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Edgar Evans - Extempore
Edgar Evans - Extempore
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This is an e-book version of the biography of Edgar Evans, the principal tenor at the Royal Opera (1946 – 1975) and, later, a teacher at the Royal College of Music. However, it is far more than a thorough, engaging and at times very
amusing biography of an acclaimed principal tenor at one of the world's top opera houses in the 20th century. It is also an insightful account of what national and international artistic life was like at the time.
Woven into the account of Edgar Evans' life are fascinating anecdotes about famous people of the day set against a colourful local historic background. The stories are made all the more intriguing by the inclusion of copies of scanned
documents and black and white photographs of performances and performers.
What the reviewers said.
'...the story told by the tenor is pretty straightforward, often revealing, always interesting and, in a way, a history of how opera was done in those days... I can only wish more books of this kind were written.'
Rudi van den Bulck, Opera Nostalgia.
'There are fascinating nostalgic insights into Covent Garden and its diffuse personalities... there is wit and waspishness, generosity and envy... I enjoyed it.'
Lyndon Jenkins, The British Music Society 'News'.
'This book contains previously untold tales of the Opera House.'
Western Mail.
'Edgar Evans had come to opera by a series of fascinating accidents, all recounted in this thoroughly readable and anecdotal book... I loved it!'
Denby Richards, 'Musical Opinion' magazine.
What may interest you about the life of Edgar Evans.
Edgar Evans will be best remembered for creating the role of Hermann in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
In all, he sang some 45 roles – most of them major ones - at Covent Garden from 1946 - when, as one of its three principal tenors, he became a founder member of the Covent Garden Opera Company – to his retirement in 1975. In that time, he sang more roles and more performances at the Opera House than any other artist.
Subsequently, he conducted his share of masterclasses and adjudicated at singing competitions. Even in his later years, he had a regular procession of singers all anxious to learn his secrets of vocal technique and his opinion of their vocal talents and abilities.
On his retirement from Covent Garden, Edgar was invited – by Sir David Willcocks – to join the teaching staff at the Royal College of Music. For ten years he taught vocal technique there and many singers can pay tribute to his masterly teaching.
He sang with leading singers; with leading orchestras, both in this country and on the Continent, and worked with leading conductors including Erich Kleiber, Karl Rankl, Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Malcolm Sargent,
Sir Georg Solti, Otto Klemperer, Rudolf Kempe and Carlo Maria Giulini. Among those to whom he felt he owed a special debt of gratitude was Peter Gellhorn who, as a repetiteur and conductor at Covent Garden, taught Edgar the part of Hermann in 'The Queen of Spades' in the remarkably short time of just 14 hours.
He sang the title role in Peter Grimes and Captain Vere (Billy Budd) after Peter Pears had initally brought these characters to theatrical life. He sang Dmitri in Boris Gudonov – in English - under Clemens Krause and, later, in Russian (being taught the part by David Lloyd Jones and Oda Slobotskyia); Steva in Janacek's Jenufa under Kubelik; the Drum Major in Alban Berg's Wozzeck, under Kleiber; Calaf in Turandot under Barbirolli and many more roles.
Barbirolli – and Kleiber – were among Edgar's favourite conductors, closely followed by Kempe and Giulini.
There are a few recordings of Edgar Evan's performances. They and this book are a tangible legacy to a performer whose life and influence deserves the recognition of a wider audience.
amusing biography of an acclaimed principal tenor at one of the world's top opera houses in the 20th century. It is also an insightful account of what national and international artistic life was like at the time.
Woven into the account of Edgar Evans' life are fascinating anecdotes about famous people of the day set against a colourful local historic background. The stories are made all the more intriguing by the inclusion of copies of scanned
documents and black and white photographs of performances and performers.
What the reviewers said.
'...the story told by the tenor is pretty straightforward, often revealing, always interesting and, in a way, a history of how opera was done in those days... I can only wish more books of this kind were written.'
Rudi van den Bulck, Opera Nostalgia.
'There are fascinating nostalgic insights into Covent Garden and its diffuse personalities... there is wit and waspishness, generosity and envy... I enjoyed it.'
Lyndon Jenkins, The British Music Society 'News'.
'This book contains previously untold tales of the Opera House.'
Western Mail.
'Edgar Evans had come to opera by a series of fascinating accidents, all recounted in this thoroughly readable and anecdotal book... I loved it!'
Denby Richards, 'Musical Opinion' magazine.
What may interest you about the life of Edgar Evans.
Edgar Evans will be best remembered for creating the role of Hermann in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
In all, he sang some 45 roles – most of them major ones - at Covent Garden from 1946 - when, as one of its three principal tenors, he became a founder member of the Covent Garden Opera Company – to his retirement in 1975. In that time, he sang more roles and more performances at the Opera House than any other artist.
Subsequently, he conducted his share of masterclasses and adjudicated at singing competitions. Even in his later years, he had a regular procession of singers all anxious to learn his secrets of vocal technique and his opinion of their vocal talents and abilities.
On his retirement from Covent Garden, Edgar was invited – by Sir David Willcocks – to join the teaching staff at the Royal College of Music. For ten years he taught vocal technique there and many singers can pay tribute to his masterly teaching.
He sang with leading singers; with leading orchestras, both in this country and on the Continent, and worked with leading conductors including Erich Kleiber, Karl Rankl, Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Malcolm Sargent,
Sir Georg Solti, Otto Klemperer, Rudolf Kempe and Carlo Maria Giulini. Among those to whom he felt he owed a special debt of gratitude was Peter Gellhorn who, as a repetiteur and conductor at Covent Garden, taught Edgar the part of Hermann in 'The Queen of Spades' in the remarkably short time of just 14 hours.
He sang the title role in Peter Grimes and Captain Vere (Billy Budd) after Peter Pears had initally brought these characters to theatrical life. He sang Dmitri in Boris Gudonov – in English - under Clemens Krause and, later, in Russian (being taught the part by David Lloyd Jones and Oda Slobotskyia); Steva in Janacek's Jenufa under Kubelik; the Drum Major in Alban Berg's Wozzeck, under Kleiber; Calaf in Turandot under Barbirolli and many more roles.
Barbirolli – and Kleiber – were among Edgar's favourite conductors, closely followed by Kempe and Giulini.
There are a few recordings of Edgar Evan's performances. They and this book are a tangible legacy to a performer whose life and influence deserves the recognition of a wider audience.
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