Bernard Haitink, renowned Dutch conductor, dies at 92

 

Bernard Johan Herman Haitink CH KBE (Dutch: [ˈbɛrnɑrt ˈɦaːi̯tɪŋk]; 4 March 1929 – 21 October 2021) was a Dutch conductor and violinist. He held posts as principal conductor of several international orchestras, beginning with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from 1961. He moved to London, as principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra from 1967 to 1979, and also music director at Glyndebourne Opera from 1978 to 1988, and of the Royal Opera House, from 1987 to 2002, when he became principal conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Finally, he was principal conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 2010. The focus of his prolific recording was on classical symphonies and orchestral works, but he also conducted operas. His awards include Grammy Awards and the 2015 Gramophone Award for his lifetime achievements. 

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Slovak coloratura soprano Edita Gruberova passed away on October 18, 2021

 

Gruberova had an extraordinary voice that repeatedly motivated directors to include rarely performed operas with challenging singing roles in their programs, especially for them. Gruberova, born in Bratislava in 1946, grew up in simple circumstances as her father drank, and she developed a close relationship with her mother. Singing was her escape from the often harsh reality and difficulties she was going through at home, in the school choir, and the children’s radio choir. Edita Gruberová (23 December 1946 – 18 October 2021) was a Slovak coloratura soprano. She enjoyed huge success internationally in roles such as Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos and Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. In her later career, she explored heavier roles in the Italian bel canto repertoire, such as the title role in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Elvira in Bellini's I puritani, and Elisabetta in Roberto Devereux. WIKIPEDIA | RECORDINGS

RIP CARLISLE FLOYD, American composer

 

Carlisle Sessions Floyd (June 11, 1926 – September 30, 2021) was an American opera composer. The son of a Methodist minister, he based many of his works on themes from living in the American South. His best known opera, Susannah (1955), is based on a story from the Biblical Apocrypha, transferred to contemporary, rural Tennessee, and is written for a Southern dialect.

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