Life of opera pioneer Sir Rudolf Bing honoured at Glyndebourne by AJR

A plaque at Glyndebourne in Bing’s honour was unveiled ten years ago, and guests and members of AJR gathered round it to mark the anniversary and remember the trailblazer.

Among the attendees was Bernhard Wrabetz, the Austrian ambassador to the UK, and AJR members Maurice Peltz and Maria Ault, both of whom will celebrate their 100th birthdays in November.

Ault’s mother, Henriette Bewersdorff, was herself a celebrated opera singer in Germany before fleeing that Nazis. Ault said that the ceremony was “a very special day”, adding: “My mother was an opera singer before we escaped Nazi Germany, so being at Glyndebourne to honour Rudolf Bing feels like a wonderful tribute to the courage and achievements of so many Jewish refugees.”

Maria Ault (left) and her daughter (credit: AJR)[Missing Credit]

After the ceremony, which included a speech from Gus Christie, executive chairman of Glyndebourne, guests attended the opera house’s production of Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss, conducted by Robin Ticciati, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

AJR’s Blue Plaque Scheme was established by trustee Frank Harding MBE to recognise the achievements and contributions of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution to British life and culture.

Harding said the event was “a fitting opportunity to celebrate the remarkable legacy of a man whose vision transformed the world of opera”.

He added: “Bing's journey from refugee to one of the 20th century's most influential cultural leaders embodies exactly what the AJR Blue Plaque Scheme seeks to recognise – the extraordinary contribution that Jewish refugees made to Britain after escaping Nazi persecution.”

So far, 19 plaques have been placed across the UK and internationally, commemorating outstanding individuals in the fields of science, music, medicine, education, and more.

The plaque for Sir Rudolf Bing KBE (credit: AJR)[Missing Credit]

Bing is uniquely honoured with two plaques; in 2017, another was placed in Edinburgh to recognise his role as co-founder of the Edinburgh International Festival in 1947.

The next plaque in the series is set to be unveiled at Wigmore Hall to honour the Amadeus Quartet, three of whom were Jewish refugees from Vienna.

“Each plaque tells a story of strength, talent, and achievement,” Harding added. “Together, they ensure that the lives and contributions of Jewish refugees remain visible in the places where history happened.

“As we mark the tenth anniversary of this plaque and continue to expand the scheme, we are preserving not only individual legacies but an important chapter of British history that deserves to be remembered by future generations.”