Success for opera singer

Press, 15 December 1982, Page 19

Success for opera singer

Anne Young, a former Christchurch woman, has taken a step up the professional singing ladder by gaining a place in Britain's Glyndebourne Festival Opera for its 1983 season. Miss Young, who is at home on holiday until the New Year, has been living in London since 1981. when she took up the Sydney Sun Aria scholarship for overseas study. Sue has spent her time there so far having singing lessons, and appearing in concerts and recitals. As well as her scholarship, and a Queen Elizabeth 11 Arts Council grant, she has had to take part-time secretarial work to support herself. Anne Young, who is 26. sees her contract with Glyndebourne. which will run from April to November, as the starting point to her singing career. From it she hopes to get more work, before deciding on future plans. Glyndebourne. is an old house in Sussex, about twohours drive from London, where its opera company performs from April to August before going on tour. Miss Young said the concerts were "quite an event." Guests wore formal dress, and were invited to have a picnic in the grounds during the interval. She believes aspiring young singers must go to London or Europe to gain the necessary knowledge to pursue a professional career. Anne Young knew as a child that she wanted to be a singer, "and one thing led to another." She has no regrets about her choice, although it is a "terribly uncertain" career. She began her formal singing training at 17 with Margaret Daly in Christchurch and later moved to Auckland to study with Dame Sister Mary Leo. In 1979 she was awarded the Dame Joan Sutherland scholarship for three months intensive study with the Australian Opera Company, which led to a 12-month contract with the Australian Opera.

In 1980. Miss Young won the Sydney Sun Aria competition which gave her a two-year scholarship for overseas study. Anne Young has always liked singing because it is expressing herself. "I am a person who prefers to perform rather than watch. I like being in opera rather than concert work." she said. While in London she has also appeared with the Gemini Opera, a small group which gives about two performances a year. She is careful, "but not neurotic." about her voice, preferring not to shout above loud noise, and keeping away from smoky rooms.

Anne Young enjoyed her time in Australia, and has not ruled out returning there. As well as the Australian Opera, there was the Victorian State Opera, the South Australian Opera, and a new company in Perth, she said. She would like to sing in New Zealand as much as possible, and during this visit has made a radio broadcast, and appeared at a "Christmas At Home." organised by the Cecilian Singers.