John Shirley-Quirk

John Shirley - Quirk, CBE ( born August 28, 1931 in Liverpool) is a British opera and oratorio singer (bass - baritone).

Life

He studied violin and chemistry in Liverpool, but finally turned to singing. In 1957 he moved to London, where he continued his education. In 1961 it got its debut at Glyndebourne in the narrow part of the doctor in Pelléas et Mélisande. In 1964 he became a member of the English Opera Group. At least this time he attracted the attention of Benjamin Britten, both because of its melodious, impeccably articulating voice, as well as his male- attractive appearance. Shirley - Quirk became one of the favorite artists of the composer and conductor. This put his art and his vocal flexibility than the appearing in eight different forms opponent of " Gustav von Aschenbach " in Death in Venice, his last opera, a monument.

Today, Shirley - Quirk has worked as a singing teacher at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Voice and repertoire

John Shirley - Quirk timbre is similar in harsh substance Dietrich Fischer- Dieskau, his voice, however, is vocal and not so much Coming of the speaking voice as the Fischer- Dieskau is a bit darker in color ( are both similarities and differences can be heard in the dialogue Faust ( FD) - Mephisto (SQ ) in Schumann's " scenes from Goethe's Faust" )

John Shirley - Quirk sang generally excellent German, but was limited in this language primarily on songs, oratorios and cantatas. In his otherwise highly acclaimed recording of Franz Schubert Swan Song (ASV, 1977), however, the limits of his linguistic mastery are clearly some minor discoloration and false vocal intonations.

Discography (selection)

• With Benjamin Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Billy Budd, Owen Wingrave, The Rape of Lucretia, Death in Venice (recording conducted by Steuart Bedford, under the supervision of the dying composer ); The Dream of Gerontius ( Edward Elgar - 1972), Scenes from Goethe's "Faust" (Robert Schumann)
• With Pierre Boulez: Jacob's Ladder, Kol Nidre (both of Arnold Schoenberg )
• With Malcolm Sargent: Requiem (Frederick Delius )
• With David Willcocks: Cantata BWV 147 (Johann Sebastian Bach)
• With Esa -Pekka Salonen: Les Espaces du sommeil ( Witold Lutoslawski )
• With Simon Rattle: The Dream of Gerontius (1987 )
• With David Shallon: Symphony No. 13 ( Shostakovich )