Rameau, and Monteverdi with Emmanuelle Haïm and William Christie. The 2-CD set also comes with a DVD featuring Ms. Dessay in Händel's Alcina. The release is set for November 6. You can pre-order your copy by clicking here. See the complete track list after the jump.

Sabine Devieilhe Follows The Love Mozart Had For Weber Sisters

Mozart was in love with three sisters of the Weber family: Josepha, Aloysia and Konstanze. He wrote music for all of the muses (and their high tessituras) during the last 14 years of his life. This new recording, Sabine Devieilhe's second solo disc for Erato, features conductor Raphaël Pichon and Pygmalion creating a journey of Mozart's amorous awaking for these women as told through music that is bold, dangerous, naive and tormented. Some of the featured tracks include: "Der Hölle Rache" from Die Zauberflöte; "Non so d'onde viene" K.294; "Io non chiedo, eterni Dei" K.316; "Nehmt meinen Dank" KV 483; "Ah, vous dirais-je maman"; and more. Due out November 6, you can pre-order this limited edition disc by clicking here. Watch a video of the recording session after the jump.

Anna Netrebko And Yusif Eyvazov Perform Igor Krutoy In Sochi

Hip Opera Stars: Yusif Eyvazov and Anna Netrebko during rehearsals in Sochi, Russia, for "New Wave."

Soprano Anna Netrebko, currently singing Leonora in Verdi's Il Trovatore at the Metropolitan Opera, was joined by her fiancé Yusif Eyvazov in singing music of Igor Krutoy a the opening of the popular singing competition known as "New Wave" in Sochi, Russia. The October 5 event drew spectators like the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedeva and wife Svetlana, singer Philipp Kirkorov, singer Joseph Kobzon, actor Vladimir Vinokur, singer Lev Leshchenko, and more. This new musical project is based on poems of Lilia Vinogradova set to music of Igor Krutoy. The conductor for the evening was Nikita Mikhalkov. Ms. Netrebko has previously discussed the duets album she is recording with her fiancé of the Krutoy music. She has stated in an interview she is not interested in doing crossover music, but the lyrical songs of Igor Krutoy are just too beautiful not to sing. [Source] More photos, and a couple videos from the concert, after the jump.

Music Lovers: The happy couple backstage after singing Igor Krustoy in Sochi, Russia.

Plácido Domingo Surrounded By Yoncheva, Peretyatko, Yende At MET

Tenor Plácido Domingo backstage at the Metropolitan Opera following a performance of Verdi's Otello, a role he has sung over 225 times, with sopranos (left to right) Sonya Yoncheva, Olga Peretyatko and Pretty Yende.

Maria Luigia Borsi Interviewed During "La Bohème" At Atlanta Opera

A portrait of Maria Luigia Borsi by Brad Repp

"The masterpiece by Puccini introduces us to Mimì and Rodolfo, young lovers living in Paris in the nineteenth century. Their group of bohemians (poets, painters, philosophers) traverses the emotional landscapes of love, poverty and ultimately, loss. This production by General & Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun will bring a grand cinematic approach to one of the greatest operas of all time. Italian soprano Maria Luigia Borsi portrays Mimì. Tenor (and fellow Italy native) Gianluca Terranova plays her lover, Rodolfo. American soprano Leah Partridge sings the role of Musetta and baritone Trevor Scheunemann will portray Marcello. Theo Hoffman sings the role of Shaunard. Arthur Fagen, Carl & Sally Gable Music Director of the Atlanta Opera, will conduct." [Source] For ticket information, visit the Atlanta Opera website. Listen to the interview with Maria Luigia Borsi by clicking here. Hear the soprano sing "Donde lieta usci," from Act III of La Bohème, after the jump.