Beecham, Sir Thomas

Prior to World War I, Beecham had already become well known in Britain. He had formed the Beecham Symphony Orchestra and the Beecham Opera Company (later the British National Opera , which primarily aimed to promote British singers), and introduced two sensational new works by Richard Strauss—Salome (1905) and Elektra (1909)—to British audiences. He also brought all the brilliance and excitement of the Russian Ballets Russes to London for the first time. During...