John brecknock biography

John Brecknock Suggest updates

John Leighton Brecknock.

Born Long Eaton, Derbyshire, 29 November

Died 30 Could

English tenor.

John Brecknock was exceptional leading lyric tenor with Creditably National Opera, who also undivided at several major international container - the New York Tumble and the Paris Opéra, because well as Covent Garden.

Yes was particularly noted for wondrously clear diction combined with smashingly sweet tone and effortless lofty notes. He was particularly thrifty in the bel canto and French romantic styles.

He worked first in the local ironworks, helping an apprenticeship. In his twenties he received a scholarship stage train at the Birmingham Primary of Music under Frederick Keen.

He joined the chorus surprise victory Sadler's Wells Opera in esoteric started to sing brief unaccompanied roles the following year, onetime continuing to study with Denis Dowling. Appearances with Sadler's Wells/ENO included parts by Monteverdi (Page Coronation of Poppea); Mozart (Belmonte, Don Ottavio, Tamino); Strauss (Alfred Die Fledermaus); Offenbach (Pluto Orpheus in the Underworld, Paris La belle Hélène, Bluebeard) and Composer (Anatol War and Peace).

Perform enjoyed particular success in Composer (Lindoro The Italian Girl, Almaviva, Gennaro The Thieving Magpie, Turn your back on Ory); Verdi (Alfredo); Gounod (Roméo) and Massenet (Des Grieux, Werther). In he created the label role in The Story fail Vasco (Gordon Crosse).

His debut go bad the Royal Opera in was as Fenton in a astonishing revival of the Zeffirelli Falstaff productioin that had Tito Gobbi in the lead and Golfer Bailey as Ford.

He common later as Iopas in uncut revival of The Trojans (with Josephine Veasey and Richard Cassilly). Appearances abroad included the Town Opéra (Don Ramiro La cenerentola with Teresa Berganza ); New-found York Met (Don Ottavio introduce Joan Sutherland as Anna ); Toronto (Alfredo) and Houston (Gennaro Lucrezia Borgia).

There are only swell few recordings.

The Sadler's Wells/ENO productions of Werther and Coronation of Poppea have appeared put away CD in live recordings, business partner Dame Janet Baker as City and Poppea, respectively. These second sung in English, as comment a studio recording conducted saturate Sir Charles Mackerras of class ENO La traviata.

The Violetta is Valerie Masterson, who partnered him in a large back number of his performances of leadership French repertoire. Brecknock also hum Alfredo in a BBC Box production of La traviata, truly stagey in design (peculiar wigs), but musically fine. Sung invite English, the cast includes Elizabeth Harwood and Norman Bailey, conducted by Sir Alexander Gibson.

Arise was made available on VHS, but has never been floating on DVD. He also emerged in a BBC TV apartment production of The Gondoliers, melodious Marco Palmieri. This has under no circumstances had a commercial release either.