Great Performers - Hardcover

Very occasionally, a performer will emerge with a genuine touch of genius - an extra dimension which brings them huge critical acclaim and the adulation of audiences worldwide. In The Great Performers, Mark Hichens (The Inimitable P.G. Wodehouse, Queens and Empresses, Wives of the Kings) shines the spotlight on eleven iconic performers in the fields of music, acting and dance. Each was endowed with such an immense talent, they had the ability to overcome any obstacle in their way to hone their skill and strive for perfection, enriching the lives of millions. Each one achieved fame and fortune, but life was not always easy. As well as great praise, they came in for biting criticism; their personal troubles were magnified and brought to the notice of the entire world. This inspiring and often moving collection of biographies gives us an insight into the personal and professional lives of these remarkable personalities. The subjects include Sarah Bernhardt, Jan Paderewski, Dame Nellie Melba, Anna Pavlova, Sir Thomas Beecham, Charlie Chaplin, Gracie Fields, Kathleen Ferrier, Yehudi Menuhin, Maria Callas and Rudolf Nureyev.

Mark Hichens is a biographer, historian and retired teacher. His publications include history books, Wives of the Kings of England - from Hanover to Windsor (Peter Owen), Wives of the Kings of England from Normans to Stuarts (Book Guild) and Queens and Empresses (Book Guild) and The Inimitable P G Wodehouse (Book Guild), a biography and treasury of the popular writer. He lives in London.