AUSTRALIAN SOPRANO

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28840, 10 March 1959, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN SOPRANO

Joan Sutherland’s Triumph

Very few opera singers in recent years have received , such critical aclaim in Britain as did the young Australian soprano, Joan Sutherland, for her performance in the title role of Donizetti's “Lucia di Lammermoor” at Covent Garden last month. The opera, said “The Times." “must have a heroine who is capable of the Mad Scene, whatever else is lacking. Miss Sutherland proved herself to be such. In her cavatina, 'Regnava nel silenzio,’ she poured out warm, rounded tone, mezza voce, in the Italianate manner, increased its power when needed in dialogue and duet, and in the Mad Scene sustained the line and controlled the ornaments quietly. Miss Sutherland appeared to be completely inside the conception of the poor over strained girl, which was in consequence a dramatic as well as a vocal triumph for her."' “Although the lower notes betrayed a cold, this was truly magnificent singing from our Australian Lucia.’’ said the "Scotsman." There were some notes that were merely goodlsh, but the rest were beautiful', marvellously in tune, stylish and with all the fiendishly difficult ' coloratura absolutely accurate." In the “Financial Times," Andrew Porter said, writing of a later performance: “On the first night Miss Sutherland was spellbinding; yet in last night’s performance she was even finer. Tears and fire were commingled in her tone; there was more passion in her duologues . . . even more tenderness in the lyrical passages of the Mad Scene. There were phrases which burnt themselves on the memory—phrases that look plain in the score but which become great, moments. The most famous Donizetti Singers, from Pasta to Maria Callas, have beetr remembered for these sudden flashes of dramatie characterisation; and this amazing performance by Miss Sutherland places her. I truly believe, in their company.”