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Kommilitonen!
''Kommilitonen!'' (''Young Blood!'', or ''Student Activists'', literally ''Fellow Students!'') is an opera by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. The libretto is by David Pountney, who was also the director of the premiere performances in March 2011. Genesis According to Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, the principal of the Royal Academy of Music in London, it was at a lunch to celebrate the appointment of Maxwell Davies to the Academy's staff that a suggestion was made that he might be interested in writing an opera for the students to perform. At first, the composer unequivocally declared that his days of composing opera or musical theatre were over, but he soon changed his mind, with the provisos that: * the opera must be about students, * David Pountney must be involved, and * the opera should be commissioned in collaboration with another college.Royal Academy of Music: ''Kommilitonen!'' (''Young Blood!''), Programme for the world première production, March 2011 Pountney's agreeing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Pountney
Sir David Willoughby Pountney (born 10 September 1947) is a British-Polish theatre and opera director and librettist internationally known for his productions of rarely performed operas and new productions of classic works. He has directed over ten world premières, including three by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies for whom he wrote the librettos of '' The Doctor of Myddfai'', '' Mr Emmet Takes a Walk'' and ''Kommilitonen!''Baumgartner (22 July 2009) Biography Pountney was born in Oxford and was a chorister at St John's College, Cambridge (1956-61). He was then educated near Oxford at Radley College (1961-66). And then returned to St John's College, Cambridge to read his degree. His first major breakthrough came in 1972 with his production of ''Káťa Kabanová'' for the Wexford Festival. From 1975 to 1980, he was the Director of Productions at Scottish Opera, and, from 1982 to 1993, Director of Productions at English National Opera, where he directed over twenty operas. From 199 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Maxwell Davies
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (8 September 1934 – 14 March 2016) was an English composer and conductor, who in 2004 was made Master of the Queen's Music. As a student at both the University of Manchester and the Royal Manchester College of Music, Davies formed a group dedicated to contemporary music called the New Music Manchester with fellow students Harrison Birtwistle, Alexander Goehr, Elgar Howarth and John Ogdon. Davies’s compositions include eight works for the stage—from the monodrama ''Eight Songs for a Mad King'', which shocked the audience in 1969, to ''Kommilitonen!'', first performed in 2011—and ten symphonies, written between 1973 and 2013. As a conductor, Davies was artistic director of the Dartington International Summer School from 1979 to 1984 and associate conductor/composer with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from 1992 to 2002, holding the latter position with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra as well. Early life and education Davies was born in Holly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jane Glover
Dame Jane Alison Glover (born 13 May 1949) is a British-born conductor and musicologist. Early life Born at Helmsley, Glover attended Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls. Her father, Robert Finlay Glover, MA ( TCD), was headmaster of Monmouth School and it was through this connection that she was able to meet Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears aged only 16. She later described the meeting: "I was beside myself with the prospect of hearing them perform. On the afternoon of the concert, the doorbell rang at the headmaster's house, and I went to answer it. There on the step, looking for all the world as they did on one of my record sleeves, distinguished, elegant and with the kindliest of eyes, were Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten my hero." After reading Music as an undergraduate at St Hugh's College, Oxford, she went on to complete a DPhil on 17th-century Venetian Opera. Dr Glover has published a 1978 biography of Francesco Cavalli, and included material derived from her ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wallis Giunta
Wallis Giunta (born 1985) is an Irish-Canadian mezzo-soprano opera singer and actress performing at leading theatres and opera companies around the world. Early life and education Giunta was born in Ottawa to Colleen Wrighte and Michael Giunta. She has a brother, Macallan, and a sister, Marley. Giunta sang in the Ottawa Central Children's Choir from age 9 to 15, and began voice training with Charlotte Stewart in Ottawa at age 13. She attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute, and graduated from Glebe Collegiate Institute high school. At 17, she began her post-secondary studies in voice at The University of Ottawa, completing two years. She then transferred to The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto in her junior year, receiving her Performance Diploma (Voice) at age 21 and her Artist Diploma (Voice) at age 23. While a student, she achieved first place in the Royal Conservatory Orchestra Concerto Competition. She attended training programs at the Aspen Mus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Welsh National Youth Opera
WNO Youth Opera (WNYO) (Welsh: ''Opera Ieuenctid WNO'') is a training and performance programme for young singers aged between 8 and 25. It forms part of the youth wing of Welsh National Opera, with Youth Opera groups in South Wales (Cardiff), North Wales (Llandudno) and Birmingham. Recent full-scale WNO Youth Opera productions include ''Brundibár'' (2019), ''Kommilitonen!'' (2016), and ''Paul Bunyan'' (2013). The groups meets regularly in throughout the academic year with and work with directors, vocal coaches and musicians to improve performance skills, as well as collaborating with composers and writers in the creation of new pieces. Background Formerly known as WNO Singing Club and starting with only seven participants, it has grown to include over a hundred members spanning over three regional hubs (South Wales, North Wales and Birmingham). Each year WNO Youth Opera mounts a full-scale production which is performed in the Wales Millennium Centre. In April 2005 it premiè ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heather Engebretson
Heather Engebretson (born February 21, 1990) is a Chinese-American operatic soprano who made a career mostly in Europe. Based at German opera ensembles for several years, she has worked freelance from 2017, and widened her repertoire from coloratura roles to leading characters such as Puccini's Madama Butterfly. She has been praised for her convincing acting as well as the expressiveness of her lyric voice, with performances including the Royal Opera House in London, the Bolshoi Theatre and Oper Frankfurt. Career Engebretson attended the Cleveland Institute of Music, and also the Juilliard School under Edith Wiens. She was a laureate at the singing competition of the Savonlinna Opera Festival and the Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition of Graz. Her stage debut was in St. Louis, where she performed the role of Queen of the Night in Mozart's ''Die Zauberflöte''. She also appeared in St Louis as Gretel in Humperdinck's '' Hänsel und Gretel''. After making her Carnegie H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katie Bray
Katie Emily Bray (born 23 January 1987) is an English mezzo-soprano and is best known as the winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World in 2019. She is particularly noted for her baroque repertoire. Early life and education Bray was born on 23 January 1987 in Exeter, Devon, England. She was educated at St Margaret's School in Exeter until 2005 and went on to study at the University of Manchester, graduating in 2008. She then went onto study opera as a post-graduate at the Royal Academy of Music, where she was taught by Elizabeth Ritchie and Iain Ledingham, and finished her studies at the academy in 2012 having won an Alfred Alexander Scholarship and been recipient of The Karaviotis Scholarship. Professional career In 2013, Bray made her debuts with Glyndebourne Festival Opera and English Touring Opera. Bray has also performed with Opera North, English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, Garsington Oper ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Brancy
John Brancy (born November 14, 1988) is an American operatic baritone performing with leading opera companies around the world. He is of Polish, German, English and Scottish descent. Early life and education Brancy was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, to Margaret and Michael Brancy. He has a younger sister, Jenna, a visual artist Brancy started voice lessons with Marvin Keenze in 2005. He grew up in the Mullica Hill section of Harrison Township, New Jersey and graduated from Clearview Regional High School in 2007.Shyrock, Bob"A Rare Talent" ''South Jersey Life'',August 21, 2007. Accessed October 21, 2018. "Defying considerable odds, John Brancy has posted some rather impressive numbers. For example, in one competition in Miami, the classical baritone from Clearview Regional High School was one of six $10,000 winners.... So it's little wonder the Mullica Hill resident heads to the elite Juilliard School in Manhattan on scholarship in a few weeks to pursue a musical career he hop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above (i.e. A3–A5 in scientific pitch notation, where middle C = C4; 220–880 Hz). In the lower and upper extremes, some mezzo-sopranos may extend down to the F below middle C (F3, 175 Hz) and as high as "high C" (C6, 1047 Hz). The mezzo-soprano voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, lyric, and dramatic mezzo-soprano. History While mezzo-sopranos typically sing secondary roles in operas, notable exceptions include the title role in Bizet's '' Carmen'', Angelina (Cinderella) in Rossini's ''La Cenerentola'', and Rosina in Rossini's ''Barber of Seville'' (all of which are also sung by sopranos and contraltos). Many 19th-century French-language operas give the leading female role to mezzos, includin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bass (voice Type)
A bass is a type of classical male singing voice and has the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', a bass is typically classified as having a vocal range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C (i.e., E2–E4).; ''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'' gives E2–E4/F4 Its tessitura, or comfortable range, is normally defined by the outermost lines of the bass clef. Categories of bass voices vary according to national style and classification system. Italians favour subdividing basses into the ''basso cantante'' (singing bass), ''basso buffo'' ("funny" bass), or the dramatic ''basso profondo'' (low bass). The American system identifies the bass-baritone, comic bass, lyric bass, and dramatic bass. The German ''Fach'' system offers further distinctions: Spielbass (Bassbuffo), Schwerer Spielbass (Schwerer Bassbuffo), Charakterbass (Bassbariton), and Seriöser Bass. These classification systems can ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hans Scholl
Hans Fritz Scholl (; 22 September 1918 – 22 February 1943) was, along with Alexander Schmorell, one of the two founding members of the White Rose resistance movement in Nazi Germany. The principal author of the resistance movement's literature, he was found guilty of high treason for distributing anti-Nazi material and was executed by the Nazi regime in 1943 during World War II. Early life Scholl was born in Ingersheim on September 22, 1918. (Ingersheim is now a part of Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg). His father, Robert, later became the mayor of Forchtenberg am Kocher. Hans was the second of six children: # Inge Aicher-Scholl (1917–1998) . 6 September 1998. Archived frothe originalon 31 December 2007. # Hans Scholl (1918–1943) # Elisabeth Scholl Hartnagel (1920–2020), married Sophie's long-term boyfriend, Fritz Hartnagel # Sophie Scholl (1921–1943) # Werner Scholl (1922–1944) missing in action and presumed dead in June 1944 # Thilde Scholl (1925 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexander Schmorell
Alexander Schmorell (; russian: Александр Гугович Шморель, translit=Aleksandr Gugovich Shmorel', ; 16 September 1917 – 13 July 1943) was a Russian-German student at Munich University who, with five others, formed a resistance group (part of the '' Widerstand'') known as White Rose (german: Weiße Rose) which was active against the Nazi German regime from June 1942 to February 1943. In 2012, he was glorified as a saint and passion bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, and is venerated by Orthodox Christians throughout the world.''Über das Leben und das Werk des Märtyrers Alexander von München.'' In: ''Sobor.de'', 30. September 2011. Early life Alexander Schmorell was born in Orenburg, Russia o ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
