Rodney Milnes
'Here are some other things we wouldn't have were it not for Peter. The Goodall Ring, one of the defining moments in our operatic history. Over thirty other recordings of opera in English on the Chandos label, including three of Dame Janet Baker's greatest performances. Recital recordings by international artists who happily sing in English: Bruce Ford, Della Jones, Yvonne Kenny, Diana Montague, John Tomlinson.
The Opera in English series is driven, I think, by Peter's ferocious anti-snobbery on the subject, which many of my generation proudly share. Yet there's the carriage trade as well - whoops, I nearly said elitist - 30-plus Opera Rara recordings, some featuring composers half of us have never heard of.
Without Peter, there would be no Almeida Opera Festival, we wouldn't have heard Rossini's Otello at Covent Garden or Ermione at Glyndebourne.'
from a speech at Mansion House, September, 2002 |