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John Pierce
Singers: Simon Keenlyside
Born in London, Simon Keenlyside as a child attended St. John's College School, Cambridge, and toured and recorded with the school's choir. He studied zoology at Cambridge University, and, after graduation from Cambridge, resumed vocal studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He has had a successful career as a baritone in opera and song.
December 2012
The London Symphony Orchestra recording of Britten's War Requiem is one of the Top 10 Classical Albums of 2012 according to NPR Music.
And one of the Best of Classical 2012, according to Ronni Reich, nj.com
November 2012
Fauré Requiem
2012 re-issue
November 19, 2012: amazon.co.uk
November 20, 2012: amazon.com
November 16, 2012: amazon.de
October 2012
The Tempest rehearsal photo
September 2012
Robert Lepage talks about the Metropolitan Opera's upcoming The Tempest:
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Songs of War has won the Gramophone award for 2012 in the category Solo Vocal.
Tickets to the Metropolitan Opera's HD broadcasts to movie theatres in the United States for the 2012-2013 season are now being sold in advance thorugh Fandango.com.
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Hyperion has re-issued their recording on compact disc of Chabrier's Briséïs ou Les amants de Corinthe
CD Description
Briséïs ou Les amants de Corinthe
Briseis: JOAN RODGERS soprano
Hylas: MARK PADMORE tenor
Le Catechiste: SIMON KEENLYSIDE baritone
Stratokles: MICHAEL GEORGE bass
Thanasto: KATHRYN HARRIES mezzo-soprano
First Maidservant: GILLIAN TAYLOR soprano
Second Maidservant: ANNE HETHERINGTON soprano
First Servant: GRAEME DANBY bass
Second Servant: JOHN PRINCE bassChabrier's extraordinary, if incomplete, opera is surely a precursor to Salome and eclipses even that most lurid work in the gloriously opulent sensuality of its music. Performed at the Edinburgh Festival by some of the greatest singers of the day and recorded live by Hyperion, this thrilling performance stunned critics and public alike. A genuinely wonderful discovery.
CD, re-release date 3 September 2012: amazon.co.uk
CD, re-release date 12 September 2012: amazon.com
CD, re-release date 21 September 212: amazon.de
CD, re-release date 30 August 2012: amazon.fr
August 2012
At Gramophone Magazine, in connection with the Gramophone Awards nominees for 2012, in a Podcast editor-in-chief James Jolly and critic Richard Fairman discuss the Solo Vocal Category, which features: Mark Padmore in Britten and Finzi (Harmonia Mundi), Roderick Williams in Britten (on Naxos), and a programme entitled 'Songs of War' from Simon Keenlyside (Sony Classical).
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Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op. 70
Rosemary Joshua (soprano), Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano), Robert Murray (tenor,) & Simon Keenlyside (bass)
Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir, Gabrieli Young Singers' Scheme & Gabrieli Consort & Players, Paul McCreesh
This recording sees over 440 musicians taking part, including 92 string players and over 300 singers.
CD, amazon.co.uk, release date 27 August 2012
MP3, amazon.com, release date 27 August 2012
June 2012
"An intensely musical performance by Simon Keenlyside in the title role and a deeply considered production by Phyllida Lloyd, each of them attuned to the sound and the sense of Verdi's music, put this Macbeth at the top of the DVD competition for this tricky opera. Keenlyside's performance is highly detailed in vocal terms. He can be dreamy or pensive, as well as tormented, as the role requires. The dagger monologue is sung with reserves of breath, and the final section of the Act II finale, 'Sangue a me,' is sung with the sort of Verdian legato that is supposedly extinct today. Verdi provided an unusually wide range of expression marks for this role, even more than in many of his later operas, and Keenlyside has worked them all into his portrayal as if he had thought up the ideas himself. As an actor, he gives every indication that he would be capable of carrying the role in Shakespeare's play.
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"Liudmyla Monastryska's Lady Macbeth is unusually well sung."
--William R. Braun, Opera News of July 2012.
DVD, amazon.com
DVD, amazon.co.uk
May 2012
Britten: War Requiem -- Sabina Cvilak, Ian Bostridge, Simon Keenlyside; London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
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Release date: 8 May 2012
MP3, amazon.com
MP3, amazon.co.uk
MP3, amazon.fr
MP3, amazon.de
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Links to reviews of performances in the Barbican Hall
February 2012
The U.S. release of the Royal Opera's production of Verdi's Macbeth on DVD and Blu-Ray is scheduled for March 27, 2012.
January 2012
"November brings the Philharmonia Orchestra and its acclaimed conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen to Avery Fisher Hall. On November 18, Maestro Salonen leads the orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 9. November 19 is a concert performance of Berg's searing tragic opera Wozzeck. English baritone Simon Keenlyside sings the title role. The role of Marie, his wife, will be sung by German soprano Angela Denoke, who received wide acclaim opposite Keenlyside in the Paris National Opera production of the opera in 2008."--Lincoln Center press releaseBecause of illness, Simon Keenlyside will be replaced by Lucas Meachem in upcoming performances of Le nozze di Figaro, the Royal Opera House has announced.
The Royal Opera's production of Verdi's Macbeth will be released on DVD on 31 January 2012 in the United Kingdom and on 8 February in France. No word yet that I am aware of as to American release.
COMPOSER: Giuseppe Verdi
TITLE: Macbeth
TRACKS: Extra features: Cast gallery / Interviews with Simon Keenlyside / Raymond Aceto and Liudmyla Monastryrska. Rehearsing Macbeth with Antonio Pappano.
ORCHESTRA: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
CONDUCTOR: Antonio Pappano
ARTISTS: Simon Keenlyside, Liudmyla Monastryrska, Raymond Aceto, & Steven Ebel
LABEL: Opus Arte
With Simon Keenlyside making his British role debut, as an athletic, brooding Macbeth and Liudmyla Monastyrska as his Lady, both imperious and subtle, this performance, masterfully conducted by Antonio Pappano, goes far beyond mere sound and fury. '. . . an impressive company showcase, full of moments when chorus and orchestra are at full throttle. Whipped up by Antonio Pappano's baton, they sound truly thrilling.' The Guardian.
DVD, amazon.co.uk
DVD, hmv.com
DVD, amazon.fr
Blu-Ray, amazon.co.uk
Blu-Ray, Crotchet Classical Music
Blu-Ray, hmv.com
Blu-Ray, amazon.fr
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Alex Ross's list of the year 2011's most memorable classical music performances includes: "Oct. 23: Gianandrea Noseda conducts the London Symphony and a host of singers in Britten's 'War Requiem' at Avery Fisher Hall, as part of the White Light Festival."
"Eine doppelte Besetzungsänderung gibt es für die anstehenden Termine von Guiseppe [sic] Verdis 'Un ballo in maschera' an der Wiener Staatsoper: Kammersänger Leo Nucci springt für alle drei Vorstellungen der Oper für den erkrankten Simon Keenlyside als Graf Rene Ankarström ein. Zum Auftakt am 12. Jänner ist außerdem Barbara Haveman anstelle der ebenfalls erkrankten Eva-Maria Westbroek als Amelia zu sehen. Am Pult wird Philippe Auguin stehen."--diepresse.com
December 2011
La Bohème, starring Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Simon Keenlyside, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, Elisabetta Scano, will be re-released by Decca in February 2012 (originally released in 1999).
November 2011
At Classic FM, Simon Keenlyside talks about his recording Songs of War and other things.
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A 50-minute interview of Simon Keenlyside, in two parts, for "Classic Talk with Bing and Dennis," recorded in New York, October 2011
October 2011
Out West Arts has reviewed Simon Keenlyside's recent Santa Monica recital (without mentioning Malcolm Martineau, who I believe was the pianist).
The Opera Tattler review of San Francisco recital
Vancouver Sun review of Vancouver, British Columbia, recital
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Excellent performance of Britten's War Requiem on Sunday afternoon October 23, 2011, at Avery Fisher Hall in New York: London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, with soloists Sabina Cvilak, Ian Bostridge, and Simon Keenlyside.
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The compact disc of Songs of War is scheduled for release at amazon.co.uk on 7 November 2011.
Britten War Requiem, London Symphony Orchestra, Noseda, Barbican Hall
Review, Alexandra Coghlan, theartsdesk.com
The DVD of Verdi's Don Carlo has received Gramophone's 2011 award for DVD Performance.
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Yahoo! group: Fans of Simon Keenlyside