On This Day

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On This Day
23 April: Jolivet’s Concerto for Ondes Martenot Was Premiered
On 23 April 1948, the city of Vienna was treated to a most unusual premiere. On that day, André Jolivet stepped onto the podium and, together with his sister Ginette as the soloist, first presented his Concerto for Ondes Martenot
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On This Day
22 April: Yehudi Menuhin Was Born
One of the finest violinists and most significant artists of the 20th century, Yehudi Menuhin was a gentle spirit who gave music a profound emotional resonance. The most musically gifted violin prodigy of his generation, he devoted his life to
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On This Day
19 April: Natalie Dessay Was Born
French soprano Natalie Dessay is known for her unusual commitment to exploring the theatrical possibilities offered by opera. An admired interpreter of bel canto and lyric heroines, Dessay initially made her name with coloratura showpieces. For many years, she has
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On This Day
17 April: Anton Rubinstein’s The Maccabees Was Premiered
The Maccabees, composed in Vienna between 1872-4, was Anton Rubinstein’s (1829-1894) most successful opera. Premiered on 17 April 1875 at the Hofoper in Berlin, reviewers considered opening night the greatest triumph the city had witnessed since L’Africaine ten years before.
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14 April: George Frideric Handel Died
George Frideric Handel started work in his oratorio Jephtha on 21 January 1751. He was already well advanced in the score, setting the final chorus of Act 2, “How dark, O Lord, are thy decree,” when he was suddenly forced
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On This Day
11 April: Sondra Radvanovsky Was Born
Specialising in 19th-century Italian opera, Sondra Radvanovsky is a widely-celebrated interpreter of the bel canto, verismo, and the works by Giuseppe Verdi. A winner of several voice competitions, Radvanovsky’s luscious voice, sounding depth, and exquisite colour, are matched by her
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On This Day
8 April: Tianwa Yang Was Born
Hailed as one the most important violinists to come onto the scene in recent memory, Tianwa Yang won the prestigious ECHO Klassik Instrumentalist of the Year Award in 2015. A Beijing native, Ms. Yang has performed in concert halls across
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On This Day
7 April: Leif Ove Andsnes Was Born
A renowned and celebrated champion of the works of Edvard Grieg, Leif Ove Andsnes has been described as a “pianist of magisterial elegance, power, and insight,” and “one of the most gifted musicians of his generation.” He performs in the
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