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 | Lancashire Times A Voice of the Free Press |
3:00 AM 6th June 2023
arts
British Baritone Sir Simon Keenlyside To Make His Long-Awaited Debut At Leeds Lieder
Sir Simon Keenlyside
“Wielding a voice of seemingly infinite colour and the talents of a seasoned actor, the British singer held Reinberger Chamber Hall in the palm of his hand for 75 whole minutes with the tale of a dejected lover on the brink of self-destruction” – Cleveland Plain Dealer
Dame Sarah Connolly has had to withdraw from the Closing Gala recital at the 2023 Leeds Lieder Festival.
Leeds Lieder is thrilled, however, that the renowned baritone Sir Simon Keenlyside has generously agreed to step in to close the nine-day Festival on Saturday 17 June.
Sir Simon Keenlyside will perform possibly the greatest challenge in the genre – Schubert’s Winterreise – accompanied by Festival Director Joseph Middleton, recently described by ‘Klassik Heute’ as “one of the best piano accompanists of our time.”
Joseph Middleton said:
“Sir Simon Keenlyside honed his extraordinary talent as a student at the nearby Royal Northern College of Music and so to invite him back to the region for a recital has a particularly special resonance. All the artists we have performing at this year’s Festival share his passion for seeking out the truth in every work they programme. The commitment our singers and pianists display is shared in equal measure by the warmth and openness of the Festival audience, and it’s this duality that makes the week such an enriching and life-affirming event.”
“Sir Simon Keenlyside honed his extraordinary talent as a student at the nearby Royal Northern College of Music and so to invite him back to the region for a recital has a particularly special resonance. All the artists we have performing at this year’s Festival share his passion for seeking out the truth in every work they programme. The commitment our singers and pianists display is shared in equal measure by the warmth and openness of the Festival audience, and it’s this duality that makes the week such an enriching and life-affirming event.”
Dame Sarah Connolly’s recital has been rescheduled to take place at the Howard Assembly Room in Leeds on Monday 2 October, and will include the world première song cycle, Night Thoughts, that Leeds Lieder recently commissioned from British composer Errollyn Wallen.
The ambitious 12th Leeds Lieder Festival presents recitals by both established and rising artists, six pre-performance talks and an ‘In conversation’ with the legendary mezzo-soprano and Guest of Honour Dame Janet Baker, followed by a screening of John Bridcut’s acclaimed 2019 documentary ‘Janet Baker: In Her Own Words’.
The impressive line-up of singers performing at the 2023 Festival also includes Véronique Gens, Mark Padmore, Louise Alder, Christine Rice, Kate Royal, Ailish Tynan, Peter Brathwaite and James Newby, with accompanists Julius Drake, Graham Johnson, Susan Manoff, Allyson Devenish and Ana Manastireanu, a former Leeds Lieder Young Artist.
Other cast changes include baritone George Robarts replacing tenor Ben Johnson for Graham Johnson’s evening lecture recital ‘Around and Behind Die schöne Müllerin on the cycle’s 200th anniversary’ on Tuesday 13 June, and ‘cellist Dan Bull replacing Jessica Burroughs in the lunchtime recital by Nick Pritchard and members of Opera North on Thursday 15 June.
Full details of the 2023 Festival can be found on the Leeds Lieder website, click here.
Read our interview with Joseph Middleton Leeds Lieder Striking The Right Note