Joan Sutherland

Dame Joan Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE is a great Australian opera singer noted for her contribution to the bel canto revival of the 1950s and 1960s.

La Stupenda

In 1959, she was invited to sing Lucia di Lammermoor at the Royal Opera House in a production conducted by Tullio Serafin and staged by Franco Zeffirelli. It was a breaktrough for Sutherland's career, and as soon as she finished the famous Mad Scene, she was a star! In 1960, she recorded the album The Art of the Prima Donna, which is still one of the most recommended opera albums ever recorded.

Related Topics:
Lucia di Lammermoor - Royal Opera House - Tullio Serafin - Franco Zeffirelli

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In 1960, Sutherland was already known as a vocal miracle and a great diva. She sang Lucia to great acclaim in Paris and, in 1961, at La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera. In 1960, she sang a superb Alcina at La Fenice, Venice, where she was nicknamed La Stupenda. Sutherland would soon be called La Stupenda all around the world! She also sang Alcina at the Dallas Opera, with which she made her US debut the same year.

Related Topics:
Paris - La Scala - Metropolitan Opera - La Fenice - Venice

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Joan Sutherland added the greatest heroines of bel canto in her repertoire: Violetta (La Traviata), Amina (La Sonnambula) and Elvira (I Puritani) in 1960; Beatrice di Tenda in 1961; Marguerite de Valois (Les Huguenots) and Semiramide in 1962; Norma and Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) in 1963. She later added Marie (La Fille du Régiment), which is one of her most admired roles, because of her perfect coloratura and lively, funny interpretation.

Related Topics:
La Traviata - La Sonnambula - I Puritani - Les Huguenots - Semiramide - Norma - Giulio Cesare - La Fille du Régiment - Coloratura

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During the 70s, her voice became more expressive and she improved her diction. Then, she added dramatic roles like Donizetti's Maria Stuarda and Lucrezia Borgia and Massenet's extremely difficult Esclarmonde. She even recorded a successful Turandot in 1972, though she never performed the role on stage.

Related Topics:
Donizetti - Maria Stuarda - Lucrezia Borgia - Massenet - Esclarmonde - Turandot

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In the late 70s, Sutherland's voice started to decline. However, thanks to her vocal flexibility and flawless technique, she continued singing the most difficult roles amazingly well. During the 80s, she added Anna Bolena, Amelia in I Masnadieri and Adriana Lecouvreur to her repertoire. Her last performance was as Marguerite de Valois (Les Huguenots) in 1990, at the age of 64. However, her last public appearance took place in a gala recital with her friends Luciano Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne.

Related Topics:
Anna Bolena - I Masnadieri - Adriana Lecouvreur - Luciano Pavarotti - Marilyn Horne

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During her career and after, Sutherland received many prizes. In 1961, Sutherland was made a Commander of the British Empire. She was further elevated from Commander to Dame Commander in 30 December 1978. On 9 June 1975, Dame Joan was made a Companion of the Order of Australia. On 29 November 1991, the Queen bestowed on Dame Joan the Order of Merit, one of Britain and Australia's highest honours and within the Queen's personal gift.

Related Topics:
1961 - Commander of the British Empire - 30 December - 1978 - 9 June - 1975 - Companion of the Order of Australia - 29 November - 1991 - Queen - Order of Merit

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In 2004 she received a Kennedy Center Honour for her outstanding achievement throughout her career. Joan Sutherland appears in many international vocal competitions and is the patron of the famous BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. She had one of the longest careers in the history of opera and her many studio recordings, mostly for the DECCA/London label, are best-sellers.

Related Topics:
2004 - Kennedy Center Honour

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