Legendary coloratura soprano, Joan Sutherland died on Sunday evening at her home after a long illness. She was 83 years old. Vocally brilliant, she rose to overnight fame with her performance in Covent Garden's "Lucia di Lammermoor" in 1959. Possessing true pitch, great breath control and a powerful upper range, she became one of the foremost interpreters of the Bel Canto repetoire. Her career spanned over 40 years and she sang over 60 roles with such opera greats as Pavarotti, Marilyn Horne, and Franco Zefferelli. After her retirement in 1990, she conducted master classes and judged vocal competitions. She is survived by her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge, of 56 years; her son, Adam and his wife and two daughters.Such an outstanding talent - who can forget her Mad Scene or her magnificent rendition of Handel's "Let the Bright Serephim" or her fantastic recording of Turandot? In 1997 she published her autobiography A Prima Donna's Progress, which is a great book filled with career information and funny stories. During her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1959 (as Lucia), she received a twelve minute standing ovation at the end of the Mad Scene alone!
Opera Australia's artistic director a simple statement that is conveys the perfect feelings. "We won't see her like again. She had a phenomenal range, size and quality of voice. We simply don't hear that any more."
To read an obituary with a full bio, click the links below:
Adam and Helen Bonynge certainly have one daughter (Natasha, their older child) but also one son (Vanya — one of many Russian male names that end in -a). In the delicious photo book "The Joan Sutherland Album", Dame Joan opined, regarding her first grandchild, that "I think her parents were on a steady diet of Russian novels".
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