Favorite Lesser Known Benedict Projects
While we still have time to share information here, I thought it might be an opportunity to pass on information about some of Benedict's lesser known projects.
If anyone has one they'd like to share, please add it here.
Here's one of my favorites:
It was several years ago, when BC read the text during performance of the Britten Oboe Quartet at the International Wimbledon Music Festival. It was a live event for a small audience. I think at the time there was some mention that Benedict did the gig as a way to draw more young people to enjoy live performances. (a hint of what he would try to do years later with Hamlet)
Some classical enthusiasts were worried beforehand that the young fans Benedict might attract to the event wouldn't know how to behave, and would somehow spoil it, screaming like Beatles fans at the wrong time. The production played to a full house, and the young fans were found to be enthusiastic, attentive, well-behaved, and more seasoned audience members were delighted to find that they laughed and cheered at all the "right" times based on the musical cues.
As a reviewer said: while they may mostly have been there to see Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch read some poetry, they also gradually became one of the most genuinely engaged and enthusiastic audiences I've ever been a part of at a classical concert.
Full review here, with a picture:
http://onestoparts.com/review-iwmf-2012-britten-daniel-cumberbatch
Benedict's deep voice reading the text, combined with woodwinds in a wonderful arrangement made for a really nice piece to listen to when trying to relax.
If I can find a link to the audio somewhere, I'll post a link here.
This is a link to one of the compositions, from a different performance, just to give you an idea of the lovely music in the piece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLxWE_7XiWk
Have a lovely day - John Finnemore