The Essay: In Their Voices

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The Essay: In Their Voices: Eric Bentley

In Their Voices

Eric Bentley

BBC Radio 3 - The Essay, In Their Voices, Eric Bentley

Peter Brathwaite shares his love of the voice of Eric Bentley, and why it is so special.

Opera singer Peter Brathwaite invites us in to the inimitable voice of writer and occasional cabaret singer Eric Bentley, in a personal exploration of what makes it so special.

Opera singer Peter Brathwaite shares his passion for five very different singers whose voices, artistry and lives inspire and move him, and whose stories he needs to tell. 

Tonight we take an unexpected turn, moving away from the world of opera and world-renowned singers into more modest, but no less impactful, territory. Eric Bentley was a renowned theatre critic and writer, but he also performed cabaret songs, especially those of his friends Bertolt Brecht and Hanns Eisler. Peter explains why Bentley's untrained but completely committed voice has always captivated him, a fellow Lancastrian, and uncovers the profound effect Bentley's work has had on his own career.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Opera singer Peter Brathwaite shares his passion for five very different singers.

Opera singer Peter Brathwaite shares his passion for five very different singers, whose voices, artistry and lives inspire and move him, and whose stories he needs to tell.

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