
Roger Norrington, Iconoclastic British Conductor, Dies at 91
His death was confirmed by his friend and musical colleague Evans Mirageas, who is the artistic director of the Cincinnati Opera.
Mr. Norrington was known for his brisk, lively and often audacious performances of Handel, Mozart and Haydn before he turned his attention to Beethoven and Berlioz; after that, he forged deeper into the 19th and early 20th centuries. He led both period-instrument and modern orchestras, using the same interpretive principles, and though some of his performances drew criticism for their brash iconoclasm, many listeners regarded them as insightful and refreshingly original.
Lanky, bespectacled, bearded and balding, Mr. Norrington projected both affability and authority, and he loved making the case for his ideas — not only in interviews but also in seemingly off-the-cuff comments at his concerts. He often cited centuries-old treatises as well as his delight in the 'pure' sound, as he put it, of strings playing without vibrato. He once famously referred to vibrato as 'a modern drug.'
Toward the end of his career, he preferred to conduct while seated, usually on a high swivel chair that allowed him to turn to the audience to smile conspiratorially at a light moment within the music, and even to encourage applause. He was known to tell audiences that they could applaud between the movements of a symphony or a concerto, a common practice in the 18th and 19th centuries that is frowned on today.
He reveled in being provocative. In a 2021 interview with The Telegraph, he referred to his 2007 recording of Mahler's Second Symphony as his 'last hand grenade.'
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Vogue
3 hours ago
- Vogue
Charli XCX's Post-Wedding Style Is Less Bridal, More Glastonbury
Following her City Hall wedding last weekend, Charli XCX is already back to work. While the singer has a bigger bash scheduled, don't expect her to exhaust bridal whites. Just days after her wedding, Charli traded her Vivienne Westwood minidress for an outfit that could have just as well belonged at Glastonbury. And, in many ways, she took some cues from last month's headlining performance look. For her Day Four set, Charli hit the stage in three multicolored Alexander McQueen skull scarves, rejiggered to make a crop top, which she paired with black leather microshorts, a pair of maroon knee-high boots, and wraparound shades. Joseph Okpako Click News and Media / BACKGRIDUSA Earlier this week, Charli followed a similar outfit formula. She eschewed the scarf top for a black one-shoulder top and draped herself in an ecru pashmina, but stayed loyal to the microshorts in a gray-brown pair with similarly miniature pockets. She also hung onto her knee-high boots, donning a pair of black motos, and wore her large black shades. A noted fan of Anthony Vaccarello, she carried a quilted black Saint Laurent bag. While her style may be leaning more Glasto, Charli XCX still has time to make bridal style bratty before her trip down the aisle.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Christina Aguilera Puts a Gothic Spin on Her Early 2000s Hair and Makeup Combo at ‘Burlesque: The Musical' Photo Call
Christina Aguilera evolved her early 2000s beauty combo into an otherworldy aesthetic for the 'Burlesque: The Musical' photo call in London on Monday night. Instead of the bold, fiery red lipstick she once routinely partnered with her bleach blond hair, the 'Lady Marmalade' vocalist opted for a darker, more sinister lip shade and a stark hair color. Outside the Savoy Theatre, Aguilera's moody makeup consisted of dark brown brows undercut by white-gold shimmer on her lids, lash clusters on the outer corners of her eyes, highlight layered over a purple-toned blush on her cheekbones and a deep wine-colored lipstick that blended seamlessly with her black lip liner. There was a thin stripe of charcoal shimmer under her waterline, bringing out her cool-toned contour on the sides of her face. More from WWD EXCLUSIVE: Revlon Teams With Guy Fieri to Drop a Wing-inspired Lip Balm Named 'Flavortown' How Christina Aguilera's 'Burlesque' Style Has Evolved in 15 Years: From Classic Hollywood Flair to West End Edge Noah Cyrus Channels Amy Winehouse While Joining the Beehive Trend Revival For the most part, Aguilera's hair was its typical bleach blond shade. In certain lights, however, it appeared as if the coloring was tinged with white; her dark roots casting a shadow around her head. Her long tresses were flat-ironed and smoothed down, brushing over the front of her shoulders. Partnered with her murky green ribbon corset gown and black over-the-knee baggy boots, her entire aesthetic settled somewhere between the Evil Witch in 'Snow White' and a rebellious, medieval princess, both a far cry from the soft, old Hollywood-esque glam she donned over the weekend at the 'Burlesque: The Musical' show. Typically, Aguilera will collaborate with makeup artist Etienne Ortega — who also works with Lana Del Rey, Kris Jenner, Mariah Carey and Demi Lovato — and hair architect Igor Rosales; however, it's not confirmed whether either worked with her on this look. Even at the very beginning of her career, with the launch of her debut album in 1999, Aguilera was always a fan of a heavy eye look and prominent lip shade. The cover of her eponymous record saw her pose with ultra-thin brows — a resurging beauty trend now — and black shadow dragged over her lids and under her eyes. Moving into the 2010s, the 'Beautiful' singer centered her persona around her love for red lipstick. Occasionally, she would wear a pale nude color, but it was a rare sighting when she wasn't sporting a vibrant shade. In the years since, she's noticeably leaned into natural makeup trends, wiping away her matte lip for a glossy pink one instead. Aguilera starred in the film version of 'Burlesque' alongside Cher in 2010. Christina Aguilera's Style Through the Years [PHOTOS] View Gallery Launch Gallery: Christina Aguilera's Style Through the Years [PHOTOS] Best of WWD Amanda Anisimova's On-court Tennis Style Through the Years: From Teen Phenom to Wimbledon Finalist A Look Back at Fourth of July Celebrations at the White House Princess Diana's Birthday Looks Through the Years: Her Sleek Black Jacques Azagury Dress, Vibrant Colors and More Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jannik Sinner, Ralph Lauren, Rolex Generated the Highest Media Value at Wimbledon
SINNER, WINNER: The 2025 Wimbledon Championships may have ended Sunday, but their impact continues online. According to data from Launchmetrics, the data research and insights company for fashion, luxury and beauty, the tennis tournament had a media impact value of $1.1 billion, a 23 percent increase from last year's championships. More from WWD Tom Sachs' Nike Mars Yard 3.0 Will Require You to Participate in 'Summer Camp' Challenges to Purchase Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella Names Ludivine Pont CEO Why CEO Pay Is Always Moving Higher in Fashion - and Corporate America Ralph Lauren, Wimbledon's official outfitter since 2006, topped the list with the highest media value of all the brands present — $22.5 million — a 20 percent increase year-on-year. The American brand hosted luncheons in its suite and dressed celebrities ranging from Andrew Garfield to Monica Barbaro and Olivia Rodrigo throughout the two weeks of the tournament. Kate Middleton also made the cut. Her attendance at Wimbledon generated $36 million in media impact value. Her custom Self-Portrait dress alone had a media impact value of $918,000, boosting the brand's presence by 17 percent when compared to data from the same period last year. Jannik Sinner, the Italian tennis player who ranks as the world number one, and who won the men's singles title, was also a winner off-court. He generated a total of $9.1 million in media impact value. Some $4.7 million of that came from Rolex after he lifted the Wimbledon trophy wearing the brand's Cosmograph Daytona. Some $4.4 million came from Nike, for which he's been an ambassador since 2019. According to Launchmetrics, Sinner's Instagram post of him holding the Wimbledon trophy was the top-performing placement overall for the tournament. His single post, where he tagged Rolex and Nike, generated $1.4 million in media impact value and has accumulated 1.8 million likes so far. The tennis star is also a Gucci ambassador and throughout the tournament carried his Gucci duffel bag onto the grass court generating $525,000 in media impact value. In another report, from WeArisma, an influencer analytics company, Gucci ranked fourth for earned media value, bringing in $571,300. The Italian brand stayed under the radar with its activations during the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, but in the lead up to the sporting event Gucci hosted a dinner with Sinner that was attended by Paul Mescal, Erin Doherty, Fionn O'Shea, Joe Keery, Naomi Ackie and George MacKay. The Gucci store on New Bond Street changed its window display to a tennis theme to showcase their tennis line, which includes a collaboration with the American tennis racket brand Head. Best of WWD Fashion Meets Cinema: Jaws 50th Anniversary and Calvin Klein Spring 2019 RTW Show Retro Glamour: Giorgio Di Sant'Angelo's Summer 1973 Chic Straw Hat Statement The Story Behind Jackie Kennedy's Cartier Watch: A Royal Gift With 'Traces and Clues of Her Life' Revealed Solve the daily Crossword