Janet Baker (MEZZO-SOPRANO)
John Shirley-Quirk (BARITONE)
Steuart Bedford (PIANO)
SNAPE MALTINGS, ALDEBURGH FESTIVAL, 19 JUNE 1977

Dame Janet Baker (b.1933) needs no introduction. During her illustrious career, which spanned from the 1950s to the 1980s, she was considered an outstanding singing actress and concert performer, widely admired throughout the world for her dramatic intensity and musical intelligence, notably in the works of Gustav Mahler. John Shirley-Quirk (b.1931) made his operatic debut at the Glyndebourne Festival in 1961, and was prominent in performing and recording the vocal works of Benjamin Britten (as was Janet Baker). He appeared regularly with all the major orchestras and opera companies throughout the world. Steuart Bedford (b.1939) was also associated with the music of Britten, and conducted the world premiere of Death in Venice in 1973. Between 1974 and 1998, he was one of the Artistic Directors of the Aldeburgh Festival.