On This Day

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On This Day
2 September: Weill’s Happy End Was Premiered
The Threepenny Opera, the most famous collaboration between Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill premiered on 31 August 1928. It was a resounding success with critics and audiences alike. A contemporary critic writes that the work is “the weightiest possible lowbrow
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On This Day
31 August: Daniel Harding Was Born
Considered Britain’s most gifted and respected export among conductors after Simon Rattle, Daniel Harding’s devotion to music is “matched by his love of football, fast cars, and planes.” His early conducting career was truly remarkable as he was given the
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On This Day
28 August: Imogen Cooper Was Born
Sir Simon Rattle famously wrote, “Imogen Cooper is one of the greatest musicians England has produced. She’s utterly without show. Mozart, Schumann and Schubert could have been written for her. There’s a poetic, reflective side to her which is always
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On This Day
26 August: Dina Ugorskaja Was Born
Dina Ugorskaja is frequently hailed as a “philosopher at the piano,” internationally known for her thoughtful and sensitive interpretations. During her struggles with cancer in her final years, Ugorskaja projected a sense of darkness that made her interpretations “fearsomely beautiful,
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On This Day
24 August: George Li Was Born
The 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition announced 19-year-old pianist American George Li as the recipient of the Second prize in the piano division. The judges praised his incredible technical skill and his passionate and sincere attitude towards music. “Li showed himself
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On This Day
23 August: Karina Canellakis Was Born
Born in New York City on 23 August 1981, conductor Karina Canellakis has a number of firsts to her name. She was the first woman to conduct the First Night of the BBC Proms in London in 2019, and was
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On This Day
17 August: Wagner’s Götterdämmerung Was Premiered
It took Richard Wagner the better part of 26 years to complete Götterdämmerung (Twilights of the Gods). This final opera in the Ring cycle was originally called “Siegfried’s Tod,” and the resources and stamina demanded by the work from both
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On This Day
14 August: Rossini’s Il Turco in Italia Was Premiered
Recognised as one of Gioachino Rossini’s most brilliant and innovative comedies, Il Turco in Italia (The Turk in Italy) is a laugh-out-loud opera buffa, full of energetic and buoyant music. With a libretto by Felice Romani, the work first sounded
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