No: 214 July 2014 Wagner news Number 214 July 2014 CONTENTS 4 Wagner Society AGM 2014 Andrea Buchanan 5 From the Committee Andrea Buchanan 6 Report on the 2014 RWVI Congress Andrea Buchanan 7 The 2014 International Richard Wagner Congress Tom Empson 10 Sir John Tomlinson Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal: Stuart Pendred 12 Katie Barnes 13 Mark Eynon 14 Rhonda Browne 14 Humphrey Burton 15 Magdalen Ashman 16 Paul Dawson-Bowling 17 David Edwards 19 News of Young Artists: My journey this year Rhonda Browne 20 Goodall Scholars update 2014 Malcolm Rivers 22 Après le Déluge : Aldeburgh with The Mastersingers David Edwards 25 Parsifal and Tannhäuser at Norwich John Bultitude 26 Fulham Ring Katie Barnes 34 Deutsche Oper Berlin Robert Mitchell 35 Der fliegende Holländer in Florida Ralph Lavender 36 Lohengrin in Madrid Paul Dawson-Bowling 37 Nina Stemme Recital Keith Richards 37 New Opera Players’ Die Walküre elements in Islington Robin Green 38 The new RWVI Praesidium Andrea Buchanan 38 Travesties or imaginative staging? Karel Werner 39 Directing Der fliegende Holländer Dame Gwyneth Jones 42 A Jungian exploration of Parsifal Hilary Reid Evans 43 Wagner Society Contacts 44 Forthcoming Events Peter Leppard Cover Picture: Sir John Tomlinson with his Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal Photo: Simon Jay Price Printed by Rap Spiderweb – www.rapspiderweb.com 0161 947 3700 EDITOR’S NOTE Photo: Simon Jay Price On 13 th May 2014 the Wagner Society’s Vice President Sir John Tomlinson received the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal from the President of the RPS, John Gilhooly. This issue of Wagner News carries tributes to Sir John from those who have worked with him, reviewed him and who have been taught, encouraged and supported by him. It is especially perhaps as a mentor of young artists that we in the Wagner Society know him best at close quarters, attending the many masterclasses and performances which he has brought us as the Patron of The Mastersingers Company. His commitment to the cause of helping younger singers with their development was made clear in a conversation with Petroc Trelawny broadcast on BBC Radio 3 following his presentation in which he said: “In the beginning of a career as a singer you need all the help you can get these days. It’s a truly global situation now and it’s a global marketplace. It’s a great new world in that sense. “Singers take different amounts of time to mature. A bass like myself matures later. With a bass voice you’re talking about ten years until it is really fit for purpose, during which time you still need to have bread on the table and you still need to be studying with really good quality teachers and people who are going to improve your musicianship. “There is so much involved in being a singer: the languages, the dramatic side of things and paramount of course is the health and development of the voice. It’s the instrument which you cannot actually see, so you are speaking in imagery when you are teaching singing and its development can take a long time, as I know from my own experience. In my adolescence I found that I had this unusually strong and deep voice. It took about 15 years until it was really serviceable. In those years you need all the help you can get.” Those of us who have been privileged to watch Sir John at work with The Mastersingers, and those many young musicians who have gained so much from his understanding that “you need all the help you can get” know that Sir John does not just talk the talk in this respect. In sharing the riches of his own talent and experience so generously with others he has earned the reputation not only of being one of the greatest artists of our times but also that of a man who walks the walk in all areas of his professional life. –3– THE WAGNER SOCIETY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2014 Andrea Buchanan Members will be pleased to learn that the AGM held on 12 th May in London was well attended. Highlights were as follows: * We were pleased to welcome the President, Dame Gwyneth Jones to the meeting. * The proposed new Constitution was overwhelmingly adopted by the members present, subject to the deletion of Clause 2(d) which had proved unacceptable to the Charity Commission for legal reasons. In the meantime the draft Constitution minus this clause has been posted on the website. * The Committee were re-elected with no opposition and are now subject to the governance laid down in the new Constitution. * The 2013 accounts were accepted, and the auditors duly elected for the coming year. It was agreed that monthly management accounts will be posted on the website for members (only) to read. Please keep an eye on the Society Information section of the site if this is of interest to you. * There was a lively debate on the Singing Competition/Bayreuth Bursary and the majority of members present expressed their support for continuing the relationship with Bayreuth by sending singing competition winners there as part of their prize. The Committee noted this expression of support. * We managed to finish in time for a quick drink, which was much appreciated by all present. * Full minutes have now been posted on the website. These will be submitted for approval at the 2015 AGM. If you were present and wish to comment, please contact me. STOP PRESS Eva Wagner-Pasquier to attend the 2014 Wagner Society Singing Competition The Committee of the Wagner Society is delighted and extremely proud to announce that Eva Wagner-Pasquier has kindly consented to attend our Singing Competition on 30 th November. She will join judges Susan Bullock, Lionel Friend and David Gowland in what promises to be a wonderful afternoon of hearing talented young singers perform Wagner. There will be an audience prize so you will also get the chance to vote for your favourite. This is indeed an honour for the Society and we hope that as many of you as possible will attend. The event will take place at the Royal Academy of Music from 2pm on Sunday 30 th November. Further information will follow in the October Wagner News . Tickets will be available at £25 to include refreshments (full-time students: £10) from Peter Leppard. Please see the events listing on page 44. You are advised to book tickets early to avoid disappointment. Last year’s event was a sell-out and space is limited. –4– FROM THE COMMITTEE Notes from the meeting held in London on 3 rd June 2014 Andrea Buchanan, Secretary Apologies for absence were received from Charlie Furness Smith and Ed Hewitt. The Committee was delighted to welcome Roger Lee to his first meeting in London. Agenda items included the following: 1: Approval of minutes and new members. Notification of membership numbers. 2: Budget update. The financial situation still required prudent management. Monthly management accounts would be available shortly for April and May and would be posted on the website for members to read. 3: Events update. The programme for the rest of 2014 looks very good. 4: Post AGM discussion. The Committee considered the implications of the new Constitution and the next steps towards getting it approved by the Charity Commission. 5: Singing Competition update. The Secretary reported on progress and various pertinent logistical items were discussed. The Secretary noted her recent election to the RWVI and had therefore requested that she co-opt some assistance from Tom Empson with this year’s event. This was approved. 6: Website. Various issues regarding website strategy and management were discussed. A meeting has been arranged with the service provider on 6 th June. 7: AOB: a) Roger Lee noted some exciting developments of his own with regard to the Singing Competition. Finalised details will appear in the October issue of Wagner News . b) Geoffrey Griffiths raised the issue of the audio and printed matter libraries. These were discussed. c) Richard Miles submitted some recently procured designs for a new Wagner Society logo. The Committee opted for one that closely followed the current design, with a clearer and more modern font. The logo will incorporate the website address. This will be available shortly for members to view on the website. Dates of remaining Committee meetings in 2014 Meetings are scheduled for: 15 th July, 16 th September and 23 rd October. Members are asked to submit any agenda items they may wish to contribute to me in writing: [email protected] or by post: 7 Avenue Mansions, Finchley Road, London NW3 7AU to reach me not less than one week in advance of the meeting. We welcome your input and suggestions and look forward to hearing from you. –5– REPORT ON THE DELEGATES MEETING AT THE RWVI CONGRESS Graz, Austria: 30 th May 2014 Andrea Buchanan The annual general meeting of the Richard Wagner Verband International took place, as always, within the framework of the annual Congress. This meeting was particularly significant, as the five-yearly elections for the President and Board of the RWVI were scheduled. In addition to the regular agenda items, comprising the introduction of new Wagner Society Chairs / Presidents, the annual report of the outgoing RWVI President, internet statistics, Treasurer’s report and accounts, Auditors’ report and annual report of the Stipendienstiftung (Bayreuth Bursary programme), there were a couple of other noteworthy items in addition to the elections. Firstly, the outgoing Board was happy to report that the International Wagner Singing Competition, held every three years, had now found a home for October 2015 in Karlsruhe, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the city and the state of Baden-Württemberg.