N.Z. SINGER IN LONDON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27011, 10 April 1953, Page 2

N.Z. SINGER IN LONDON

Miss Edna Graham’s Success PRINCIPAL ROLE IN DELIUS OPERA (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, April 9. The young New Zealand soprano, Miss Edna Graham, of Christchurch, has been chosen by Sir Thomas Beecham to create the principal role in the world’s first performance of a Delius opera. She will sing the title role in “Irmelin,” which is to be given its first performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham at the music festival in Oxford early in May. Until a few weeks ago, Miss Graham was teaching in a nursery school by day and concert singing in the evenings, and Sir Thomas Beecham chose her for the principal role in “Irmelin’' after she had an audition for another part at his London home. After she

had sung several arias for him, he handed her an ode by Handel to read at sight, and although he made little comment to her at the time he said afterwards that he was “bowled over by her sight reading.” Then followed auditions, rehearsals, and fittings for costumes. Miss Graham, who has been singing in public since she was six years old, came to England in 1947 with a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she studied operatic singing for four years. She took the leading roles in students’ annual performances of opera, singing Marenka in “The Bartered Bride,” Miss Wordsworth in “Albert Herring,” and Michaela in “Carmen.”

When the term of her scholarship expired, Miss Graham joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company with which she toured the Midlands, the North of England, and Scotland, singing such roles as Musedda in “La Boheme.” and the Doll in “The Tales of Hoffman.” At the end of the tour, Miss Graham was offered musical comedy roles in the provinces, but she preferred to remain in London in order to be available for auditions and she took a post as teacher in a nursery school. In addition to being chosen for the leading role in “Irmelin,” she has just won a role at the famous Glyndeboume, the goal of all operatic singfers in England during this summer season. She sings Naiad m eight performances of “Ariadne.”

Miss Graham has also done much broadcasting and in Easter week she gave her first solo recital on the 8.8. C. Home Service, singing songs by Richard Hageman and William Walton. She frequently broadcasts on the overseas service.