Dame Joan Sutherland, one of the world’s greatest opera singers, is the 2004 Australia Post Australian Legend. The stamps issued on January 23, 2004.
Sutherland is a marvellous soprano, able to reach and maintain incredibly high notes and loved for her powerful voice and presence on stage. Adoring Italian audiences called her ‘La Stupenda’, the Great One.
Sutherland was born in Sydney on 7 November 1926. After finishing school she worked as a secretary and began formal singing training in Sydney with John and Aida Dickens.
She sang in concerts, oratorios and broadcasts throughout Australia before making her concert debut in Sydney as Purcell’s Dido in August 1947. Sutherland is known for rescuing many operas from oblivion, particularly in the field of Italian belcanto and in the French repertoire.
In 1951 she sang the title role in the world premiere of Eugene Goosen’s Judith at the Sydney Conservatorium and won Australia’s foremost vocal competition. She then moved to London where she joined Covent Gardencareer.
Sutherland kept this exceptionally demanding part in her repertoire for more than thirty years. She toured Australia with her own opera company in 1965. Her repertoire of roles was extensive throughout her career. Opera Company and made her debut in 1952 as the First Lady in Die Zauberflote.
As a company soprano at Covent Garden, Sutherland sang roles encompassing a broad range of the repertoire including Wagner, Mozart and Verdi. In 1959 Sutherland was convinced by her husband, Australian pianist Richard Bonynge, to turn to the coloratura repertoire
Dame Joan Sutherland as Lucia in Lucia Di Lammermoor:
Her role in the production of Lucia di Lammermoor, conducted by Tullio Serafin and produced by Franco Zeffirelli, was a star making performance.It marked a major turning point in her career. Sutherland kept this exceptionally demanding part in her repertoire for more than thirty years. (Resources: Australia Post)
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