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Volume 13 - Issue 1 - September 2007

.... RICHARD BRADSHAW

.... RICHARD BRADSHAW REVISITED: A REPRINT OF OUR INTERVIEW FROM APRIL 2005'I've been fortunate in a lot of ways. Conductors need abreak. At the end of a concert I conducted featuring a young cellosoloist, his father, principal cellist of the London Symphony, askedme whether I knew Colin Davis. At the time Davis was next to God.He gave me an introduction to Davis, who asked where I was conducting.I had one concert in London coming up. Davis was rehearsingWozzeck, so I didn't even send him a ticket. But he came. At theintermission he left his number, because he had to get back to rehearsalsat Covent Garden.' When Bradshaw went to see Davis, theconductor picked up the phone, rang the Liverpool Philharmonic, whowas auditioning young conductors to work with the orchestra, andsaid, "I've got this conductor here I saw two nights ago . You mustaudition him."'So Bradshaw was added to the audition list, even though hehad previously been turned down - and won a position. 'That was mybig break. I did see Davis a bit ago and he said to me, "I hope youlisten to a lot of young conductors," which I do. I don't think there's ayoung conductor who's applied here who I haven't seen or talked to.'Bradshaw has a knack for bringing in top conductors for thespecific repetoire, like Rossini specialist Will Crutchfield for thismonth's Tancredi, and early music specialist Harry Bicket for Rodelindanext year.'I have done a lot of Handel opera in the past, but now I'drather have specialists like Bickett do it -that's their world. What Iwould like to do again are the big Handel oratorios, with the sort ofexciting forces that Handel originally used.''The early music movement has made us rethink - it hastaught us a lot. On the other hand, from my deeply old-fashionedstandpoint about some things, we've lost in the performance of Bachand Handel a certain grandeur - not heaviness, but sonority. The firstperformances of Messiah that we know about used enormous forces.There is something about the grandeur of a big Messiah which weneglect at our peril. Sometime I'll dare to go back to conducting thatrepertoire, but the sort of St. Matthew Passion I'd do would be deeplyanachronistic.'One of the most exciting impacts of the new house is on programming.Bradshaw promises lots of Mozart. 'I gave up on Mozartin the Hummingbird - it needs intimacy and quicksilver, especially inthe ensembles. If I wouldn't conduct it myself in there, why should Iask somebody else to?'When I mention theMagic Flute from years back at the Elgin,Bradshaw gasps. 'That was the worst thing we ever did, just becauseit was so incompetent for all sorts of reasons. Our Queen of the Nightjust made it worse. That Queen had won an international Mozartcompetition in Toronto. But she turned up from day one totally unableto sing the part - it was a catastrophe. We did try to replace her butthe replacement wasn't very good either ... So that one got away.'Asked about his favourite opera of all, he says, 'If I had tosay one I would say Pelleas et Melisande.' In fact, Bradshaw wasmade a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters of France for hiscommitment to French music. Yet major works of the French operaticrepertoire have been long missing from the COC seasons. Faustis planned, but Manon, which is one of his favourite French pieces, isprohibitively expensive. His next dream project is Les Troyens.'When you've done the Ring, that's the next Everest.'Canadian opera remains a priority. 'I desperately think weneed to produce more Canadian operas. Randolph Peters, who isworking onlnnana 's Dream, based on Sumerian legends, is enormouslytalented, and I'm very interested in what he's going to do for us.'Bradshaw has done a remarkable job of bringing internationallysuccessful Canadian singers back to the COC. But he's still tryingto work things out with Ben Heppner, who hasn't sung with theCOC since 1996. 'We regularly ask him. I think he 's a very greatsinger and I wish he were doing more here. I would almost say that ifwe did Die Meistersinger, which is probably our favourite Wagneropera, I can't imagine doing it with anyone else - I think it would be atragedy.'If things aren't working in a production, can he step in? 'Ithink I should have stepped in with the recent Lucia, but I was soconcerned with The Handmaid's Tale . I would be more involved nexttime.''But once you've hired someone you have a responsibility tohelp them realize their vision, especially if you're working withsomeone like Fran9ois Girard, who has the most extraordinary abilityCONTINUES ON PAGE 18www. M oared al eCo n certs. co mSun. Sept. 23, 2007WHMooredale Competition Winnerswith Toronto Symphony membersEmre Sagbas, flute, Sonia Sielaff,clarinet, Eldon Hang-Kay Ng, pianoJoaquin Valdepenas, conductorSplendid 19th century concerti byMercadante, Crusell & BeethovenOct. 13/14, 2007WUC,WHMore prizewinning stars:Philip Chiu pianist performs the LisztSonata, violinist Emmanuel Vukovichplays Bach, plus Brahms' wild PianoQuartet in G minorNov. 24 /25, 2007Tokai String QuartetCarl Czerny Quartet in E minorBartek Quartet #2Krammer Clarinet Quartet withRobyn Cho, ClarinetSun.Feb.3,2008Nordic VoicesAn astounding ensemble of6 Norwegian Singers,"thrilled the senses and sent anWUC, WHWHemotional message no listenercould miss" (Washington Post)March 29/30, 2008WUC,WHKristine•s KompanionsMonumental Mozart G minor Quintetand scintillating Spohr Quintet withErika Raum, Scott St. John,Olivier Thouin and Sharon Wei, whoall played so often with KristineBogyo, plus Winona Zelenka, celloApril 12/13, 2008WUC,WHPianist Anton Kuerti plays anddiscusses Beethoven's longest andgreatest piano work, the DiabelliVariations16WH = Walter Hall, U. of T.Museum subway Sundays 3pmWUC = Willowdale United Church349 Kenneth Ave. Saturdays 8pmArtistic Director: Anton KuertiMusic & TrufflesDelightful, charming children's versionsof these concertsWalter Hall 1 pm Sept. 23, Oct. 14,Nov. 25, Mar. 30 & Apr. 13These sell out fast!WWW.TH EWHOLENOTE. COMAffordable tickets!Subscribe to all 6 events: ( St./Sr.)Music & Truffles: 5 events for 416-922-3714 x103SEPTE M BER 1 - O CTOBER 7 2007Back to Ad Index

Robert Aitkenartistic directorSunday October 21, 2007William Bolcom for Two PianosCo-presented with The Music Gallery I 197 John StreetGuest Artists: Elizabeth and Marcel BergmannSaturday+Sunday - January 12+ 13, 2008Chou Wen-chung and the Varese StoryBetty Oliphant Theatre I 404 Jarvis StreetNMC Ensemble I Robert Aitken solo flute & directionAccordes quartet I Teri Dunn sopranoFriday February 8, 2008Timo & Magnus: Finland TodayCo-Presented with The Music Gallery I 197 John StreetGuest Composer Magnus Lindberg with Timo Korhonen guitarNMC Ensemble I Robert Aitken directionDavid Hetherington celloIndividual Tickets regular I seniors I arts worke rs I studentsSubscriptions (7 events) $135 I I [+ 6% GST]Pick 3 (or more) each reg I snr [+ 6% GST]Call NMC @ 416 961-9594 I Repertoire, dates and artists subject to changeIntroductions @ 7:15 I Concerts @ 8:00 I Full details atwww.NewMusicConcerts.comFriday March 7, 2008Michel Gonneville and his ProtegesGilbert I Risfic I Cote I Frechette I McKinley I GonnevilleGlenn Gould Studio I 250 Front Street W INMC Ensemble I Robert Aitken direction I Accordes quartetMax Christie clarinet I Jean Laurendeau ondes MartenotFriday April 11 , 2008PremieresAlice Ho I So Jeong Ahn I Chris Paul HarmanRodney Sharman I Juan TrigosGlenn Gould Studio I 250 Front Street WNMC Ensemble I Robert Aitken direction I Accordes quartetDieter Hennings guitar I Kathleen Mclean bassoonErica Goodman harp I David Swan pianosounda ISWednesday June 4, 2008Sound and Poetry in MotionIsabel Bader Theatre I 93 Charles St WGuest Artists Robin Minard & Jaap BlonkMay 29 - June 15, 2008 I A Portrait of Robin Minard10 Years of Sound Objects I Gallery 345 I 345 Sorauren Ave(free - call 416 961-9594 for exhibition hours)BfB Canada Council Conseil des Arts l"*-1 Canadian Patrimoine~ for the Arts du Canada T Heritage canadlen_OA. o t1rAA10ARTScour,m taront dartsbouncil)'-\. COUSEIL DES AR TS OE l'Ot/TARIO .l.11 .,.,-·~ "" 0'~ h

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