NEWS

 

Derek Williams, Dale Bilsland
at RWVI Venice 2019

Dear Friends

I am sure those who knew Dale will be as heartbroken as I am after receiving this very sad news indeed from Dale's niece today.

At this Sunday's Zoom talk by Dr Patrick Carnegy, I will be saying a few words about Dale, who introduced me to the Wagner Society of Scotland and the RWVI. I am attaching a couple of photos with Dale at the 2019 Venice Congress, one on a canal ferry, and the other with the Scottish delegation table at the Ca' Vendramin Calergi dinner (Dale leftmost).

Dale was very involved with the Wagner Society, and was our Chair prior to me - in fact it was Dale who asked me to succeed him. Dale also invited me to join him and other Society members at the annual Richard Wagner Verband International Congress. I saw Dale often at these, and at the most recent Congress last year in Berlin, as you know, I was elected on to the RWVI Board. None of this would have happened had it not been for Dale, whom I have always regarded as a trusted friend. Dale was a passionate lover of music in all its forms, and a highly effective administrator. His passing will be deeply mourned by all who knew him.
We hadn't seen Dale in a while at our various Wagner Society functions, so I am now assuming this must have been due to declining health, although Dale never mentioned it and still attended online from time to time. It's only been a few years since Dale's predecessor, Derek Watson sadly also died (you'll see Dale mentioned in Derek's Wikipedia article under 'Wagner Society of Scotland').

If you knew Dale, and would like to get in contact with me to relay any messages to Dale's family, please write to chair@wagnerscotland.net or give me a call on +44 (0) 7857602004.

I don't have Rainer Fineske's private email address post RWVI, so would be grateful to receive that from anyone, so I can communicate this news directly to him.

Sincerely
Derek Williams
Chair
Wagner Society of Scotland



________________________________________________

Dr Derek Williams
Assessor International
Richard-Wagner-Verband International e.V.
Präsidiumsmitglied | Member of the Board | Membre du Comité
email: derek.williams@richard-wagner.org

web: www.richard-wagner.org