Richard Bradshaw, general director of the Canadian Opera Company, passed away on Wednesday evening at age 63. He will be fondly remembered as the man who not only transformed the COC into a world-class company, but as the driving force behind the construction of the newly completed Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.Canadian Opera Company homepage
A Message from Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada
CBC obituary
Globe and Mail article by Sandra Martin
Toronto Star article by Tess Kalinowski
Michael Posner's article of December 28, 2006 in the Globe and Mail
John Coulbourn's article in the Toronto Sun
Chris Wattie's article in the National Post
Anne Midgette's article in the New York Times
Opera News article
PlaybillArts article
Reuters article
A remembrance by Cate Kustanczi on MySpace
Sylvia at Classical Bookworm is thankful that Bradshaw worked in the UK as long as he did before leaving for Canada
RIP Richard Bradshaw group on Facebook
Press release by the Royal Conservatory of Music
A remembrance in Reading Toronto
Obituary by John Terauds in the Toronto Star
Another article by John Terauds in the Toronto Star
A short tribute by Brian Dickie of the Chicago Opera Theater
A short tribute by Help! I'm a Postmodernist!
A short tribute by PianoKnits
CTV News article with quotes by RCM Faculty Joel Katz and Oregon Symphony President Elaine Calder
Winnipeg Sun/Canadian Press article with quotes by GGS Associate Dean David Visentin, COC concertmaster Marie Berard, and soprano Measha Brueggergosman
A rememberance in Scena Musicale by bass Robert Pomakov
UPI article
Notice in San Francisco Examiner
An appreciation by Robert Everett-Green in the Globe and Mail
An appreciation by Martin Knelman in the Toronto Star
Michael Posner in the Globe and Mail on the search for his successor
Robert Pomakov's letter to the editor from the Toronto Star
Charles Enman's article in the Ottawa Citizen
Article in Variety
An appreciation from Halifax blogger a piece of my mind
A short tribute at Heather's Impromptus
A short tribute at Passion of the Dale
Janos Gereben's article at San Francisco Classical Voice
Malcolm Miller in a 1999 conversation with Richard Bradshaw in Music & Vision
Christine and Bruce McMullan's letter to the editor from the Toronto Star
James Chatto's article in Toronto Life
Update 8/20/07
The funeral will be held Tuesday August 21 at 11am in St. James Cathedral in Toronto.
Notice in Toronto Star
This is a very sad day for me. During Richard's first year as Music Director, back in 1989, he commissioned my first opera "Guacamayo’s Old Song and Dance." It was intense and inspirational working with Richard. Mine was the first full-length opera of the Composer-in-Residence program. It was among the most memorable moments of my career.
ReplyDeleteHis energy, vision and leadership will be missed.
John Oliver
A tragic loss really. Although I didn't know Mr. Bradshaw personally, he's responsible for bringing a lot of joy into my life.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding my tribute into your link list and for compiling one in the first place. I'll be checking them out very gratefully.
ReplyDeleteIt's not easy to have true heroes make appearances in one's life - how often does someone like Richard Bradshaw come along, and what opportunities do people have to encounter someone like him? I'm so grateful I was an usher at the Hummingird Centre for eight years. In that time he showed me what one human being can accomplish. I've had many moments when following my dream seemed the closest thing to insanity, but if Mr. Bradshaw had listened to the voices of reason, none of us would have his gorgeous legacy, the Four Seasons Centre.
Hello Chris,
ReplyDeleteI never knew Mr. Bradshaw but your article has enlightened me.
I really enjoy your site and I am a new fan.
Cheers,
Kim Kinrade
Thanks, Kim!
ReplyDelete