Role

:

Conductor  

Birth

:

November 17, 1934 in Mason, MI

Death

:

July 15, 2015 in Florence, Italy

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

 

Opera

 

Alan Curtis was a renowned American harpsichordist, conductor, and musicologist who dedicated his life to the study and performance of Baroque music. Born on November 17, 1934, in Mason, Michigan, Curtis showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of five. He later switched to the harpsichord, which became his primary instrument. Curtis received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan in 1956 and went on to study at the Amsterdam Conservatory with Gustav Leonhardt. He also studied with Ralph Kirkpatrick at Yale University, where he earned his Master of Music degree in 1960. Curtis continued his studies in Europe, where he worked with renowned harpsichordists and conductors such as Wanda Landowska, Nadia Boulanger, and Igor Markevitch. In the early 1960s, Curtis began his career as a performer and quickly gained recognition for his virtuosic harpsichord playing. He made his debut at the Edinburgh Festival in 1963 and went on to perform at major venues and festivals throughout Europe and the United States. Curtis was particularly known for his interpretations of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Domenico Scarlatti. In addition to his performing career, Curtis was also a respected musicologist and scholar. He was a pioneer in the field of early music performance practice and was known for his meticulous research and attention to detail. Curtis was a prolific writer and published numerous articles and books on Baroque music, including a groundbreaking study of Handel's operas. Curtis was also a highly regarded conductor and led many acclaimed performances of Baroque operas and oratorios. He founded the ensemble Il Complesso Barocco in 1979, which became one of the leading period-instrument ensembles in the world. With Il Complesso Barocco, Curtis recorded numerous albums of Baroque music, including Handel's Giulio Cesare and Rinaldo, and Vivaldi's Orlando Furioso. Throughout his career, Curtis received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of early music. In 1987, he was awarded the Handel Prize by the city of Halle, Germany, in recognition of his work in promoting Handel's music. He was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2004 for his contributions to Italian culture. Curtis continued to perform and record well into his seventies, and his legacy as a performer, scholar, and conductor continues to inspire musicians and music lovers around the world. He passed away on March 15, 2015, at the age of 80, leaving behind a rich legacy of recordings, performances, and scholarship that continue to shape the world of early music today.

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