Message from Malcolm Rivers:
The Mastersingers are very pleased to announce that the joint winners of the new Wagner Society Bursary organised by David Edwards, Ludmilla Andrew, Andrea Buchanan and myself were Catrin Aur and Paul Carey Jones. They sang to a House Full and standing room only audience in the David Josefowitz Hall on Sunday 1st December. The panel was Sir John Tomlinson, Keith Warner and Elaine Padmore. This new event has, as predicted, proved to be an outstanding success due in part to the raising of the age limit for competition to 40 – of the finalists only Victoria Stanyon was under 35. The winners plus the two also highly recommended singers, Rhys Jenkins and Jonathan Stoughton will now receive intense and dedicated coaching in this country by our team of professionals that includes David Syrus, Anthony Negus, Phillip Thomas, Dame Anne Evans and Sir John Tomlinson. We wish them well in their careers. The bonus for the day was a simply wonderful presentation given by Chris Ball, Chairman of the WNO Friends, on the perceived development of the Wagner voice from RW’s time. We will be asking Chris to return to satiate our need for more knowledge on this subject. A heartfelt thank you to all concerned.
Best wishesnMalcolm
Future events include:
Collaboration with the Wagner Society: Tuesday March 11th, David Edwards presents “The Dream King” – an exploration of the RW/King Ludwig relationship with singers from our Young Artists Programme and Richard Black piano. St Botolph’s Church Hall, Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3TL (near Liverpool St station) . Ticketing through the Wagner Society
Collaboration with the Music Club of London:
Thursday May 8th at 49 Queen’s Gate Terrace SW7 5PN. The Mastersingers presents a celebration of the Tercentennial of the composer CW Gluck with singers from our Young Artists Programme and pianists.
Collaboration with the Wagner Society:
Sunday October 19th at the Henry Wood Hall We present the Rehearsal Orchestra in excerpts from Tristan und Isolde conducted by David Syrus.
There are some interesting Wagner interviews available on YouTube. I believe one can get a list from the ArtsDesk.co.uk but unfortunately they have recently introduced a £3 per month paywall and I do not subscribe. Of particular interest are the interview with Dame Anne Evans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
and the Interview with Sir John Tomlinson:http://www.youtube.com/watch?
