The Beggar's Opera piece satirised Italian opera, which had become popular in London. According to "The New York Times": "Gay wrote the work more as an anti-opera than an opera, one of its attractions to its 18th-century London public being its lampooning of the Italian opera style and the English public's fascination with it." Instead of the grand music and themes of opera, the work uses familiar tunes and characters that were ordinary people. Some of the songs were by opera composers like Handel, but only the most popular of these were used. The audience could hum along with the music and identify
The Royal Conservatory of Music Its current album, dedicated to the works of Polish-American composer Jerzy Fitelberg, was nominated in the categories of Best Chamber Music Performance and Producer of the Year, Classical (David Frost). The ensemble has also received Grammy nominations for its 2007 recording "On the Threshold of Hope", and its 2008 album "Right Through The Bone", devoted to the music of German-Dutch composer Julius Röntgen. Notable teachers at The Royal Conservatory include: An Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour awarded by The Royal Conservatory. It is presented to outstanding Canadian and international artists and individuals who have made significant contributions to arts