Singer’s Views On Translated Opera

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 2

Singer’s Views On Translated Opera

••You cannot compare a song or an opera in the original with its English translation,” said a wellknown British soprano, Lucille Graham, in Christchurch yesterday. •‘lt is so difficult to get a really good translation and even then the song always loses something in the process,” she said.

Miss Graham has sung in nearly every country in the world and in a* least seven languages, including Russian. Of Welsh and Scottish descent, she began her career in serious music at the age of 15. Her first public aopearance was an Easter concert when she was three. Miss Graham prefers to sing all her songs in the original language, even though it means a great deal more work. She will first find someone to translate the song for her in order to get its full meaning and then will practise her accent as she works on the music. With her father acting as a translator. Miss Graham has studied songs translated from Italian and German into English, and then into Welsh “I think the translations sound better in Welsh than they do in English.” she said. “There seems to be a similarity between the foreign languages. You get a much more beautiful effect that way.” In private life Miss Graham is Mrs Norman McCann, wife of a concert agent The couple were friends as children and it was Mr McCann who suggested that she make a career in music—when he was 18 and she was 14. N.Z. Teacher

He took her to see a New Zealand teacher, Rosina Buckman. formerly of Blenheim. at the Royal Academy of Music, in London.

Miss Buckman predicted a successful career for Miss Graham, as a coloratura soprano, and became her teacher for the following three years. During that time Miss Graham found sufficient parts in London productions to pay for her singing lessons and she also saved enough money to take her to Germany where she trained in Dusseldorf and in Hamburg. At present. Miss Graham has two programmes on television in Scotland and one includes guest artists from all parts of world “Television is a very exacting medium,” she said. ‘‘You

cannot afford to make a single mistake." Miss Graham has done well on television and is a very popular artist. But she still prefers a live audience. “It is nice to have the feel of an audience and to know their appreciation on the spot.” From the television shows come many fan letters which Miss Graham tries to answer personally. Even in Now Zealand she is answering them. The more important ones have been forwarded to her. “Many are from young aspiring artists asking advice on their own careers," she said. “I always write to them.”

Miss Graham has met many New Zealand singers overseas and has sung with them at various times. Her favourite music is oratorio and she also enjoys operatic roles. On this tour her audiences are hearing her singing timehonoured Scottish ballads