Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 50 - Work experience 2
This week we are offering you some more work experience. You will meet someone who works with male cows, a repairer of footwear, a soot clearance operative, a guardian of other people’s money, an applier of colours to canvas, someone who brings criminals to justice, and someone who gets them off.
Monday February 22
Toreador
The Toreador's Song
A well-known aria from Bizet's Carmen sung here by Dmitri Hvorostovsky (1962-2017). He came to international prominence in 1989 when he won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, beating local favourite Bryn Terfel in the final round. It was not all disappointment for Terfel as he won that year's Lieder (song) prize.
Performance
And you can compare this with Bryn
Performance 2
Tuesday February 23
Cobbler
The Cobbler's Song (Chu Chin Chow)
Chu Chin Chow is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based on the story of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves. The piece premièred at His Majesty's Theatre in London on 3 August 1916 and ran for five years and a total of 2,238 performances (more than twice as many as any previous musical), an astonishing record that stood for nearly forty years until Salad Days (2,283 performances starting in 1954). The Cobbler's Song is sung here by Peter Dawson (1882-1961). Dawson was an Australian bass-baritone and songwriter. Dawson gained worldwide renown through song recitals and many best-selling recordings of operatic arias, oratorio solos and rousing ballads during a career spanning almost 60 years.
Performance
Wednesday February 24
Two songs today from that great musical, Mary Poppins. What makes these two rather special is that they are sung by the same person, but in very different roles. His name - Dick Van Dyke.
Sweep
Chim Chim Cher ee
Performance
Bank Manager
Fidelity Fiduciary Bank
Performance
Thursday February 25
Artist
Recondita Armonia (hidden harmony)
In the first act of Puccini's opera, Tosca, the artist, Mario Cavaradossi is continuing work on his picture of Mary Magdalene. The Sacristan identifies a likeness between the portrait and a blonde-haired woman who has been visiting the church recently. Cavaradossi describes the 'hidden harmony' in the contrast between the blonde beauty of his painting and his dark-haired lover, the singer Floria Tosca.
This performance features our favourite German tenor, Jonas Kaufmann. The link I set up a few days ago showing Kaufman in a production of Tosca has mysteriously disappeared. So I chose this video of a recording session. Tony Pappano is conducting in his usual inimitable style. I just love him. Kaufman is dressed casually, as you would expect, and has to put so much more effort into the acting, especially as he has to stand still. Anyone who has recorded a solo will identify with these extra challenges. Interesting to see him refer to the music on several occasions for an aria he knows so well.
Performance
Friday February 26
Policeman
When a felon's not engaged in his employment
Gilbert and Sullivan's popular comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance, first saw the light of day in New York City on 31 December 1879. The London première was on 3 April 1880. The story behind the first performance being in America is fascinating, but too long for Jukebox. Let's leave that for another day. This well known song, also known as A policeman's lot is not a happy one, is sung here by highly-regarded English Bass, Owen Brannigan (1908–1973).
Performance
Weekend February 27/28
Lawyer
Razzle Dazzle
Chicago is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb. Set in Chicago in the jazz age, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, about actual criminals and the crimes on which she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the 'celebrity criminal'. The original Broadway production opened in 1975 and ran for 936 performances. The 1979 West End production ran for 600 performances and has since been revived. The 2002 film stars Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere who plays Billy Flynn, a duplicitous, greedy, smooth-talking lawyer who turns his clients into celebrities to gain public support for them. Of course, real lawyers are nothing like that. Nothing at all. Really.
Performance
Monday February 22
Toreador
The Toreador's Song
A well-known aria from Bizet's Carmen sung here by Dmitri Hvorostovsky (1962-2017). He came to international prominence in 1989 when he won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, beating local favourite Bryn Terfel in the final round. It was not all disappointment for Terfel as he won that year's Lieder (song) prize.
Performance
And you can compare this with Bryn
Performance 2
Tuesday February 23
Cobbler
The Cobbler's Song (Chu Chin Chow)
Chu Chin Chow is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based on the story of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves. The piece premièred at His Majesty's Theatre in London on 3 August 1916 and ran for five years and a total of 2,238 performances (more than twice as many as any previous musical), an astonishing record that stood for nearly forty years until Salad Days (2,283 performances starting in 1954). The Cobbler's Song is sung here by Peter Dawson (1882-1961). Dawson was an Australian bass-baritone and songwriter. Dawson gained worldwide renown through song recitals and many best-selling recordings of operatic arias, oratorio solos and rousing ballads during a career spanning almost 60 years.
Performance
Wednesday February 24
Two songs today from that great musical, Mary Poppins. What makes these two rather special is that they are sung by the same person, but in very different roles. His name - Dick Van Dyke.
Sweep
Chim Chim Cher ee
Performance
Bank Manager
Fidelity Fiduciary Bank
Performance
Thursday February 25
Artist
Recondita Armonia (hidden harmony)
In the first act of Puccini's opera, Tosca, the artist, Mario Cavaradossi is continuing work on his picture of Mary Magdalene. The Sacristan identifies a likeness between the portrait and a blonde-haired woman who has been visiting the church recently. Cavaradossi describes the 'hidden harmony' in the contrast between the blonde beauty of his painting and his dark-haired lover, the singer Floria Tosca.
This performance features our favourite German tenor, Jonas Kaufmann. The link I set up a few days ago showing Kaufman in a production of Tosca has mysteriously disappeared. So I chose this video of a recording session. Tony Pappano is conducting in his usual inimitable style. I just love him. Kaufman is dressed casually, as you would expect, and has to put so much more effort into the acting, especially as he has to stand still. Anyone who has recorded a solo will identify with these extra challenges. Interesting to see him refer to the music on several occasions for an aria he knows so well.
Performance
Friday February 26
Policeman
When a felon's not engaged in his employment
Gilbert and Sullivan's popular comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance, first saw the light of day in New York City on 31 December 1879. The London première was on 3 April 1880. The story behind the first performance being in America is fascinating, but too long for Jukebox. Let's leave that for another day. This well known song, also known as A policeman's lot is not a happy one, is sung here by highly-regarded English Bass, Owen Brannigan (1908–1973).
Performance
Weekend February 27/28
Lawyer
Razzle Dazzle
Chicago is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb. Set in Chicago in the jazz age, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, about actual criminals and the crimes on which she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the 'celebrity criminal'. The original Broadway production opened in 1975 and ran for 936 performances. The 1979 West End production ran for 600 performances and has since been revived. The 2002 film stars Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere who plays Billy Flynn, a duplicitous, greedy, smooth-talking lawyer who turns his clients into celebrities to gain public support for them. Of course, real lawyers are nothing like that. Nothing at all. Really.
Performance