Classical Obituaries
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PDQ Bach (2024-1742?)
22nd Jan 2024
The composer acclaimed as possessing 'the originality of Johann Christian, the arrogance of Carl Philipp Emanuel, and the obscurity of Johann Christoph Friedrich' has died.
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Ewa Podleś (1952-2024)
21st Jan 2024
The Polish coloratura contralto, whose powerful yet supremely agile voice was a force of nature, has died in Warsaw aged 71.
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2023 Goodbyes
3rd Jan 2024
A short video-tribute to some of the artists and creatives who died in 2023.
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Ryland Davies (1943-2023)
8th Nov 2023
The Welsh light lyric tenor, a superb Mozart singer who later enjoyed a rich and varied career in character-roles, has died aged 80.
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Yuri Temirkanov (1938-2023)
3rd Nov 2023
The Russian conductor, known for his interpretations of orchestral repertoire by his compatriots as well as for his flair for Verdi's music, has died aged 84.
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Stephen Gould (1962-2023)
21st Sep 2023
The American heldentenor, who spent almost a decade touring in The Phantom of the Opera before becoming a regular at the Bayreuth Festival, has died of bile-duct cancer aged 61.
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Wagner: Siegfried
Tomasz Konieczny (Der Wanderer/Wotan), Stephen Gould (Siegfried), Violeta Urmana (Brünnhilde), Anna Larsson (Erda), Matti Salminen (Fafner), Jochen Schmeckenbecher (Alberich), Christian Elsner (Mime), Sophie Klußmann (Stimme eines Waldvogels) Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Marek Janowski
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Renata Scotto (1934-2023)
16th Aug 2023
One of the greatest singing actresses of the twentieth century, the Italian soprano and director has died aged 89.
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Puccini: Madama Butterfly
Renata Scotto (Cio Cio San), Carlo Bergonzi (Pinkerton), Anna di Stasio (Suzuki), Rolando Panerai (Sharpless) & Silvana Padoan (Kate Pinkerton), Piero De Palma (Goro) Coro e Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, John Barbirolli
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Carl Davis (1936-2023)
3rd Aug 2023
The American-born, British-resident composer and conductor, known for his wide range of music for film and television, has died at the age of 86.
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Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023)
5th Jun 2023
The Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho has died at the age of 70 in her adoptive home of Paris.
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Kaija Saariaho: 70 Years
Gerald Finley, Wilhelmina Smith, Kaija Saariaho, John Storgårds, Pauliina Ahola, Juhani Liimatainen, Tapio Tuomela, Anu Komsi, Anssi Karttunen, Meta4, Karen Vourc'h, Ernst Kovacic, Steven Dann, Dawn Upshaw, Camilla Hoitenga, Héloïse Dautry, Gabriel Suovanen (baritone), Karita Mattila, Martin Katz, The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Avanti Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Tapiola Chamber Choir, Hannu Lintu, Sakari Oramo, Christoph Eschenbach, Marko Letonja, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste
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Ingrid Haebler (1929-2023)
17th May 2023
The Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper broke the news on Sunday that the Austrian pianist and early pioneer of period instrument performance had died at the age of 93.
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Menahem Pressler (1923-2023)
10th May 2023
The German-born Israeli-American pianist, who co-founded the enormously successful Beaux Arts Trio and remained its lynchpin for over half a century, has died aged 99.
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Grace Bumbry (1937-2023)
9th May 2023
The trailblazing American dramatic mezzo, who was the first Black singer to perform at the Bayreuth Festival, has died aged 86.
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Wagner: Tannhäuser
Wolfgang Windgassen (Tannhäuser), Victoria de los Angeles (Elisabeth), Grace Bumbry (Venus), Josef Greindl (Landgraf), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Wolfram), Gerhard Stolze (Walther), Franz Crass (Biterolf), Gerhard Paskuda (Heinrich), Theo Adam (Reinmar) Orchesta of the Bayreuth Festival, Wolfgang Sawallisch
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Christopher Gunning (1944-2023)
29th Mar 2023
The English composer, whose output ranged from sweeping symphonies and concertos to award-winning music for a huge range of film and television productions, has died aged 78.
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James Bowman (1941-2023)
28th Mar 2023
The trailblazing English countertenor, who created the role of the Voice of Apollo in Britten's Death in Venice and opened up a wealth of new possibilities for his voice-type, has died aged 81.
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Britten: Death in Venice
Peter Pears (Aschenbach), John Shirley-Quirk (Traveller/Elderly Fop/Old Gondolier/Hotel Manager/Hotel Barber/Leader of the Players/Voice of Dionysus), James Bowman (Voice of Apollo) English Opera Group Chorus, English Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford
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Virginia Zeani (1925-2023)
21st Mar 2023
The Romanian-born soprano, who created the role of Blanche de la Force in Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites and later enjoyed a distinguished teaching career, has died aged 97.
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Verdi: La Traviata
Virginia Zeani (Violetta Valery), William McAlpine (Alfredo Germont), Jess Walters (Giorgio Germont), Marie Collier (Flora Bervoix), Leah Roberts (Annina), Michael Langdon (Grenvil), Forbes Robinson (Il barone Douphol), John Dobson (Gastone) Royal Opera House, Nello Santi
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2022 Goodbyes
3rd Jan 2023
A short video tribute remembering some of the musicians who died during 2022.
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Ned Rorem (1923-2022)
21st Nov 2022
The prolific composer and writer, known particularly for his art songs, has died aged 99.
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Libor Pešek (1933-2022)
24th Oct 2022
The Czech conductor, who was an impassioned advocate for music by his lesser-known compatriots and held positions with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic, has died aged 89.
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Lars Vogt (1970-2022)
6th Sep 2022
The German pianist and conductor, a superb chamber musician who was especially noted for his interpretations of Austro-German Romantic repertoire, has died of cancer aged 51.
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Anne Howells (1941-2022)
25th May 2022
The British mezzo Anne Howells, a fine Octavian who also created roles in operas by Nicholas Maw and Mark-Anthony Turnage, has died aged 81.
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Birtwistle: Gawain
Marie Angel (Morgan le Fay), Anne Howells (Lady de Hautdesert), Francois Le Roux (Gawain), John Tomlinson (The Green Knight/Bertilak de Hautdesert), Penelope Walmsley-Clark (Guinevere), Richard Greager (Arthur), Omar Ebrahim (The Fool), Alan Ewing (Agravain), John Marsden (Ywain), Kevin Smith (Bishop Baldwin) The Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Elgar Howarth
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