Edition 20 February 2019 The Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation Newsletter Remembering the 60th Anniversary of Joan Sutherland’s triumphant debut as Lucia di Lammermoor at the Royal Opera House Covent in London on 17 February 1959. Three other Australian singers starred in that performance; Margreta Elkins as Alisa, Ken Neate as Edgardo and Raymond Nilsson as Normanno. Maria Callas was known for her Tosca, Margot Fonteyn for The Sleeping Beauty and Joan Sutherland for Lucia. She performed 213 performances of the mad Lucia of Lammermoor from the age of 33 to 62 - a feat in itself. Her Lucia was seen in London, New York, Milan, Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Puerto Rico, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Palermo, Genoa, Edinburgh, New Orleans, Miami, Phoenix, San Diego, Chicago and Adelaide. Despite the dozens of other roles that brought Dame Joan virtually equal acclaim, Lucia remains the standout for many. She recorded the role numerous mes and there are various live recordings available including an original 1959 London season performance.
Transcript
Edition 20
February 2019
The Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge
Foundation Newsletter
Remembering the 60th Anniversary of Joan Sutherland’s triumphant debut as Lucia di Lammermoor at the Royal Opera House Covent in London on 17 February 1959. Three other Australian singers starred in that performance; Margreta Elkins as Alisa, Ken Neate as Edgardo and Raymond Nilsson as Normanno.
Maria Callas was known for her Tosca, Margot Fonteyn for The Sleeping Beauty and Joan Sutherland for Lucia. She performed 213 performances of the mad Lucia of Lammermoor from the age of 33 to 62 - a feat in itself. Her Lucia was seen in London, New York, Milan, Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Puerto Rico, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Palermo, Genoa, Edinburgh, New Orleans, Miami, Phoenix, San Diego, Chicago and Adelaide. Despite the dozens of other roles that brought Dame Joan virtually equal acclaim, Lucia remains the standout for many. She recorded the role numerous times and there are various live recordings available including an original 1959 London season performance.
A Message from
Artistic Director
Welcome to the twentieth edition of Bel Canto.
2019 - Another great year of singing ahead
I am going to keep things brief this month and let the singers do
the talking, or at least their achievements. Before I do, it seems
extraordinary to think that sixty years have passed since a young
33 year old Australian soprano became an overnight sensation at
Covent Garden singing the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor. One
must remember that this was the era of the golden age of voices.
Callas and Tebaldi had ruled the waves when it came to Italian
opera with scores of other greats, too numerous to mention, vying
for top position. Many say the standard of general singing across
the globe today is far from what that era produced! If so, then this
makes Sutherland’s achievement back then and her subsequent
long international career quite remarkable and unique.
It is saddening to see, even in my lifetime, the demise of the great
divas. With the legendary Monserrat Caballe now gone, we say
goodbye to those mighty voiced ladies who mastered the art of bel
canto. Singers who understood that a pianissimo was just as
thrilling, if not more so, than sheer volume alone. This is why the
work we do is so important.
Mentoring, educating and encouraging excellence in the art of Bel Canto singing and Art Song.
I sincerely hope to catch up with all our supporters who may be
in Sydney throughout the year. I welcome your advice and
suggestions on developing the Foundation for the future and
hope you can encourage others to become involved in the
Foundation’s activities, most importantly the Bel Canto Award,
Sydney Int. Song Prize and Elizabeth Connell Prize competitions.
I would like to extend a special thank you to our Donors and
Friends of the Foundation. Some major donations have come in
since our last newsletter and membership requests are coming in
daily. If you haven’t renewed your membership, we’d love you to.
I would also like to thank Dr Bruce Caldwell, who will sponsor the
two increased $3,000 first prizes in the newly named Sydney
International Song Prize. The Melbourne Int. Festival of Lieder and
Art Song and the Bel Canto Summer Voice Lieder Program in
Munich have also provided scholarships in 2020. Thank you Patricia
Price and Deborah
Humble for organising
these which brings our
total prize value to
$21,600. Last year’s
winner Jonathan Alley
will take part in the 2019
MIFLAS from 1-6 July.
Finally, thank YOU for
taking an interest in what
we do. We need all the
support we can get so that
we can send more young
singers to conquer the
operatic stages of the
world just like Dame Joan
Sutherland did sixty years
ago. With very best wishes,
Fiona Janes
A word from 2017 BCA winner Bronwyn Douglass 2018 has been a very exciting year
of performance and study. February
through May I toured South
Australia, Victoria and New South
Wales as Rosina in Rossini’s Il
barbiere di Siviglia with Co-Opera.
The tour was a great success and
received several excellent reviews in
Adelaide. In June I travelled to
London to undertake voice lessons
and coaching before starting the
Georg Solti Accademia di Bel Canto
in Castiglione della Pescaia, Italy. The course was absolutely wonderful.
We worked regularly with Jonathan Papp and Jonathon Swinard as well as
working with visiting master teachers Alessandro Corbelli, Barbara Frittoli
and Maestro Richard Bonynge AC, CBE. After completing the Georg Solti
Accademia I travelled to Germany to undertake the Neil Semer Vocal
Institute in Meissen. Here I worked with voice teacher Neil Semer, vocal
coach Margaret Singer and acting coach Ylva Kihlberg. After a short time
back in Australia I travelled to New York to undertake the Opera
Foundation for young Australians Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship,
spending 3 months working with voice teachers and coaches associated
with The Juilliard School, The Manhattan School of Music and The
Metropolitan Opera. I was also very fortunate to observe many high class
performances at The Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall. I then went
to Europe for study before Christmas, where I performed with the Tait
Memorial Trust on the 10th of December in their Winter Prom Concert at
Australia House in London. Having recently returned from a round of
auditions there, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the
performance and study experience that I have had this year. I am so
grateful to The Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award for
their support and encouragement of my continued development. These
studies simply would not have been possible without their generosity.
__________________________________________________________________________ Number Crunching Here is what your donation can do for us.
$30,000: 1st prize in the Bel Canto Award.
$4,000: 5th prize in the Bel Canto Award.
$100-$150: Pay for 1 singing lesson.
$70 - $100: Pay for 1 coaching session.
$2,000: Overseas airfare for a singer.
$14,000: 6mths student accommodation at
the Guildhall School of Music in London.
$10,000: Sponsor the BCA & ECP competitions.
$1,200: 2 x 2nd prizes in the Song Prize or sponsor MIFLAS.
$150-$180: Provide a pianist for a masterclass.
$1,000: Airfare assistance for the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival.
$1,500 - $2500: Venue Hire for the Preliminary Final and Song Prize.
Priceless: Become a volunteer or provide a home for a Diva for one
week over the competition period and receive free tickets to all events.
FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE Since 2010 the Foundation has assisted the following singers, some more than once. The list speaks for itself with the majority enjoying operatic careers either in Australia or overseas whilst others are studying worldwide. JSRB Bel Canto Award Alumni Agnes Sarkis Alasdair Kent* Alexandra Flood Alice Girle Amina Edris Amy Corkery Andrew Williams Angela Brun Annika Hinrichs Benson Wilson* Brenton Spiteri Bronwyn Douglass* Damian Arnold Daniel Macey Daniel Tambasco Darren Pene Pati* David Greco Emma Moore Eva Kong Filipe Manu Fiona McArdle Imogen-Faith Malfitano
Encouragement Awards Agnes Sarkis Alice Girle Daniela Leska Imogen-Faith Malfitano Jessica Harper Jessie Wilson Joanna Norman Madison Nonoa Michelle Ryan Shikara Ringdahl Timothy Newton Zoe Drummond Song Prize Pianists Akiho Suzuki Benjamin Burton* Claire Howard Race Eun-Jung Byun Mark Connors Thomas Johnson*
SEE HOW GREAT THEY SOUND Congratulations to Foundation Board Member Cyrus Meher-Homji, GM of Classics and Jazz at Universal Music Australia, on receiving an OAM in the Australia Day Honours. His gift to you from Universal Music Australia & Classics Direct for patrons receiving a hard copy of this newsletter is a FREE DVD containing 78 items of music clips, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from some of the world’s most famous recording
classical artists. Each track is numbered with information featured in the enclosed catalogue that comes with the DVD. We would like to thank our friends at Universal Music for gifting our patrons this unique DVD experience.
Isabella Moore* James Ioelu James Olds Jared Lillehagen Jessie Wilson John Longmuir* Kathryn Radcliffe Kathryn Williams Livia Brash Marlena Devoe* Matthew Reardon Monique Latemore Morgan Balfour Naomi Johns* Oliver Boyd Olivia Cranwell Paull-Anthony Keightley Rachel Bate Roberto Abate Sarah Toth Stacey Alleaume Tabatha McFadyen Grants Daniel Macey David Greco Kathryn Radcliffe Maia Andrews Michael Petruccelli Monique Latemore Morgan Balfour Laurence Miekle Sarah Toth Valda Wilson Song Prize Singers Georgia Hall Jaekwon Kim Jessica Blunt Jessica Harper Jonathan Alley* Louise Keast Pamela Andrews Phoebe Humphreys* * 1st Prize winners
BECOME A DONOR PATRON OR FRIEND OF THE JSRB FOUNDATION
2019 Friends of the Foundation Jenny Barnes
Michael Barnes Richard Bonynge AC CBE
Elizabeth Bradhurst Michael and Toni Baume
Dr Bettina Boss Jan Bowen
Julie Carroll Elaine Chew
Joseph Condello Elizabeth Corbett & Mark Finlay
Bernadette Cullen & Fiona Janes James & Sandra Donohoe
Jennifer Emmerton Cheryl Forrest-Smith & Janine Burdeu
Paul Garde Renee Goossens
Joan Graeme Diana Heath
Dorothy Hutchinson Diana Lloyd George
Barbara Leser Pam Lord
Iris Luke Ronald Mackinnon
Jenny Manton Dorothy & Kerrin McCormack
Phillip and Helen Meddings Cyrus Meher-Homji
Olive Meredith Alan Munday
Helen Munday Richard Nott
The Hon Liz Olsson & Dr Phillip Briggs Suzanne Parker Lady Potter AC Charlotte Prior
Valda will sing the Marschallin for The Saarländisches Staatstheater’s production of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier in March.
Donor Patrons and Friends are vital to our organisation. In 2019, a specially named “Friends of the Foundation Scholarship” will be included in the 2019 Bel Canto Award. The more friends the larger the prize. All Donors and Friends will be acknowledged in the programme so donate or join today and become a part of history by helping a young singer to achieve their ambition. Friends memberships is $30 per person per year. See the website for details www.jsrbfoundation.com or call 040 202 4118.
IN MEMORIAM
Monserrat Caballe 12.4.33 - 6.10.18
Recent Donor Patrons Ms M L Carter Mr T Batyrshin Mr N Farr-Jones Mr & Mrs J Muir Mr B Walsh Mr & Mrs B Wilson Lew Foundation Mrs C Prior The Hon E Olsson Paradice Family Foundation ClubsNSW Packer Family Foundation Ms E Bradhurst
6 April: Sydney Song Prize Heats* The Opera Centre, Surry Hills
3 Sept: JSRB Festival of Opera & Song Launch
5 Sept: BCA & ECP Preliminary Finals*
7 Sept: 9th JSRB Bel Canto Award Final*
6th Elizabeth Connell Prize Final* Sydney Conservatorium
21 Sept: 3rd Sydney Song Prize Final*
Includes pre performance drinks and snacks. Independent Theatre , North Sydney * open to the public
For performance times see website or call the Foundation.
