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Rosetta Music Productions is the brainchild of renowned conductor Tom Higgins and Michael Letchford. Their aim is to perform orchestral and operatic works which have been unjustly neglected since their premieres or which appear to have been ‘lost’: orchestral scores and parts no longer being readily available from publishers or copyright holders. Many hours can be spent tracing these vanished works which often may really be lost and beyond recall. Tom Higgins recently issued for the BBC Music Magazine the world-premiere recording of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s ‘The Rose of Persia’, the parts of which were thought not to be available in the United Kingdom. However, a set of parts was traced to a collection in Australia! In addition, Tom Higgins also discovered a rare manuscript which assisted Sir Charles Mackerras in the reconstruction of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s Cello Concerto. One ‘lost’ work is ‘A Summer Night’ by G.H.Clutsam (1866-1951). This one act opera-comique was given its first performance by Sir Thomas Beecham at His Majesty’s Theatre, London in July 1910 followed by three more performances at Covent Garden as part of the Beecham Opera Season in November of the same year, when Maggie Teyte and Walter Hyde sang leading roles. Chappell published a vocal score but, despite a world-wide search, no trace has yet been found of any orchestral material. However, the search continues and we may one day perform ‘A Summer Night’, an opera admired by Sir Thomas Beecham, last heard over 90 years ago. The young Australian soprano Celeste Lazarenko has recorded the aria 'Madonna mia' from 'A Summer Night' with Tom Higgins at the piano. This is almost certainly the first recording of any music from 'A Summer Night 'and it has not been heard for nearly a century. Any information regarding ‘A Summer Night’ would be greatly appreciated.
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Tom Higgins Tom Higgins has established a reputation for conducting ‘lost’ or unjustly neglected works. Of operas seldom heard or are long-forgotten in the United Kingdom, he has recently conducted Menotti’s ‘The Consul’, Mascagni’s ‘L’amico Fritz’ and Bellini’s ‘Beatrice di Tenda’. In February 2004 he will conduct Adolphe Adam’s ‘Si j’etais roi’ for Opera Omnibus – a work which has long-merited a revival in Britain. For the BBC Music Magazine in 1999 Tom Higgins researched and recorded Sir Arthur Sullivan’s last completed work for the stage, ‘The Rose of Persia’. It featured the celebrated Hanover Band and leading British singers. The CD release also included other rarely heard works by Sullivan including the overture ‘Macbeth’. The two-disc set received critical acclaim world-wide. For the concert hall Tom Higgins revived a movement from Sullivan’s ballet music to Thespis, one of the composer’s early operas which was thought lost. The music had been recently ‘discovered’ and this movement, edited by Tom Higgins, was included in several concerts conducted by him in Fairfield Halls, Croydon |
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Michael Letchford As a twelve-year old boy soprano Michael Letchford sang with the Westminster Abbey Special Choir in performances of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, still remembered with fondness and with awe: to be involved with such great music in such a place! A few years later, with a deeper voice, he made his stage debut as Long Tom in Edward German’s Merry England, followed by Sir Richard Cholmondeley in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeomen of the Guard. After winning an exhibition to Guildhall School of Music, at 17 years old, he had two years study with the distinguished English bass Norman Walker. In 1967 Michael joined EMI and for the next 34 years he was involved with the marketing of classical records for EMI, Decca and finally for Warner Classics International as General Manager, and later as Director of Artist and Repertoire Development. During his years at Warner Classics he was executive producer for many recordings with José Carreras, José Cura, Sir Andrew Davis, Placido Domingo, Thomas Hampson, Sharon Kam, Sir Neville Marriner, Choir of New College, Oxford, Ettore Stratta and others. As an Artist Manager, Michael Letchford is able to offer the artists on his roster an efficient service and the benefit of a lifetime in the music business and of listening to music and musicians. |
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Rosetta Music Productions is a division of
Michael Letchford Artists |
