Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Desert Island Discs
Presented by Roy Plomley
An Australian soprano who won two large vocal competitions and joined Covent Garden in 1952.
Eight records
The eight records for this collection haven’t been catalogued yet.
The keepsakes
The book
Not recorded.
The luxury
In conversation
Presenter asks
What was the first music you heard? Was there a lot in your home?
The first music I heard would be the singing of my mother. She was a mezzo soprano and although she never made a career in Australia at all… she nevertheless had a very fine voice… she used to practice around the house and I used to imitate her. And I imitated her even to the extent of thinking that I was a mezzo soprano up until the time I went to have lessons.
Presenter asks
What was the first important thing that happened to you after you had taken the plunge [into full-time singing]?
I managed to win two very large vocal competitions… one sponsored by a big oil company and another by one of the big newspapers in Australia. And was able with that money to make up my mind to come abroad and try my luck in London or elsewhere.
Presenter asks
You arrived in London. Had you many friends here?
No, I hadn't. I think the only real one I had was Richard Bonynge, who later became my husband.
The recording
Timestamps play the recording from that turn
Joan Sutherland
This download is the only extract the BBC has of this edition of Desert Island Discs. The presenter was Roy Plumley.
Presenter
What was the first music you heard? Was there a lot in your home?
Joan Sutherland
Well, the first music I heard would be the singing of my mother.
Joan Sutherland
She was a mezzo soprano and although she never made a career in Australia at all,
Joan Sutherland
Never really sang professionally to any extent.
Joan Sutherland
She nevertheless had a very fine voice, and I think would have been
Joan Sutherland
one of the great singers of her day had she pursued
Joan Sutherland
um her career to the extent that well I have
Joan Sutherland
But um she used to practice around the house and I used to imitate her.
Joan Sutherland
And I
Joan Sutherland
imitated her even to the extent of of thinking that I was a mezzo soprano up until the time I went to have lessons.
Presenter
Mm. When did you start having lessons?
Joan Sutherland
Uh not until I was eighteen.
Presenter
Had you started music before that, the piano?
Joan Sutherland
I studied the piano for a short time. I could never really see what bearing it had on the fact that I wanted to be a singer all the time and I I was was annoyed with having to practise the piano.
Joan Sutherland
and I just learned enough to be able to play my own accompaniments, and then I'm afraid I gave it away.
Presenter
I'm sorry, Hibbick.
Joan Sutherland
I'm sorry, Hibby.
Presenter
Where did Gustavi singing?
Joan Sutherland
Um I studied singing privately in Sydney.
Joan Sutherland
with um some very fine teachers there who've now come to London.
Presenter
What was your very first professional engagement?
Joan Sutherland
I really can't remember my very first professional engagement, but the first engagement of any real note was um a concert performance of Dido Ninias in the Sydney Town Hall.
Presenter
Yes. You had launched yourself by this time as as a full-time professional singer.
Joan Sutherland
By that time I was still doing full time secretarial work.
Presenter
Mm.
Joan Sutherland
But um very shortly it came to the point where I had to choose between one or the other and I decided that I might as well try the singing first and could always go back to secretarial work if necessary.
Presenter
Or what was the first important thing that happened to you after you had taken the plunge?
Joan Sutherland
Well, I spoke earlier of the assistance given to
Joan Sutherland
young artists in Australia I managed to win
Joan Sutherland
two very large vocal competitions.
Joan Sutherland
um one sponsored by a big oil company and another by one of the big newspapers in Australia. And um was able with that money to
Joan Sutherland
make up my mind to come abroad and try my luck in London or elsewhere.
Presenter
Well, Miss Hoverland, you arrived in London. Had you many friends here?
Joan Sutherland
Um no, I hadn't. Um I think the the only real one I had was Richard Bonning, who later became my husband.
Presenter
You've met him in Australia before. Oh yeah.
Joan Sutherland
Oh yes, yes. Um we'd been in concerts together and um I knew him as a concert pianist out there.
Presenter
What did you do when you first came here?
Joan Sutherland
I set about studying for a year and during that time I did auditions for Covent Garden.
Joan Sutherland
And then in nineteen fifty two I joined the company.
Presenter
Yes. And you've been at Govern Garden ever since. You're you're still a member of the permanent company.
Joan Sutherland
Okay.
Presenter
What was the first role you sang at Covent Garden?
Joan Sutherland
The first role I sang was the first lady in the magic flute.
Joan Sutherland
And very soon after I sang the ooh minute part.
Joan Sutherland
of the nursemaid in Norma with Maria Callas and Abi Stignani when they came to do the opera there first.
Presenter
Pause.
Joan Sutherland
And I was a very terrified beginner standing backstage listening to the wonderful ovation that they received.
Joan Sutherland
And uh I was wondering whether that could happen to me ever, but uh I didn't really think it could.
Presenter
And of course you you created roles in several contemporary operas at Cotton Castle.
Joan Sutherland
Yes, um the Michael Tippett opera, Midsummer Marriage and also the Polenk opera, the Dialogues of the Carmelites. But um I really prefer the roles of the
Joan Sutherland
18th, 19th century.
Joan Sutherland
And well, very early twentieth century, but uh
Presenter
That's
Joan Sutherland
Chiefly the eighteen to nineteen.
Presenter
And you sang with the Cotton Garden Company for seven seasons, and now you've made this tremendous success in Lucia de Lamamour. Is there any one person that you feel inspired you or helped you in your work more than anyone else?
Joan Sutherland
Um
Joan Sutherland
Yes, I I do.
Joan Sutherland
I think
Joan Sutherland
Um my husband.
Joan Sutherland
We always work together.
Presenter
Yeah.
Joan Sutherland
on my roles and he had this great love of the early nineteenth century operas.
Joan Sutherland
And
Joan Sutherland
um convinced me that they were the roles that I should sing.
Presenter
I told you you work very hard indeed at your singing. You you believe in in long hours of practice.
Joan Sutherland
Um I I believe in in continual practice, yes, but um
Joan Sutherland
Well, little and often. I think that the voice tires very easily, and it must be given reasonable rest in between.
Presenter
And you always work with your husband. He's your your coach, your pianist, your inspiration.
Presenter asks
What was the first role you sang at Covent Garden?
The first role I sang was the first lady in the Magic Flute. And very soon after I sang the [tiny] part of the nursemaid in Norma with Maria Callas and Ebe Stignani when they came to do the opera there first. And I was a very terrified beginner standing backstage listening to the wonderful ovation that they received. And I was wondering whether that could happen to me ever, but I didn't really think it could.
Presenter asks
You sang with the Covent Garden Company for seven seasons, and now you've made this tremendous success in Lucia di Lammermoor. Is there any one person that you feel inspired you or helped you in your work more than anyone else?
Yes, I do. I think my husband. We always work together on my roles and he had this great love of the early nineteenth century operas. And convinced me that they were the roles that I should sing.
“The first music I heard would be the singing of my mother. She was a mezzo soprano… she used to practice around the house and I used to imitate her. And I imitated her even to the extent of thinking that I was a mezzo soprano up until the time I went to have lessons.”
“I decided that I might as well try the singing first and could always go back to secretarial work if necessary.”
“And I was a very terrified beginner standing backstage listening to the wonderful ovation that they received. And I was wondering whether that could happen to me ever, but I didn't really think it could.”
“I think my husband. We always work together on my roles and he had this great love of the early nineteenth century operas. And convinced me that they were the roles that I should sing.”