-
Recent Posts
Categories
Archives
- December 2020
- November 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- February 2020
- December 2019
- August 2019
- March 2019
- November 2018
- October 2018
- April 2018
- October 2017
- September 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- October 2016
- September 2016
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- April 2015
- October 2014
- September 2014
- May 2014
- March 2014
- October 2013
- July 2013
- May 2013
- October 2012
- September 2012
- April 2012
- February 2012
- December 2011
- October 2011
- May 2011
- October 2010
- August 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- May 2009
- November 2008
- October 2008
- May 2008
- December 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- December 2006
- October 2006
- August 2006
- May 2006
- December 2005
- October 2005
- June 2005
- December 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- December 2003
- October 2003
- May 2003
- April 2002
- November 2001
- October 2001
- December 2000
- September 2000
- March 2000
- May 1999
- January 1999
- March 1998
December Newsletter
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on December Newsletter
November Newsletter
Posted in Newsletter
Comments Off on November Newsletter
Russian song recital

Mastersingers in association with Rossotrudnichestvo presents
A live concert of Russian song
Pauls Putnins bass-baritone & Diana Ketler piano
perform music by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Borodin, Mussorgsky and Sviridov
Thursday December 10 at 7pm
The Russian Cultural House in London
1stfloor, 37 Kensington High Street
London W8 5ED
Nearest tube: High Street Kensington
This is a socially distanced event – only 25 seats are available! Tickets at £20 each must be booked in advance by email to: mastersingersuk@gmail.com
Payment is by BACS transfer. A programme of texts and translations will be available online. Doors open at 6.30 and the concert will end at 8.15. There is a lift in the building but please note that tickets will not be available on the door. Mastersingers and Rossotrudnichestvo will comply with current Government guidelines and in the event of unavoidable cancellation refunds will be made
Posted in Events
Comments Off on Russian song recital
October Newsletter
Posted in Newsletter
Comments Off on October Newsletter
Summer Newsletter
Posted in Newsletter
Comments Off on Summer Newsletter
Lockdown Newsletter
Posted in Newsletter
Comments Off on Lockdown Newsletter
Lee Bisset
Lee Bisset, soprano, who would have been singing her first Brünnhilde in Die Walküre for Longborough this summer, is in lockdown with her family at home in Sussex. She had a Zoom conversation with our Stage Manager Nick Fowler, which is available here:
Apologies for the occasional glitches – internet connection was a bit unreliable.
Lee also sent us a video of her and her husband, conductor David Angus, performing Wagner’s Träume from the Wesendonck Lieder, available here:
Posted in Mastersingers in Lockdown
Comments Off on Lee Bisset
Pauls Putnins
Pauls Putnins, who would of course have been understudying Wotan in the Longborough Die Walküre at the moment, is in lockdown in Riga, Latvia, in order to look after his parents. He and Nick Fowler, Mastersingers Stage Manager, had a Zoom conversation on Thursday 28th May, which Nick recorded, and is available here:
An extract from the concert for Latvian National Radio, of Pauls singing Wotan’s Abendlich strahlt from Das Rheingold, is available here:
Posted in Mastersingers in Lockdown
Comments Off on Pauls Putnins
Neil Howlett Tribute
A personal tribute from our Artistic Director Malcolm Rivers to former ENO principal baritone and esteemed voice coach and teacher Neil Howlett, who died on 21st May 2020, aged 85, after a long illness.
Neil Howlett
From the time I first met Neil during rehearsals and performances for the world premiere of Gordon Crosse’s “The Grace of Todd” in the Jubilee Hall at Aldeburgh, and thereafter at Sadlers Wells, I knew that he was a force to be reckoned with. He was singing Lance Corporal Shard, and Robert Tear and I were mere privates . He relished the authority the role gave him and immediately impressed himself on the opera world with an amazingly rich and beautiful baritone and natural stage presence – to be with him always; most notably as far as I am concerned during the tenures we both enjoyed at ENO from the early 70s until late 80s when we both left the company – he to Academia and me to Musical Theatre.
During that time his repertoire was astonishing. His Verdi singing was the most accomplished I had heard from a British baritone since Glossop and in particular his Iago, Gerard and Scarpia were unique in the beauty of tone and legato that he brought to such dramatic roles. In addition the contemporary repertoire was also where his talent was awesome. Later in his career when he added Wagner roles to his repertoire he was equally impressive. At Mastersingers he was our first Wotan and relished coming to this role whilst coaching at our musical institutions. So much was passed on from him to the younger artists in our system by the majesty of his singing and his willingness to guide and encourage “from the wings” with boundless energy and generosity. He undertook lectures and Masterclasses for us in London, Aldeburgh and The Rodd at Presteigne that were beneficial to many who went on to international careers. Particularly informative was his lecture on the five different types of tenor voice (not including character tenor) required to sing Wagner.
He was distinguished, unique and a wonderful colleague and friend to us all in the world of opera . I doubt we shall hear his like again and we are all deeply indebted to him.
Malcolm
Posted in News
Comments Off on Neil Howlett Tribute
February Newsletter
Posted in Newsletter
Comments Off on February Newsletter