Getting Ready To Take The Asvab Test

SINGS SIR ARTHUR BLISS

Sir Arthur Bliss

Rudolf Schock sings

Sir Arthur Bliss

With Elisabeth Schwarzkopf , Victoria de los Angeles and Joan Hammond sings Rudolf Schock in the years 1948, 1949 and 1950, an 'the Royal Opera House Covent Garden' in London .
shock is the first German singer, who after the Second World War may occur outside the borders of his homeland.

Spring 1950:

shocks London agenda

(private archive wife Gisela shock)

Karl Rankl , music director and conductor of the Covent Garden Opera, committed maturing of talent Rudolf Schock at the Salzburg Festival in the summer 1948th He makes it a condition shock as soon as possible should be able to sing opera in English. For someone who has never been the opportunity to learn English, a difficult task. It was the first place to the role of Rodolfo in 'La Boheme' by Puccini , with the premiere as early as 15 October 1948 was imminent. 'Der Rosenkavalier' by Richard Strauss , 'The Magic Flute "by Mozart and ' La Traviata 'by Verdi would follow.

In the premiere of 'La Bohème' sings Elisabeth Schwarzkopf the role of Mimi, and further include Ljuba Welitsch (Musette), Paolo Silveri (Marcello) and Geraint Evans (Schaunard) to hear. In the presentation on 8 November 1948 Mimi is played by the New Zealand soprano Joan Hammond . Maria Stader next shock will occur as Pamina in The Magic Flute, and in 'La Traviata' again Elisabeth Schwarzkopf . Karl Rankl meisen conducts the executions.

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf & Rudolf Schock - Sidney 1949 (private archive wife Gisela shock)

After the opera season 1948/1949 takes Rudolf Schock at the invitation of the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) a contract to tour Australia, on 8 of the Tenor legend who died in January 1948 Richard Tauber had been completed. Shocks mission is: forty transmitted by radio appearances throughout Australia. It is orchestral concerts (under conductors such as Otto Klemperer and Rafael Kubelik ) with opera arias in the original language and 'recitals' (Brahms, Schubert, Wolf, etc.) with six very different compiled programs. As a prelude to Australia for the 24th May 1949 still a Schubert recital Singapore via radio set. It is intended to Australia to continue the tour in New Zealand. In Melbourne shock reading the newspaper (!), He remained during the 1949/1950 season in London. He sings the roles of the previous season continued with others of the English soprano Victoria de los Angeles as Mimi.

'Madame Butterfly' (London 1950) Schwarzkopf / shock)

is also his repertoire to 'Madame Butterfly' extended by Puccini (again with the Schwarzkopf as a partner). In addition, he must as soon as possible (from 1 October 1949) the role of the young poet Hector de Florac in a new opera by ARTHUR BLISS: 'The Olympians' take . The transit to New Zealand will be deleted.

SIR ARTHUR BLISS (1891-1975)

was a versatile English composer. He wrote music for orchestra, solo voice and special music for wind band and brass bands. A specific taste he had for the theater: he composed ballets and many stage and film music. During World War II he headed the music department of the BBC, and on 29 September 1949 had its world premiere of the opera 'The Olympians' . Only after 10 years (1960), there was a second (short) Opera: 'Tobias and the Angel' . Because I me the name of the television opera remember, I suppose, that it has been broadcast on Dutch television. In 1950 Arthur Bliss was knighted and in 1953 he received the honorary title of "Master of the Queen's Music '.

The first performance of 'Olympians'

was a tedious affair. Only at the beginning of the seventies Arthur Bliss open sets in a television interview h-historical facts: The renowned novelist Boydon John Priestley (1894-1984) had written the libretto. It was about the end of bored, Olympian gods, who according to legend, go down once a year in order to present themselves as mere mortals wandering theater company. Priestley and Bliss were closely involved in the rehearsals, but that turned si ch as less well out of their blood pressure. They were angry about the lack of black in her eyes preparations: Conductor Karl Rankl (1898-1968) did everything at the last second, and the time it schedules for the sample was much too short. To this was added, and later that Rankl star director Peter Brook (1925) not talking to each other. They communicated only through notes. The premiere on 29 September 1949 was received with mixed feelings: some reviewers praised the idea, others were very negative. Priestley was thought that the first act look just fine, producing the second part, incoherently, and the third and final lift was just a failure.

Is there a recording, after which Arthur Bliss Rudolf Schock sings?

Rudolf Schock emphasized in the biography that he had the Hector Role not in the first, but - two days later - probably in the second idea of the 'Olympians' sung. In the premiere on 29 september 1949 Hector , the male half of the earthly lovers, sung by the excellent James Johnston and played one of the 'leading tenors' of the English opera history see (and hear it on 'YouTube' ). "

However, there seems to be such that in the BBC archives in fact a (tape) recording of the opera Bliss 'The Olympians' with Rudolf Schock as Hector There. In itself this is remarkable: it would have been more logical if the BBC had set the world premiere of James Johnston. But the fact is that is mentioned in the list of broadcast transmissions in the shock web Bliss opera. It should then be the later (better-established?) Version of 18 December 1949 with act shock. In the supplementary information is available, the recording was obtained ! For me a good reason, in the Bliss 'fascination series' record. I would be extremely grateful to the BBC, if they can - would publish on a CD recording - possibly obtained.

Krijn de Lege, 1.9.2009 (the end of September 2009 will 'Rudolf Schock sings Anton Bruckner' )