Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
An opera singer of international fame.
On the island
Eight records
It's an extraordinary thing, but every time that this particular song is played, or I hear it, which is not very often, something very unexpected and very nice happens to me.
Reminds me very much of uh my mother and her people who came from the Alps on the border of France and Italy, and you see a lot of swallows there at certain times of the year.
I used to play it once upon a time myself before the Broken Arm episode, and I loved Wussie, and I think I like this one the best of all.
a fantastic artist, I think well one with tremendous production
Concierto de Aranjuez (second movement)
I'm very fond of guitar music and I think also it's a very wonderful piece of writing.
reminds me of sort of sunburned country, wide open spaces, um California in in general, really. Being in a small place, I presume the desert island will be small. I'd like to have this feeling of wind and wide open spaces.
In conversation
Presenter asks
2:47What was it your first ambition to be?
A hairdresser.
Presenter asks
3:08And when did singing come into your life?
Well, I suppose when I was at school still, the school choir, and then one of the girls suggested that I joined a group called the Youth Operatic Society. in my last year at high school, and we did lots and lots of Gilbert and Sullivan's over a period of years, during which time I had broken my arm and didn't take any more piano lessons, and had thought to fill in some time and for an interest I would take some singing lessons.
Presenter asks
8:01Of course the big sensation was when you replaced Madame Callas in Tosca last year at very short notice indeed.
Yes, it was quite short notice. I was in the process of preparing the Angel of Fire, which was a very difficult work and was being given its English premiere some, I suppose, ten days or so after this Some other thing. That was pretty terrifying, but the one thing I didn't have the long time to think about it, did I?
The keepsakes
The book
Marguerite Young
It took her seventeen years to write it, and maybe I'll be there long enough to read it.
The luxury
Presenter asks
9:07Now why is it that Australia, a country without many musical opportunities, produces so many first-rate singers? Is it the climate or the teaching?
I think the climate has a great deal to do with it, really. Also, you know, I am asked this question quite a lot, and I've consequently had to think about it a bit. I don't know how valid this is, it's just an idea. You know, when you are in a country that's either new, or depressed in some sort of way, where the standard of living is not high, where work is hard. Some sort of part of people are forced out into song or into music. Consider Wales, consider Italy, consider Australia, even America, which is producing quite a number of very, very good singers now.
Presenter asks
10:42Now all this globetrotting must be a little complicated by the fact that you have four children.
Yes, it is. They're in very, very good hands, and I miss them awfully. You miss contact with them. But um also another problem you know in this globe trotting is uh suitcases and wardrobe and enormous bills for excess baggage.
Presenter asks
11:03Have you any big ambition in Want to sing any particular one.
No, not really. I'd like to sing Manolesco, certainly, and others I can think of too, but I wouldn't call them ambitions.
“That was pretty terrifying, but the one thing I didn't have the long time to think about it, did I?”
“I used to play it once upon a time myself before the Broken Arm episode, and I loved Wussie, and I think I like this one the best of all.”
“I miss them awfully. You miss contact with them.”
“I'd like to sing Manolesco, certainly, and others I can think of too, but I wouldn't call them ambitions.”
“I think the more places I sing abroad, the more I want to sing at Covent Garden.”
“I think I'm better with hammer and nails than with a needle and thread.”