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 Philip Langridge, 1939 - 2010
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Philip Langridge was born 16 December 1939 in Hawkhurst, Kent and studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He was one of the world's most distinguished singers, whose musical and dramatic qualities ensured that he was in constant demand throughout Europe, the USA and Japan. He was made a Commander of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 1994.
He started his career as an orchestral violinist before making his professional operatic debut at Glyndebourne in Capriccio in 1964. This was followed by further appearances as Don Ottavio Don Giovanni, Florestan Fidelio and Laca Jenůfa. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1985 as Ferrando Cosi fan tutte and at Salzburg in the role of Aron in Schoenberg’s Moses und Aron in 1987. In 1992 he appeared in a new production of Oedipus Rex in Japan with Seiji Ozawa and directed by by Julie Taymor which won the Classical Music Award for Best Opera Production. He first sang Loge Das Rheingold with the Metropolitan Opera, New York under James Levine in 1993.
Philip Langridge made his debut with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in September 1983 in a double bill singing the role of The Fisherman in Stravinsky’s Le Rossignol and Teapot in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les sortilèges. He returned later in the year to sing Prince Shuisky Boris Godunov followed by Laca Jenůfa and Idomeneo in 1986. In 1989 he sang Peter Grimes and later Gustav von Aschenbach Death in Venice in 1992, Jupiter Semele in 1996 and more recently Don Basilio in David McVicker's Le Nozze di Figaro in 2006. In 2001 he performed the title role in Palestrina to great critical acclaim. He returned to the Wagner role of Loge Das Rheingold on a number of occasions. First in 1996 under Bernard Haitink and finally in 2007 conducted by Antonio Pappano. In his final performances at the Royal Opera House in June 2009 he sang the multiples roles of Prine/Manservant/Marquis in a new production of Lulu conducted by Pappano.
His numerous performances at the Salzburg Festival included the role of Nerone in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea with Nikolaus Harnoncourt as well as Shuisky Boris Godunov under Claudio Abbado and From the House of the Dead. He also appeared regularly at La Scala, Milan where his roles included Tom Rakewell The Rake’s Progress, Shuisky Boris Godunov and Idomeneo.
His interpretations of the major Britten roles were highly regarded and he performed them to great acclaim all over the world, notably in London, New York, Milan, Munich, Los Angeles, Florence, Paris, Barcelona and Sydney, and in the UK for English National Opera, Scottish Opera and Opera North.
He was a dedicated and enthusiastic performer of contemporary British music and premiered several works by British composers including Birtwistle’s The Mask of Orpheus, (ENO), The Second Mrs Kong (Glyndebourne), The Minotaur (The Royal Opera) as well as Michael Tippett’s New Year. In addition, he sang many important twentieth-century roles including Mark in Tippett’s The Midsummer Marriage, Edrisi in Szymanowski’s King Roger and Andres in Berg’s Wozzeck.
He was also closely associated with the music of Janáček, singing Albert Gregor in The Makropulos Case at English National Opera, Jenůfa at Glyndebourne with Andrew Davis and The Diary of One who Disappeared at the Vienna Festival.
He received numerous awards, including the prestigious Olivier Award for his portrayal of Zivny in Janáček’s one act opera Osud in 1984, the Singer of the Year Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society, The Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Santay Award and the NFMS/Charles Groves Prize 2001 for “outstanding contribution to British Music”.
His remarkable versatility and command of a wide variety of styles is reflected in his extensive discography, ranging from the early classical period to the present day. These recordings have gained him two Grammy Awards Moses und Aron, and Peter Grimes, the Gramophone Award War Requiem and a Classic CD Award The Turn of the Screw. His recording of Death in Venice was awarded the Helpmann Award in 2006 and also received a Grammy nomination.
His performances on DVD include Peter Grimes, Billy Budd, Idomeneo, La Clemenza di Tito, From the House of the Dead, Wozzeck, Oberon, Jenůfa, Le Nozze di Figaro, The Minotaur, Hansel und Gretel, The Dream of Gerontius, and Oedipus Rex which won the Classical Music Award.
He was regarded as one of the most distinguished British concert singers of the day, with a large repertory that extended from Claudio Monteverdi and the 18th- and 19th-century oratorios to first performances of works by Richard Rodney Bennett, Harrison Birtwistle, Alexander Goehr, Heinz Holliger, Elisabeth Lutyens and Anthony Milner. He appeared in concert with the world's major orchestras and leading conductors such as, Abbado, Barenboim, Bychkov, Davis, Gergiev, Haitink, Harnoncourt, Hickox, Levine, Mackerras, Masur, Mehta, Ozawa, Pappano, Previn, Rattle and Solti.
During his career he gave numerous recitals together with Steuart Bedford, Graham Johnson, John Constable, Peter Donohoe, Maurizio Pollini, Andras Schiff, and more recently with David Owen Norris (fortepiano) with whom he also toured Schubert's Winterreise, culminating in a performance at the Mozarteum Salzburg, to public and critical acclaim. He also performed and recorded as a trio together with his daughter Jennifer Langridge on cello and David Owen Norris.
Philip Langridge was well known for his communication master classes with young singers, and appeared in this capacity in Salzburg, Paris, Munich, New York, Porto, Aix en Provence, The Britten Pears School, Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music and Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
He gave his final performances on stage as The Witch in Hansel und Gretel at the Metropolitan Opera New York in the celebrated production by Richard Jones.
Selected appearances and recordings
2009
Metropolitan Opera New York – Hansel und Gretel (Witch)
Metropolitan Opera New York – Il Nozze di Figaro (Don Basilio)
St Endellion Festival – Death in Venice (Aschenbach)
Royal Opera House – Lulu (Prinz, Kammerdiener, Marquis)
2008
Opera Australia – Billy Budd (Captain Vere)
Grange Park Opera – Barbe-Bleue (Barbe-Bleue)
Royal Opera House – Minotaur (Hierius)
2007
Metropolitan Opera New York – Hansel und Gretel (Witch)
Royal Opera House – Rheingold (Loge)
Royal Opera House – The Tempest (King Alonso)
2006
Philharmonia – Death in Venice (Aschenbach)
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – Das Rheingold (Loge)
Boston Symphony Orchestra – Moses und Aron (Aron)
Reisopera – Turn of the Screw (Prologue and Quint)
Royal Opera House - Il Nozze di Figaro (Don Basilio)
2005
Opera Australia – Death in Venice (Aschenbach)
Teatro Comunale Firenze – Boris Godunov (Shuisky)
Theatre du Capitole Toulouse - Boris Godunov (Shuisky)
2004
Royal Opera House – Das Rheingold (Loge)
Royal Opera House – The Tempest (King Alonso)
Theatre Liceu Barcelona - Boris Godunov (Shuisky)
City Of London Sinfonia (Chandos Records) – Death in Venice (Aschenbach)
Vienna Festival – Diary of One Who Disappeared (with Andras Schiff)
Metropolitan Opera New York – Das Rheingold (Loge)
Salzburg Festival – Idomeneo (Idomeneo)
2003
Metropolitan Opera New York – Moses und Aron (Aron)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Idomeneo (Idomeneo)
Glyndebourne Festival Opera - Idomeneo (Idomeneo)
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – Das Rheingold (Loge)
2002
Teatro Comunale Firenze – Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes)
BBC Proms – Gurrelieder
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – La Clemenza di Tito (Titus)
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – Das Rheingold (Loge)
2001
Opera De Bastille – Billy Budd (Captain Vere)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Gurrelieder
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – La Clemenza di Tito (Titus)
Theatre Liceu Barcelona – Billy Budd (Captain Vere)
Royal Opera House – Palestrina (Palestrina)
2000
Los Angeles Opera – Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes)
La Scala Milan – Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes)
Metropolitan Opera New York – Das Rheingold (Loge)
City of London Sinfonia – The Rake’s Progress (Tom Rakewell)
1999
Metropolitan Opera New York – Moses und Aron (Aron)
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – La Clemenza di Tito (Titus)
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – Das Rheingold (Loge)
Chandos Recording – Billy Budd (Captain Vere)
1998
Metropolitan Opera New York – Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes)
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – Midsummer Marriage (Mark)
EMI Recording – King Roger
Royal Opera House – Das Rheingold (Loge)
1997
Metropolitan Opera New York – Das Rheingold (Loge)
Metropolitan Opera New York – Billy Budd (Captain Vere)
Salzburg Festival – Boris Godunov (Shuisky)
Bayerische Staatsoper Munich – Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes)
1996
Royal Opera House – Semele
Theatre du Chatelet Paris – Jenufa (Laca)
Philips Records – Curlew River
Royal Opera House – Das Rheingold (Loge)
1995
Theatre du Chatelet Paris – Moses und Aron (Aron)
Boston Symphony Orchestra – The Rake’s Progress (Tom Rakewell)
Metropolitan Opera New York – Death in Venice (Aschenbach)
Glyndebourne Festival Opera – The Second Mrs Kong (Kong)
Salzburg Festival – Winterreise
1994
Salzburg Festival – Boris Godunov (Shuisky)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra – Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
Salzburg Festival – Diary of One Who Disappeared
1993
English National Opera – Turn of the Screw (Prologue and Quint)
Teldec Recording – La Clemenza di Tito (Titus)
Metropolitan Opera New York – Das Rheingold (Loge)
Netherlands Opera – Pelleas et Melisande (Pelleas)
Salzburg Festival – L’incoronazione di Poppea (Nerone)
Sony Records – Boris Godunov (Shuisky)
1992
Royal Opera House – Death in Venice (Aschenbach)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Gurrelieder
Salzburg Festival – From the House of the Dead (Skuratov)
Japan – Oedipus Rex
Decca Records – Gloriana (Robert Devereux)
1991
English National Opera – Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes)
Glyndebourne Festival Opera – La Clemenza di Tito (Titus)
English National Opera – Billy Budd (Captain Vere)
Highlights from earlier years
1990
Glyndebourne Festival Opera - New Year (Pelegrin)
1989
Royal Opera House - Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes)
Royal Opera House - Idomeneo (Idomeneo)
1988
Scottish Opera - Death in Venice (Aschenbach)
1987
Salzburg Festival - Moses und Aron (Aron)
1986
English National Opera - The Mask of Orpheus (Orpheus)
1985
Metropolitan Opera New York - Cosi fan tutte (Ferrando)
1983
Royal Opera House Covent Garden - Rossignol (Fisherman)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden - L'Enfant et les sortileges (Teapot)
Glyndebourne Festival Opera - Idomeneo (Idomeneo)
1979
La Scala Milan - Boris Godunov (Shuisky)
The Rakes Progress (Tom Rakewell)
Discography
ADES: The Tempest (Thomas Ades / EMI)
ARNE: Thomas and Sally (Simon Preston)
BACH: Mass in G (Richard Hickox / ARGO)
Mass in G minor (Richard Hickox / ARGO)
BERLIOZ: Romeo and Juliet (James Levine / DGG)
L'Enfance du Christ (Sir Colin Davis / PHILLIPS)
BERG: Wozzek (Claudio Abbado / DGG)
BIRTWISTLE: Punch and Judy (David Atherton / EMI)
BLOW: Coronation Anthems (Sir David Wilcocks / ARGO)
BONONCINI: Stabat Mater (ARGO)
BRITTEN: Auden Settings (Steuart Bedford / COLLINS)
Curlew River (Sir Neville Marriner / PHILLIPS)
Peter Grimes (Richard Hickox / CHANDOS)
The Beggars Opera (Steuart Bedford / DECCA)
The Turn of the Screw (Steuart Bedford / COLLINS)
The Turn of the Screw (Sir Colin Davis / PHILLIPS)
Gloriana (Sir Charles Mackerras / DECCA)
Billy Budd (Richard Hickox / CHANDOS)
Death in Venice (Richard Hickox / CHANDOS)
Orchestral Song Cycles (Steuart Bedford / COLLINS)
Song Cycles (Steuart Bedford / COLLINS)
Folk Songs (Graham Johnson / COLLINS)
War Requiem (Richard Hickox / CHANDOS)
St. Nicolas (Steuart Bedford / COLLINS)
Canticles (Steuart Bedford / COLLINS)
Serenade (Steuart Bedford / NAXOS)
Nocturne (Steuart Bedford / NAXOS)
ALAN BUSH: Voices of the Prophets (Lionel Friend)
DAUVERGNE: La Coquette Trompee (J.P.Wallez / DECCA)
DVORAK: Recital Biblical Songs (Krapil / UNICORN KANCHANA)
Recital Cypresses (Krapil / UNICORN KANCHANA)
Gypsie songs and others (Johnson / FORLANE)
DYSON: Quo Vadis (Richard Hickox / CHANDOS)
ELGAR: King Olaf (Vernon Handley / EMI)
FINZI: Dies Natalis (Richard Hickox / ARGO)
Ode to St Cecilia (Richard Hickox / ARGO)
Intimations of Immortality (Richard Hickox / EMI)
HANDEL: Messiah (Sir Neville Marriner / ARGO)
Messiah (John Alldis / SPARROW)
Messiah (Richard Hickox / CHANDOS)
Acis and Galatea (Sir Neville Marriner / ARGO)
Chandos Anthems (Sir David Wilcocks / ARGO)
Samson (Raymond Leppard / ERATO)
Utrecht Te Deum (Nikolaus Harnoncourt / TELDEC)
HAYDN: The Creation (Sir Simon Rattle / EMI)
Il Ritorno di Tobia
HENZE: Kammermusik 1958 (Hans-Werner Henze / L'OISEAU LYRE)
HOLLIGER: Der Magischer Tanzer (Hans Zender / DG)
HOLST: Savitri (Richard Hickox / CHANDOS)
At the Boars Head (David Atherton / EMI)
Songs (Steuart Bedford / COLLINS)
HOWELLS: Song recital
JANACEK: Diary of one who disappeared (Claudio Abbado / DGG)
Diary of one who disappeared (Graham Johnson / FORLANE)
Osud (Sir Charles Mackerras / EMI)
From the House of the Dead (Claudio Abbado / DGG)
LAMBERT: Songs of Li Po (HYPERION)
LIZA LEHMANN: In a Persian Garden (John Constable / ARGO)
LISZT: Recital (John Constable / UNICORN)
MASSENET: Werther (Michel Plasson / EMI)
MONTEVERDI: Vespers (Sir John-Eliot Gardiner / DECCA)
Vespers (Nikolaus Harnoncourt / TELDEC)
Madrigals (Nikolaus Harnoncourt / TELDEC)
Madrigals (Purcell Consort / ARGO)
L'Incoronazione di Poppea (Nikolaus Harnoncourt / TELDEC)
Combattimento (Nikolaus Harnoncourt / TELDEC)
MOZART: La Clemenza di Tito (Nikolaus Harnoncourt / TELDEC)
Mass in C (ARGO)
Solemn Vespers (ARGO)
Le Nozze di Figaro (Sir Georg Solti / DECCA)
Le Nozze di Figaro (Nikolaus Harnoncourt / TELDEC)
MUSSORGSKY: Boris Godunov (Claudio Abaddo / SONY)
PRE-CLASSICAL:
Music of King Henry 8th
Courtly Pastimes of 16th Century England
England be Glad (Mediaeval)
Tapestry of Christmas Carols and Festive Music (Middle Ages to Renaissance)
PUCCINI: Il Tabarro (John Alldis / SONY)
PURCELL: Dido and Aeneas (Raymond Leppard / ERATO)
Madrigals (Purcell Consort / ARGO)
QUILTER: Folk Song Arrangements (David Owen Norris / NAXOS)
RACHMANINOV: Boris Godunov (Claudio Abbado / SONY)
RAMEAU: Le Zephyre (J.P.Wallez / DECCA)
Les Boriades (Sir John-Eliot Gardiner / ERATO)
RAVEL: L’Enfant et les Sortileges (Andre Previn / EMI)
SCHUBERT: Lieder Recital (Graham Johnson / HYPERION)
Winterreise
SCHONBERG: Moses und Aron (Sir Georg Solti / DECCA)
Moses und Aron (Pierre Boulez / CBS)
Gurrelieder (Claudio Abbado / DGG)
Gurrelieder (Sir Simon Rattle / EMI)
SCHUTZ: Auferstehung (Sir Roger Norrington / ARGO)
The Christmas Story (Sir Roger Norrington / ARGO)
SHOSTAKOVICH: Orchestral Songs (Neeme Jarvi / DGG)
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Myung Wha Chung / DGG)
STRAVINSKY: The Rakes Progress (Riccardo Chailly / DECCA)
Oedipus Rex (James Levine / DGG)
Renard (Riccardo Chailly / EMI)
SZIMONOVSKY: Symphony No 3 (Norman Del Mar / BBC)
King Roger (Sir Simon Rattle / EMI)
ERIC THIMAN: The Last Supper (Eric Thiman)
TIPPETT: King Priam (David Atherton / DECCA)
Child of our time (Andre Previn / RPO)
Song Cycles (John Constable / L'OISEAU LYRE)
WEILL: Happy End (David Atherton / DGG)
Berliner Requiem (David Atherton / DGG)
Mahagonny Songspiel (David Atherton / DGG)
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Sancta Civitas (Richard Hickox / EMI)
Four Hymns (Sir David Wilcocks / EMI)
Merciless Beauty (EMI)
On Wenlock Edge (The Britten Quartet / EMI)
Riders to the Sea (Sir David Wilcocks / EMI)
DVD / Video
BERG: Wozzeck (Wiener Staatsoper, Claudio Abbado/Adolf Dresen)
BERLIOZ: Romeo and Juliet (Deutsch Rundfunk Orchester, Colin Davis)
BIRTWISTLE: The Minotaur (Royal Opera House, Antonio Pappano/Stephen Langridge)
BRITTEN: Peter Grimes (English National Opera, David Atherton/Tim Albery)
Billy Budd (English National Opera, David Atherton/Tim Albery)
ELGAR: The Dream of Gerontius (BBC Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Davis)
HUMPERDINCK: Hansel und Gretel (Metropolitan Opera, Vladimir Jurowski/Richard Jones)
JANACEK: Jenufa (Glyndebourne, AndrewDavis/Nikolaus Lehnhoff)
From the House of the Dead (Salzburg Festspiel, Claudio Abbado)
MOZART: La Clemenza di Tito (Glyndebourne, Andrew Davis)
Idomeneo (Glyndebourne, Bernard Haitink/Trevor Nunn)
MUSSORGSKY: Boris Godunov (Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abaddo)
ROSSINI: Otello (Palermo Opera, Alessandro Siciliani)
STRAVINSKY: Oedipus Rex (Saito Kinen Festival, Seiji Ozawa/Julie Tamar)
TESTI: Il Sosia (La Scala Milan, Roberto Abbado)
TIPPETT: Midsummer Marriage (David Atherton/Elijah Moshinsky)
WEBER: Oberon (Seiji Ozawa/Frank Dunlop)
Photo credit: Richard Davies
Management:
Andrew Rosner
e: andrew@alliedartists.co.uk
t: +44 20 7589 6243
f: +44 20 7581 5269
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