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On This Day
26 May: Magdalena Kožená Was Born
Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, today also known as Lady Rattle, was born in Brno on 26 May 1973. Her father was a mathematician and her mother a biologist, and Magdalena sang in the Children’s and Youth choir attached to the
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On This Day
25 May: Gustav Holst Died
Gustav Holst’s reputation had been steadily growing during the years before World War I, and in 1917 “he composed the choral and orchestral Hymn of Jesus, perhaps the most characteristic and original work of his maturity.” His true breakthrough, however,
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The Greatest Composers of Film Music
Satie, Ibert, Tailleferre, Milhaud and Honegger
I was still too young to actually see the first “Tomb Raider” film release in 2001. But when I first watched it some years later, I thought it was the biggest thing since the invention of the handbag. Finally, there
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On This Day
23 May: Beethoven’s Fidelio (Final Version) Was Premiered
As you can tell from the title, Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio was a long time in the making. In fact, the process of composition and revision took nearly 10 years, from the first failure in 1805 to the premiere of
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On This Day
22 May: Richard Wagner Was Born
I absolutely love the way Richard Wagner is introduced in the most-respected English-language dictionary. The author writes, “It is both fitting and psychologically congruous that a question mark should hover over the identity of the father and mother of the
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On This Day
20 May: Clara Schumann Died
On 21 May 1896, the Guardian reports, “We have to announce, with sincere regret, the death of Madame Clara Schumann, which occurred early yesterday morning, at her residence in Frankfort. For some months the health of the distinguished lady had
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On This Day
18 May: Satie’s Parade Was Premiered
The famed Folies Bergère in Paris was built as an opera house and initially opened its doors by offering performances of light entertainment, including operettas, comic opera, popular songs, and gymnastics. The venue reached the height of its fame and
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Chiun-Teng Cheng
Founder of the “Professor Shu-Te Sylvia Lee Violin Competition”
The most famous and recognized violin competition with the highest prize money in Taiwan, “Professor Shu-Te Sylvia Lee Violin Competition” (the Competition), will return at the end of December 2022. The Competition is sponsored and organized by Chiun-Teng Cheng Rare
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