Newsletter Vol 13 No 1 March 2009
Editorial
Apologies are due to members and guests who attended the meeting of 25thJanuary when the Society's audio equipment failed. Although we were unable to hear Will Scott's presentation about the late, great David Ward, the evening remained convivial, meeting representatives of the Ward family, and with 20 fortunate members each receiving 3 tickets for the Bayreuth Festival in our annual ballot, which was graciously drawn by Lady Gibson. So, like that character in the Mikado, we may declare 'Don't be downhearted! There's a silver lining to every cloud.' Firstly Will has agreed to reschedule his talk (see below) and, secondly, the sound quality will be greatly enhanced as the Society has invested in excellent new equipment. The latter was pressed into service for the first time at Roderick Swanston's lecture last month, an outstanding evening, for which no apologies are due.
Download a brochure for our summer school on Der fliegende Holländer, and the booking form.
Forthcoming Events
Sunday 15th March at 7.30pm: Richard Wagner and the Faeries - A Lecture by Derek Watson
His first complete opera, Die Feen, composed when he was twenty, is not just of interest per se, but as harbinger of many significant dramatic motifs that were to recur throughout Wagner's later works. Derived from a play by Gozzi, the work also has Ossianic elements. Very rarely given, it is to receive six performances at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, between 27th March and 9th April. In anticipation of these, and as illustration of the young Wagner's musical and theatrical development, Derek Watson will provide an introduction to the opera, using extracts from the Munich recording featuring our honorary member Linda Esther Gray in the leading role of Ada.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road (by Dean Bridge)
Admission £5.00 (members); £6.00 (guests)
Sunday 5th April at 7.30pm: The Artistry of David Ward by Will Scott
Amongst the finest exponents of his day of the major Wagner roles for bass-baritone, Dumbarton-born David Ward is now comparatively unknown, probably because he left no complete commercial recordings of these parts. This evening's talk is an appreciation of David Ward's command of the roles of Wotan and the Wanderer, illustrated with substantial musical extracts drawing on private recordings which have been made available especially for this event. They also serve as a welcome reminder of Alexander Gibson's pre-eminence as a Wagner conductor.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road (by Dean Bridge)
Admission £5.00 (members); £6.00 (guests)
The 2009 Study Weekend on Der fliegende Holländer will take place at the University of Stirling, 10th -13th July. A brochure and booking form is enclosed.
Plans for the autumn of this year include a commemoration of Mendelssohn's bicentenary; the start of a new series about Der Ring des Nibelungen, which will examine great performances on record and film; and events to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the founding of a Wagner Society in Scotland (in November 1984).
Special Book Offer
Wagner and Venice: by John W. Barker
University of Rochester Press. Hardback. ISBN 9781580462884
Pre-ordered copies of this highly recommended book will be available at the meeting on 15th March
RRP £35.00. Our price to members: £28.00 [saving £7!]
Richard Wagner had a longstanding love affair with the city of Venice. His sudden death there also initiated a process through which his reputation was integrated into Venice's own cumulative cultural image. In this book Professor Barker, emeritus professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, examines connections between the great composer and the great city.
The author traces patterns of Wagner's various visits to Venice, considers what the city came to mean to him, investigates details surrounding his death, and considers Venice's subsequent Wagner celebrations and commemorations. Using new, previously unavailable sources he provides those already familiar with Wagner's life with fresh insights, while simultaneously revealing a neglected corner of Italian and Venetian cultural history.
If you would like to reserve a copy, please order through Derek Watson (address below) enclosing a cheque made payable to Linton Books for £28.00. If you wish the book to be posted please add £3.00 to your cheque.
Wagner Society Events In England
The Wagner Society in London reminds our members that they are most welcome at any meetings should they happen to be in London. Details of their programme can be found at www.wagnersociety.org/Events.htm
The Wagner Society Of Scotland Bayreuth Scholarship 2009
We are pleased to announce that the winner of this year's scholarship is the Icelandic tenor, Bjartmar Sigurdsson, currently studying for a postgraduate diploma at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. With a splendid voice and imposing stature, he has great potential as a future Wagner singer. Members may recall his singing alongside last year's Scholarship winner, Fiona Scott, at our meeting in Edinburgh last May. In attending the Ring cycle this August, and meeting many aspiring international young artists there, this is a great opportunity for him to observe at first hand the qualities of, and the demands on singers and producers in the theatre which the composer designed. We wish him an enjoyable and fruitful trip to Bayreuth.
News in Brief
- We are sad to report the recent death of one of our founding members, Mrs Margaret Black of Edinburgh. Margaret was a committed and enthusiastic supporter of all our activities, and an eager visitor to Bayreuth, until illness prevented her regular attendance. We send our condolences to her family.
- Fiona Scott, our Bayreuth Scholar for 2008, will sing the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos at the New Athenaeum Theatre in the RSAMD, Glasgow, on 23rd and 26th March. The role of Bacchus will be taken by our 2009 Bayreuth scholar, Bjartmar Sigurdsson, at all the Academy's performances of the work. Details from the RSAMD box office: 0141 332 4101.
- Derek Watson will present a term of Introducing Opera at the Edinburgh Society of Musicians from 22nd April at 7:00pm for eight Wednesdays, looking at Manon, Così fan tutte, and the operas of the Edinburgh International Festival. For a booking form, please contact Derek.
- Katharina Wagner will direct Der fliegende Holländer at Bayreuth in 2012, and Tristan und Isolde in 2015. Both will be conducted by Christian Thielemann. The new Bayreuth Tannhäuser in 2011 will be directed by Sebastian Baumgarten.
- The Wagner Society of New York provides an annual series of lectures in English at Bayreuth. The dates this year are 20th-28th August. They are also mounting a special events series for the 2009 New York Met Ring cycles. Contact Derek Watson for details of all of these.
- Helen Lawson will present a programme Kennst Du das Land?: Lieder from far and near with her RSAMD M.Mus students at the Steingraeber Haus, Bayreuth, on 29thMarch. It is hoped that a similar programme will be offered soon for our Society in Edinburgh.
- We acknowledge with thanks receipt of the latest journals from the Wagner Societies of Barcelona, Wagneriana, and Turku, Wagneriaani. Copies may be inspected at current meetings.
- The Beethovenfest in Bonn will feature a new production of Tannhäuser on 18th and 27th September. www.beethovenfest.de
- The Festival del Mediterrani, Valencia, Spain, present cycles of the Ring in June and July.
With our next Newsletter...
Our next Newsletter will contain further details of our programme for May and June, more book and/or CD offers, and news of the Society's autumn plans.
Chairman and Newsletter editor: Derek Watson, Deanfoot House, West Linton, Peeblesshire EH46 7EA Tel 01968 660339 Fax 01968 661701; e-mail derek@lintonbooks.plus.com
Secretary: W S Scott, 83 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh EH7 4HU; Tel 0131-556 2617; Fax 0870 0568159; e-mail will@elgar1.plus.com
Treasurer: John Holcombe, 4 Galleon Court, Lamer Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1GX; e-mail john@holc.wanadoo.co.uk
