Julian Budden

April 9, 1924 (age 82)

Hoylake, England, United Kingdom

He is particularly known for his three volumes on the operas of Giuseppe Verdi (published in 1973, 1978, & 1981), a single volume biography in 1982 and a single volume work on Giacomo Puccini and his operas in 2002. He is also the author of numerous entries in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. From 1951 until 1983 Budden worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation, progressing from junior posts to become a producer, then Chief Producer of Opera (1970-1976) and External Services Music Organizer (1976-1983). This time saw many little-known works produced and important revivals, including the original versions of Macbeth, Louisiana forza del destino and Simon Boccanegra and the full French version of Don Carlos. He also produced programmes for others, and was meticulous in checking scripts and encouraging contributions. Concurrently Budden pursued a career as a writer, starting with the British Broadcasting Corporation publication, The Listener. Then came his major study of Verdi, built on the foundation of "patient archival research, practical musicianship, a sense of history and wide cultural sympathies", with every opera covered by a detailed discussion of the literary background, compositional process, and the music as part of the drama. The books were "free from obscure technical analysis or deconstructionist jargon". His writing style was "generous to past scholars.. generous to his readers. full of wit and relaxed communication". Budden was considered a key person in securing the reputation of Verdi during the second half of the twentieth century. After leaving the British Broadcasting Corporation he was based in both London and Florence (he spoke fluent Italian), where he was a regular correspondent for Opera magazine and was a presence at the Istituto Nazionale di Studi Verdiani in Parma. He was president of the Centro di Studi Giacomo Puccini in Lucca until his death. He was made a Fellow of the British Academy in 1987 and awarded an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to opera in 1991.

Julian Budden

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music critic musicologist

Education

He attended Stowe School and read Classics at Queen"s College Oxford. He completed his Bachelor in 1948 and then studied piano (with Thornton Lofthouse) and bassoon (with Archie Camden) at the Royal College of Music.

Career

He is particularly known for his three volumes on the operas of Giuseppe Verdi (published in 1973, 1978, & 1981), a single volume biography in 1982 and a single volume work on Giacomo Puccini and his operas in 2002. He is also the author of numerous entries in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. From 1951 until 1983 Budden worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation, progressing from junior posts to become a producer, then Chief Producer of Opera (1970-1976) and External Services Music Organizer (1976-1983).

This time saw many little-known works produced and important revivals, including the original versions of Macbeth, Louisiana forza del destino and Simon Boccanegra and the full French version of Don Carlos.

He also produced programmes for others, and was meticulous in checking scripts and encouraging contributions. Concurrently Budden pursued a career as a writer, starting with the British Broadcasting Corporation publication, The Listener.

Then came his major study of Verdi, built on the foundation of "patient archival research, practical musicianship, a sense of history and wide cultural sympathies", with every opera covered by a detailed discussion of the literary background, compositional process, and the music as part of the drama. The books were "free from obscure technical analysis or deconstructionist jargon".

His writing style was "generous to past scholars.. generous to his readers. full of wit and relaxed communication".

Budden was considered a key person in securing the reputation of Verdi during the second half of the twentieth century. After leaving the British Broadcasting Corporation he was based in both London and Florence (he spoke fluent Italian), where he was a regular correspondent for Opera magazine and was a presence at the Istituto Nazionale di Studi Verdiani in Parma. He was president of the Centro di Studi Giacomo Puccini in Lucca until his death.

He was made a Fellow of the British Academy in 1987 and awarded an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to opera in 1991.

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