Richard Bradshaw
Encyclopedia
Richard James Bradshaw, O.Ont
(April 26, 1944 – August 15, 2007) was a British
opera conductor and the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company
(COC) in Toronto.
Born in Rugby, Warwickshire
, England
, Bradshaw received an honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from University of London
in 1965. From 1975 to 1977, he was the Chorus Director at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera
. From 1977 to 1989, he was Resident Conductor at San Francisco Opera
.
In 1988, he was a guest conductor of the COC. In 1989, he was appointed Chief Conductor and Head of Music. In 1994, he was appointed Artistic Director and General Director in 1998. At the COC, he had conducted more than 60 operas.
In 2004, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario
for having "brought the COC international acclaim, including a first-ever invitation to the Edinburgh Festival, garnering two prestigious awards".
In 2006, he received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. It was also that year that saw the opening of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
, a 30-year dream that came to fruition for the Canadian Opera Company and for Bradshaw himself. In September of that year, Bradshaw and the COC opened the season with three complete performances of Wagner's Ring
, thus becoming the first conductor since Wagner
himself to inaugurate an opera house with a complete Ring.
On August 15, 2007, at age 63, Bradshaw died after collapsing from an apparent heart attack while at Toronto Pearson International Airport
. He left a wife Diana, daughter Jenny, and son James. His sudden death was a shock to the opera community in Toronto
and Canada
.
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
(April 26, 1944 – August 15, 2007) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
opera conductor and the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.-History:For 40 years until...
(COC) in Toronto.
Born in Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Bradshaw received an honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1965. From 1975 to 1977, he was the Chorus Director at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera is an English opera festival held at Glyndebourne, an English country house near Lewes, in East Sussex, England.-History:...
. From 1977 to 1989, he was Resident Conductor at San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera is an American opera company, based in San Francisco, California.It was founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola and is the second largest opera company in North America...
.
In 1988, he was a guest conductor of the COC. In 1989, he was appointed Chief Conductor and Head of Music. In 1994, he was appointed Artistic Director and General Director in 1998. At the COC, he had conducted more than 60 operas.
In 2004, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
for having "brought the COC international acclaim, including a first-ever invitation to the Edinburgh Festival, garnering two prestigious awards".
In 2006, he received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. It was also that year that saw the opening of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Four Seasons Centre
The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is a 2,071-seat theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada which had its grand opening Wednesday, June 14, 2006. The first actual performance however, commenced in September 2006 with the first Canadian production of Richard Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen...
, a 30-year dream that came to fruition for the Canadian Opera Company and for Bradshaw himself. In September of that year, Bradshaw and the COC opened the season with three complete performances of Wagner's Ring
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
, thus becoming the first conductor since Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
himself to inaugurate an opera house with a complete Ring.
On August 15, 2007, at age 63, Bradshaw died after collapsing from an apparent heart attack while at Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
. He left a wife Diana, daughter Jenny, and son James. His sudden death was a shock to the opera community in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.