Vale: Dame Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Sutherland, "La Stupenda," has died in Switzerland at the age of 83.
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Legendary coloratura soprano Dame Joan Sutherland has died in Switzerland at the age of 83.
The Sydney-born Sutherland, who retired from the stage almost exactly 20 years ago, had been in poor health for many months, following a fall in her garden at her home at Les Avants, near Geneva.
After her debut in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, at Covent Garden in 1959, Sutherland sang at most of the world’s main opera houses, made a host of recordings, and become as famous as her great Australian predecessor, Dame Nellie Melba.
Her television appearances extended back to 1961 in Toast of the Town, The Bell Telephone Hour, and 1963’s The Dinah Shore Chevy Show. In addition to appearances at Royal Command Performances, she appeared in numerous televised operas including Don Giovanni, Lucrezia Borgia, The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus and more.
Among her honours are a Companion of the Order of Australia, Dame of the British Empire, and the Order of Merit.
She will forver be known as “La Stupenda.”
Source: The Age
3 Responses
Joan Sutherland’s appearance on ‘The Dinah Shore Show’ was aired here on the opening night of Channel 0, Melbourne, on 1 August 1964.
And yes her farewell performance, in ‘Les Huguenots’ was broadcast on ABC’s ‘Esso Night At The Opera’ just over 20 years ago – 7 October 1990.
Good trivia Andrew!
Such extraordinary talent will not be seen or heard again – she was a one-off!