b. 1953 Russian conductor From 1978 Gergiev served as assistant conductor at the Kirov (now Mariinsky) Opera, eventually becoming chief conductor, artistic director and general director. He was later appointed principal guest conductor at the Metropolitan Opera 1997–2008, and principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic 1995–2008 and the London Symphony (from 2005). He has recorded most of the ...
Boris Godunov, the only project out of nine that Mussorgsky completed himself, has been cited as the great masterpiece of nineteenth-century Russian opera – with its thrilling crowd scenes, historic panorama and the chilling power of its principal character. Boris was unusual in having its chief male role written for a bass voice and for the ‘sung prose’ ...
Composed: 1869–70, completed 1874–87 Premiered: 1890, St Petersburg Libretto by the composer, after Vladimir Vasil’yevich Stasov Prologue Ignoring an eclipse of the sun, Prince Igor prepares to leave Putivl’ for a campaign against the pagan Polovtsï, accompanied by his son Vladimir. Skula and Yeroshka, two musicians, decide to desert. Igor refuses to listen to the ...
b. 1943 English conductor Gardiner founded the Monteverdi Choir in 1964 and the Monteverdi Orchestra in 1968, when he conducted the Monteverdi Vespers at the Promenade Concerts in London. He was artistic director of the Göttingen Handel Festival 1981–90 and music director of the Lyons Opera 1983–88. He has given many performances of French Baroque opera, including the first ...
(A-lex-an’-der Bô-ro-den’) 1833–87 Russian composer Borodin joined Balakirev’s circle known as ‘The Five’ while an army doctor in 1861. He later became a professor of chemistry and founded a school of medicine for women in St Petersburg, yet in his spare time composed a highly polished, if small, output. His melodic style draws on folk music reworked into compelling ...
b. 1971, Russian Soprano Anna Netrebko made her operatic stage debut as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro at the Marinsky Theatre, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Netrebko’s repertoire includes a number of bel canto and verismo operas, and she thrives in roles that require great vocal and dramatic commitment; her fearless and flamboyant Violetta (La traviata) being a ...
(Mekh’-a-il E-va-no’-vich Glin’-ka) 1804–57 Russian composer Known as the ‘father of Russian music’, Glinka was the initial force behind nineteenth-century Russian nationalism. He grew up in a cosseted environment, and his early exposure to music was confined largely to the folksongs sung by his nurse, the traits of which were later absorbed into his melodic style. After a couple of ...
February Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is given out yearly to ‘performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording’. In 2005, Led Zeppelin were one of those performers. Sadly, John Bonham was no longer alive to see his achievement realized, a fact ...
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.