Richard Vardigans
Richard Vardigans (* 1954 in Kent ) is a British conductor , pianist and musicologist .
Professional development
Born in England, he started taking instrumental lessons at the age of six. After attending grammar school in Gillingham and the special school for music in Maidstone, he first studied musicology and conducting at the University of Birmingham . He then continued his studies in conducting as a scholarship holder of the German Academic Exchange Service at the Hochschule der Künste Berlin and as a Rothschild scholarship holder at the RNCM in Manchester . In 1979 he became a master student of Franco Ferrara in Siena .
Since 1973 he has worked as a conductor, pianist and lecturer, first at the University of Birmingham, later in Manchester, Liverpool and at the newly founded Opera North in Leeds in 1978 . After moving to Germany in 1981, he had numerous engagements as a solo repetitor , bandmaster and choir director , for example in Osnabrück, Bielefeld, Wuppertal, Altenburg, Heidelberg and at the Mannheim National Theater . He has musically prepared The Secret of the Wolfsschlucht . Most recently in 2000 he was appointed general music director of the Erzgebirgische Theater und Orchester GmbH in Aue and Annaberg-Buchholz . During this time he developed a varied repertoire in the fields of concert and music theater.
In addition to appearances as a pianist in the field of chamber music and song accompaniment, as well as CD and studio recordings (including for the BBC and Dutch Radio), he has been giving concerts and opera introductions at various locations where the focus is on closeness to the audience.
Repertoire (selection)
In 2006 Vardigans founded the company “Talking about Opera” - a diverse range of events related to opera, which he presents both in a well-founded and entertaining manner on the piano. The history, background and plot are explained. The following works have already been on the program in many cities in Germany and in cooperation with numerous cultural institutions:
Music theater / operas (selection)
Since 2008 there has been a regular collaboration with the Carl-Maria-von-Weber-Museum , where he presents many music educational events for children. In addition, he offers variations specially adapted to the age group, such as Die Zauberkugel after Weber's opera “ Der Freischütz ”, exam stress after Mozart's opera “Die Zauberflöte”, Witch - at home alone after Humperdinck's opera “ Hansel and Gretel ” or The mysterious knight from Wagner's opera “ Lohengrin ".
Richard's ring
In 2010 Richard Vardigans presented his own complete version of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen for the first time in Dresden and Berlin. The entire tetralogy is created in three hours on the piano alone - slightly shortened for beginners and the initiated. In the anniversary year 2013 Richard Vardigans was with Richards Ring u. a. to experience in Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin, Osnabrück, Plauen, Zwickau and Mannheim.
ballet
| Name of the composer | Name of the work (s) |
|---|---|
| Léo Delibes | Coppélia |
| Sergei Prokofiev | Romeo and Juliet |
| Pyotr Tchaikovsky | Swan Lake - The Nutcracker |
Awards and honors
In 1973 he was awarded the Barber Scholarship from the University of Birmingham and was a prize winner at the Cheltenham Piano Competition. A year later he was a prizewinner at the Dudley National Piano Concerto competition.
literature
- Rita Görgen: Profiles of the district of Annaberg. in: Edition Profile. Peter Becker Verlag, Annaberg 2003, ISBN 3-933322-47-2 .
Web links
- Literature by and about Richard Vardigans in the catalog of the German National Library
- Talking about Opera website, accessed November 2, 2017.
- Vimeo video portal: Excerpts from the program for children and families , accessed on June 22, 2017.
- Recording from May 20, 2017 The Flying Dutchman , in Coselpalais Dresden , accessed on June 22, 2017
Individual evidence
- ↑ Staatstheater Cottbus: The Secret of the Wolfsschlucht ( Memento of the original from February 4, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed December 6, 2013.
- ↑ Events - Opera with a difference. Retrieved November 2, 2017 .
- ↑ Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung: Opera can also be funny , accessed on November 2, 2017.
- ↑ Repertoire - Opera with a difference. Retrieved November 2, 2017 .
- ^ Museums of the City of Dresden: Museum Education Offer - Lecture , accessed on November 2, 2017.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Vardigans, Richard |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British pianist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1954 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Kent |