Richard Bradshaw (conductor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Bradshaw
OOnt
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard James Bradshaw |
| Born | 26 April 1944 Rugby, Warwickshire, England |
| Died | 15 August 2007 (aged 63) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Classical opera |
| Occupation(s) | Conductor |
Richard James Bradshaw OOnt (1944–2007) was a talented British conductor who led opera performances. He was also the main leader, called the General Director, of the Canadian Opera Company (COC) in Toronto.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Richard Bradshaw was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. He grew up in a town called Higham Ferrers. He started learning to play the piano when he was eight years old. By the time he was twelve, he was already playing the organ at his church.
He later went to the University of London and earned a degree in English in 1965. He also studied how to conduct music with a famous conductor named Adrian Boult.
Leading Opera Companies
Richard Bradshaw began his conducting career in 1971. He led several concerts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
From 1975 to 1977, he worked at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. There, he was the Chorus Director, meaning he trained and led the singers in the choir.
He then moved to the San Francisco Opera. From 1977 to 1989, he continued as Chorus Director and also became a Resident Conductor. This meant he regularly conducted many of their opera performances.
Work with the Canadian Opera Company
In 1988, Richard Bradshaw was a guest conductor for the Canadian Opera Company (COC) in Toronto. He impressed them so much that in 1989, he was hired as their Chief Conductor and Head of Music.
In 1993, he led the COC in two important operas: Bartok's "Bluebeard's Castle" and Schoenberg's "Erwartung." These performances were so good that the company took them on tour to New York and to the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland.
He became the Artistic Director of the COC in 1994. Then, in 1998, he was named the General Director. In this role, he was in charge of everything about the company. He conducted more than 60 different operas and also led the orchestra in many concerts.
Awards and Achievements
Richard Bradshaw received several important awards for his work.
In 2004, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario. This is a special honor given to people who have made a big difference in the Canadian province of Ontario. He received it because he helped the COC become famous around the world.
In 2006, he received the National Arts Centre Award. This award is part of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards, which are Canada's highest honors for people in the performing arts.
That same year, a new building called the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts opened in Toronto. It became the new home for the Canadian Opera Company. In September 2006, Bradshaw and the COC made history. They opened the new opera house by performing all three parts of Wagner's famous opera series, Ring. Richard Bradshaw was the first conductor since the composer Richard Wagner himself to open an opera house with a complete "Ring" cycle. He continued to conduct the COC orchestra until he passed away the next year.
Legacy and Remembrance
Richard Bradshaw passed away on August 15, 2007, at the age of 63. He collapsed at Toronto Pearson International Airport due to a heart attack. He left behind his wife, Diana, and his two children, Jenny and James.
Even after his death, Richard Bradshaw's impact on music is remembered.
- The Richard Bradshaw Fellowship in Opera was created at the University of Toronto in his honor.
- The Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in Toronto was named after him.
- A special prize in his name was given at the Canadian International Organ Competition in Montreal in 2008.
