{"product_id":"wagstaff-smith-curievici-gault-furniss-breathe-freely-cd","title":"Wagstaff \/ Smith \/ Curievici \/ Gault \/ Furniss - Breathe Freely Music CD","description":"\u003cp\u003e'Breathe Freely' is a new opera by contemporary Scottish composer Julian Wagstaff. Written for three singers and piano trio, it is a chamber opera in two acts set in 1943 against the backdrop of the Second World War. At it's heart Julian Wagstaff's opera is a manifold celebration of human endeavor, history, interest, compassion, and, of course, chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. It recounts the semi-fictional story of several real and extraordinary chemists who helped to make the Chemistry department the extraordinary institution it is today: Romantic pragmatist Stanislaw Hempel, endearing perfectionist Chrissie Miller and Professor James Kendall FRS, whose book is the basis for the synopsis. 'Breathe Freely' was premiered in 2013 to celebrate the tri-centenary of the appointment of the first Chair of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. Also included on the recording is Wagstaff's piano trio 'A Persistent Illusion' commissioned to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry, 2011. The title refers to Einstein's observation that the distinction between the past, present and future is merely a 'stubbornly persistent illusion'. Julian Wagstaff first came to public attention in 2001 with the musical John Paul Jones, based on the life of the Scots-born sailor and hero of the American Revolution. The musical was revived in 2010 in association with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. A specific interest in German history is reflected in 'Treptow' for string orchestra (2005), Wagstaff's most-performed work. Wagstaff enjoyed a sell-out success on the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his opera 'The Turing Test', about the quest to build a truly intelligent machine. The Breathe Freely Ensemble is Paul Curievici (tenor), Phil Gault (baritone) and Laura Margaret Smith (mezzo-soprano) with Pete Furniss (clarinet), Mark Bailey (cello) and Andrew Johnston (piano). The Scottish mezzo-soprano Laura Margaret Smith was the Scottish Opera Robertson Scholarship Trust Emerging Artist, 2014-15. Paul Curieveci is the proud winner of Scottish Opera's John Scott Award and the Basil A. Turner Prize awarded by British Youth Opera. Welsh baritone Phil Gault has performed with the Scottish, Buxton Festival and Northampton Festival operas and is principal baritone for Opera on a Shoestring. Derek Clark's career spans forty years and includes conducting engagements with Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera ranging from Monteverdi to Maxwell Davies.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cdiv data-bt-autogen\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHello? Ritchie? Doctor Ritchie, Are You There?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKendall, How Do You Do?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou Know I Am Certain, How My Mother Country Suffers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn Scotland There Is Hope\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCometh the Woman\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDer Kleine Hund\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis Analysis Is Exemplary (Tracks 1-7 - Act 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Evening Light\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo Live Is to Regret 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoctor Hempel, What Progress? 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBreathe Freely (Tracks 8-11 - Act II) 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI. - Various Performers 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eII. - Various Performers 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIII.(Tracks 12-13 - a Persistent Illusion) - Various Performers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUPC:\u003c\/strong\u003e 691062053525\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLabel:\u003c\/strong\u003e Linn Records\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10.9.15\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e CD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Broadtime","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42111981289547,"sku":"100226","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/7223\/1499\/files\/3012032.jpg?v=1770184790","url":"https:\/\/rockbandmerch.com\/products\/wagstaff-smith-curievici-gault-furniss-breathe-freely-cd","provider":"Rock Band Merch","version":"1.0","type":"link"}