Rare recording of Joan Sutherland from the 1965 tour of Australia

 Joan Sutherland 1965 tour
Joan Sutherland 1965 tour

A recording of Dame Joan Sutherland, live in Australia 1965 (Vol. 2) Desiree Records is available via this link

Volume 1 sold out (let’s hope they press some more CDs). These recordings have particular significance for the Trust as Isla Baring’s father, Sir Frank Tait, produced this tour as part of the JC Williamson/ Sutherland Opera Company. It was Sir Frank’s ambition to present Dame Joan Sutherland to the Australian public after her international acclaim. The Sutherland Williamson Opera Company was formed in 1963. Richard Bonynge as Artistic Director engaged a team of world renowned principals and internationally successful Australian artists. One of the principals was Luciano Pavarotti, a young tenor from Modena. The chorus was all Australian. There was no government subsidy and the fate of Williamson’s future rested on the success of the venture.

Sir Frank lived to see his ambition fulfilled. The triumphant Melbourne opening heralded the return of Dame Joan to her homeland. It was a season never to be forgotten. In Richard Bonynge’s words: “Sir Frank Tait has done the greatest service to Australian Theatre and to the arts of anyone we know.”

Sir Frank died at the age of 81 after the Melbourne season finished and while the company were in Adelaide. It was the end of an era in the history of Australian theatre.

Final night of La Sonnambula. Sutherland/ Williamson tour 1965
Final night of La Sonnambula. Sutherland/ Williamson tour 1965

Following the enormous response to the initial Joan Sutherland Live In Australia 1965 (unfortunately no longer available), Desiree Records brings us a sequel which includes Sutherland performing the entire role of Lucia di Lammermoor, plus other rare and unknown recordings including alternate casts.

NOTE: These historical recordings derive mainly from old reel-to-reel quarter-inch tape, recorded with, sometimes, primitive methods. Studio efforts have been made to keep any unnecessary surface noise to a minimum without harming the clarity of sound reproduction.

Also available from Desiree Records are these two collections of Robert Allman and Nance Grant.

Robert Allman 

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Nance Grant

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Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti):

– Introduction

– Ancor non giunse!

– Regnava nel silenzio

– Quando, rapito in estasi

– Egli s’avanza…La vicina soglia

– Sulla tomba che rinserra

– Qui di sposa eterna fede

– Verranno a te sull’aure

– Il pallor funesto, orrendo

– Soffriva nel pianto

– Se tradirmi tu potrai

– Ebben? Di tua speranza

– Ah! Cedi, cedi, o più sciagure

– Al ben de’ tuoi qual vittima

– Dov’ è Lucia?

– Piange la madre estinta…

– Chi mi frena in tal momento?

– T’allontana, sciagurato

– Il dolce suono

– Ardon gli incensi

– S’avanza Enrico!

– Spargi d’amoro pianto.

Joan Sutherland (Lucia), John Alexander (Edgardo), Cornelis Opthof (Enrico), Clifford Grant (Raimondo), Dorothy Cole (Alisa), Sergei Baigildin (Arturo) – Richard Bonynge – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, July 10th 1965.

CD2:

Semiramide (Rossini):

– Bel raggio lusinghier

– Se la vita ancor t’è cara

– Ebben, a te: ferisci.

Joan Sutherland (Semiramide), Spiro Malas (Azzur), Lauris Elms (Arsace) – August 1965 exact date unknown.

La Traviata (Verdi):

– Libiamo ne’ lieti calici

– Che è ciò?

– Un di felice.

Joan Sutherland (Violetta), Alberto Remedios (Alfredo) Andrè Montal (Gastone) – exact date unknown.

Faust (Gounod):

– Seigneur, daignez permettre à votre humble servante.

Joan Sutherland (Marguerite), Richard Cross (Méphistophélès) – cond. William Weibel – August 10th 1965.

La Sonnambula (Bellini):

– Care compagne….Come per me sereno

– Sovra il sen la man mi posa

– Prendi: l’anel ti dono.

Joan Sutherland (Amina), Luciano Pavarotti (Elvino) – Richard Bonynge – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney – October 9th 1965. Encore: Home Sweet Home. Richard Bonynge (Pianoforte), Closing Night – Melbourne.

Bonus Tracks: The Alternate Sopranos

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti):

– Sulla tomba che rinserra

– Qui di sposa eterna fede

– Verranno a te sull’aure.

Elizabeth Harwood (Lucia), Luciano Pavarotti (Edgardo).
Faust (Gounod):

– Alerte, ou vous ètes perdus!

Doris Yarick (Marguerite), Alberto Remedios (Faust), Joseph Rouleau (Méphistophélès)