The Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation Newsletter

Edition 12

July 2016

DAME JOAN SUTHERLAND

90th BIRTHDAY

ANNIVERSARY

LEAH GORDON Canada (35)

Lives in Nürnberg where she has been on contract since 2009. She

has studied at the Guildhall in London and in Toronto. With vast

experience, she is currently performing Leila in Germany and covering Eva at Glyndebourne.

YASMINE LEVI-ELLENTUCK Israel/America (33)

Lives in Berlin, studied at

Brooklyn College, Jerusalem Music Academy and IVAI in Tel Aviv. She has performed numerous roles and will sing Cio-Cio San in 2016 in Israel.

KSENIIA MUSLANOVA Russian Federation (34)

Lives in Moscow, studied at the

Schnittke State Institute of Music and Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre for 3 years. She is

currently a member of the Moscow Chamber Opera and sung Giorgetta and Natasha.

ANNA-LOUISE COLE Australia (34)

Anna-Louise lives in Sydney, studied in Germany. She has sung numerous roles and will sing Gutrune in the Ring Cycle in Melbourne then take up a

scholarship to the Vienna Staatsoper in 2017.

A record seventy-five entrants entered this year’s Bel Canto Award. The standard was certainly the highest the competition has seen in its six year history with a number of singers just missing out on a place in the Final. Auditions were held in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Vienna, London and New York. Every singer was interviewed and videoed to assist the judges in each city, and the ultimate decision.

Fifty-five sopranos from eighteen countries entered this year’s competition. Thirty-three were heard live and interviewed. Here are the top five sopranos for the Elizabeth Connell Prize Final.

MARI WYN WILLIAMS Wales (34)

Lives in Cardiff, studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music

and Wales Int. Academy of Voice. Currently an Alvarez young artist for Garsington

Opera, UK where she is covering the role of Elettra in Idomeneo.

ALEXANDRA FLOOD Soprano (26)

The winner of numerous

awards, studied at Melbourne University and Bayerische Hochshule in Munich. In 2016 she will

sing Blonde in Bregenz and Violetta for Opera Front in

New York.

TABATHA McFADYEN Soprano (26)

Studied at the Qld

Conservatorium and Mozarteum in Salzburg. She has won numerous

awards and is an accomplished performer.

She sang Musetta in New Zealand this year.

BRONWYN DOUGLASS Mezzo soprano (27)

Studied at the ANU in Canberra and Griffith University, Qld. She is

currently a Melba Opera Trust Scholar for 2016

and recently sang Suzuki for Opera Projects in

Sydney.

ALASDAIR KENT Tenor (29)

Studied at WAAPA, San

Francisco’s Merola Programme and for three years at the

Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia where he

recently performed Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi.

JAMES OLDS Bass Baritone (30)

Studied at the Guildhall

School of Music and did the Lieder Programme at the Franz Schubert-Institut in

Austria. He recently performed the Officer in

Barber of Seville for OA and is part of their extra chorus.

EMMA MOORE Soprano (29)

Studied at the Sydney

Conservatorium and Die Universität der Künste in Berlin. She won the 2015

R. Strauss Comp in Munich and will give recitals in

2016 at the Int. Hugo-Wolf Akademie, Stuttgart.

A Message from the

Artistic Director

Welcome to the twelfth edition of the Bel Canto newsletter.

THE YEAR TO DATE The first half of 2016 has been anything but relaxing. 44 singers signed up for

our Masterclass series with Marie-Claire, Bernadette Cullen, Glenn Winslade

and myself. Within three days of announcing the classes the positions were

full with waiting lists for each class. It was a wonderful response which both

singers and masters seemed to enjoy. Preparation for the rest of the year

involved processing 130 application forms, viewing 60 videos, securing

venues, judges, organising the competition schedules, dinner preparations,

work on the new 90th birthday book project and Dame Joan’s 90th birthday concert.

I was reminded recently of the aims of the Society in a document that was given to

us by a former secretary. I would like to share with you a small segment from that

document written in 1978 by the Society’s first President, Lynne Redknap.

“The Joan Sutherland Society’s primary concern is to award scholarships to

opera students on an annual basis. When the Joan Sutherland Society of

Sydney came into being in April 1978 the foundation members wanted to

provide Australians with the opportunity to make a lasting tribute to their

great diva in a way that will serve to assist the young and promising talent

around them. The Joan Sutherland Society is inspired in its efforts by the kind

and genuine concern and support that Dame Joan Sutherland and Richard

Bonynge have consistently shown for the talents and the needs of others all

over the world. In bearing its name, this Society will endeavour to do all in its

power, to promote an image that is consistent with the high professional

standards, yet, wholly unpretentious style, that are so synonymous with that

great character.”

Today’s Foundation mirrors that sentiment. We want you and your friends to

help us fulfil that “primary concern” to “assist the young” and make that

“lasting tribute”. And speaking of lasting tributes, tenor John Longmuir has

started an online petition for a statue of Dame Joan to be erected in Sydney,

preferably at the opera house. I couldn’t agree more so if you would like to

sign that petition please go to: https://www.change.org/p/australian-

government-statue-of-dame-joan-sutherland-erected-in-sydney OR write

to the NSW Arts Minister and or Sydney Opera House Board of Directors.

______________________________________________________________________________

WHAT’S NEXT? The second half of the year has changed slightly due to the change of dinner

date but will still focus around the Maestro’s visit. First up is a masterclass

with Richard Bonynge, then the Gala Dinner at Le Montage, followed by the

Welcome Morning Tea for the finalists. The competition itself is spread over

two days this year finishing off with Dame Joan’s 90th celebration in

November at the Independent Theatre in North Sydney. I do hope you

and your friends can join us in celebration of this 90th Anniversary year.

______________________________________________________________________________

NEW MELBOURNE OPERA and SYDNEY

PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS PRIZES for the BCA Our good friends at Melbourne Opera and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs have

generously offered a performance prize for two of our Bel Canto Finalists. The

lucky winners will be cast in a suitable performance in the 2017 seasons.

Melbourne Opera and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs are both vital training

grounds for young singers and we thank them both for this opportunity. _________________________________________________________________________ Excellence, Education and Encouragement! 131 Cash Scholarships, 60 Study Grants, 128 Recipients

JS Society Scholarship & Grants $159,536

JSRB Foundation Scholarships & Grants $340,550

JSRB Foundation other prizes $95,200

Grand Total including the 2016 competition $595,286

Since 2011 the Foundation has provided 52 scholarships and 9 study grants. We

are very proud of this record but know we can do more. We still crave a rehearsal

space of our own with a grand piano where we can hold educational events

but in the meantime we rely on the generosity of others like the Sydney

Philharmonia Choirs and Opera Australia. If you can help, let us know.

TWO NEW MAJOR SPONSORS ANNOUNCED Board Member Alan Jones AO has secured two vital new

sponsors for the next three years. Walker Corporation Pty

Limited has agreed to donate $50,000 per year for the Bel

Canto Award prize and Michael and Shanny Crouch will

part sponsor the $15,000 Richard Bonynge Award 2nd prize

by donating $7,000 per year. Lady Potter has also

generously donated $10,000 toward this year’s awards. All

donations go toward the education of singers. Thank you

Walker Corp, Lady Potter AC, Mr & Mrs Crouch and all of this year’s

sponsors including Paul Ferris, Mr & Mrs G Sanderson, Mr & Mrs D Kinnon,

DECCA, Universal Music, Solti Accademia, HPAF, Tait Memorial Trust,

Melbourne Opera and of course Maestro Richard Bonynge. THANK YOU!

_________________________________________________________________________

THE COMPETITION SO FAR! The response we received for this year’s Bel Canto Award

was overwhelming. A record 75 singers entered the

competition and were heard and interviewed across

seven cities. Hearing these singers, and the 34 Elizabeth

Connell singers who made it through to Round 2, was

fascinating and at times thrilling. The judges assisting me

were singers I greatly admire, all highly experienced and wonderful collaborators.

I would personally like to thank the legendary Christa Ludwig (pictured),

Dame Anne Evans and Ruth Falcon, plus legendary locals Margaret Haggart,

Rosemary Gunn, Patricia Lewis, Margaret Russell and Bernadette Cullen for

providing their time and expertise to this process. I am also delighted that

soprano Marilyn Richardson will join our panel for the Finals again this year.

_______________________________________________________________________________ JOAN SUTHERLAND GALA DINNER DATE CHANGE Now on Thursday 25 August, 2016 we are especially thrilled to have

Maestro Bonynge in attendance this year. International soprano

sensation Pumeza Matshikiza, Australia’s Eurovision entrant Dami Im and

flautist Jane Rutter will all be performing on the night. The discounted

price for Foundation supporters and their friends is $175 per person.

You’d be mad to miss it!

Inspiring and developing our opera singers for the future!

JOAN SUTHERLAND

BEL CANTO GALA DINNER

Thursday 25 August, 2016

at 6.30pm, Le Montage

Guest of Honour

Richard Bonynge AC CBE Starring

Pumeza Matshikiza, Dami Im,

Jane Rutter and more...

Bookings: (02) 9817 4919

Soprano Laura King (right) with judge Dame

Felicity Lott, has won the 2016 Mietta Song

Competition accompanied by Jonathan

Wilson, Valda Wilson’s cousin. 2016 BCA

Finalists Alexandra Flood and Alasdair Kent

have both been performing at Wolf Trap Opera

in the USA over the summer. Alasdair is also one

of nine finalists for the 2017 Paris Opera

Competition and came second in the Licia

Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Vocal

Competition in NYC in April. Sylvie Humphries has won Opera Foundation

Australia’s AIMS Graz Award and received a scholarship from the Hochschule

der Künste Bern to continue her studies at the Swiss Opera Studio. Mezzo

Fiona McArdle is studying with Jane Eaglen at the New England Conservatory

in Boston and Sarah Kemeny represented Australia in this year’s International

Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in South Africa. Counter tenor

Nicholas Tolputt has won the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship, Iain

Henderson the Noosa Federation of Arts Dame Joan Sutherland Award and

Benson Wilson the Lexus Song Quest in New Zealand.

Additional Bel Canto Prizes Awarded in 2016

Left to right: Zoe Drummond is the recipient of the 2016 Megan Evans

OAM Encouragement Award sponsored by the Sydney Savage Club, valued

at $1,000. Timothy Newton, Imogen-Faith Malfitano and Damian

Arnold will each receive a $500 encouragement award.

Dates for your Diary Saturday 13 August, 2pm Richard Bonynge Masterclass - Opera Centre

Thursday 25 August 6.30pm Joan Sutherland Gala Dinner - Le Montage

Thursday 1 September, 3.00pm Preliminary Final of the Bel Canto Award

and Elizabeth Connell Prize - Independent Theatre, North Sydney

Saturday, 3 September, 4pm 6th Annual Joan Sutherland & Richard

Bonynge Bel Canto Award and 3rd Annual Elizabeth Connell Prize

Final - Sydney Conservatorium

Sunday 6 November, 3pm - Joan Sutherland 90th Birthday Concert

- Independent Theatre, North Sydney

2015 Bel Canto Award winner Isabella Moore and

DECCA Award winner Morgan Balfour have both

received scholarships to attend the prestigious San

Francisco Conservatory under the tutelage of Cesar

Ulloa who is Julie Adams’ teacher. Since winning the

2015 ECP, Julie won the Kirsten Flagstaff Award from

the George London Foundation competition, first

prize in the Igor Gorin

Memorial Foundation

Competition and is now

represented by IMG. Isabella

was at the Georg Solti Accademia in Tuscany working

with Angela Gheorghiu (top right) and Richard

Bonynge. Counter tenor David Hansen sang Julius

Caesar in Dresden earlier in the year followed by

Mozart’s Mitridate Re di Ponte (seen left) at La

Monnaie De Munt in Brussels. Margaret Plummer

sang Charlotte in Werther on tour with the Vienna

Staatsoper to Oman and went on as Fyodor in Boris

Godunov. Daniel Macey has stepped in to sing the

Count in the Hawaii Festival’s production of The

Marriage of Figaro in July. Whilst singing her first

Liu in Turandot as part of the Handa Opera on the

Harbour, Eva Kong (left), met up with her friend

and opera lover, cook Maggie Beer. Tenor

Roberto Abate (left), has had a very busy year thus

far in the UK. He’s sung Samson for Palace Opera,

Fenton in Falstaff and Gabriele in Simon

Boccanegra for Fulham Opera, Rodolfo for Regents

Opera and will perform Gustave in Un Ballo in

maschera in October for Burry Port Opera. Valda

Wilson returns to Sydney to perform the title role

in Pinchgut Opera’s production of Theodora in

Nov/Dec at the City Recital Hall having just sung

Romilda in Xerxes in Germany. Daniel Sumegi will

appear once again in Opera Australia’s Ring Cycle

in Melbourne in November. In April, soprano Emma

Moore was invited by legendary mezzo Brigitte

Fassbaender (both left), to attend the Lied

Academy at the Heidelberg Frühling. Emma was

involved in a number of masterclasses and

performances as part of the Festival. Lauren Fagan

will sing Donna Anna and Morgan Pearse Don

Giovanni for the Verbier Festival Academy’s

production in July. Helen Sherman will sing her

first Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier for Opera

North’s 2016/17 season. Anna-Louise Cole has

won the 2016 Vienna State Opera Award, Stacey

Alleaume the AOAC Dame Joan Sutherland

Scholarship and Morgan Balfour the Sheila Prior

Award. Marlena Devoe and Matthew Reardon

have been singing for the Tait Memorial Trust in

London. Marlena has also made her debut as

Violetta (left) with Clonter Opera in the UK. BCA

scholarship winners, Rachel Bate (left) and

Rebecca Moret shared the title role in Opera

Projects production of Suor Angelica in Sydney in

May and Damian Arnold won the

Cowra Eisteddfod Scholarship

and Aria. Phoebe-Celeste

Humphreys and James Olds

(right) have finally tied the

knot. Richard Bonynge,

who recently accepted an

award in Paris for his

recording of Massenet songs with Sally Silver, is thrilled

to be a great grandfather. His granddaughter, Natasha

Wouters gave birth to a baby boy in April as did Naomi Johns in May.

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO?

RICHARD BONYNGE MASTERCLASS Saturday 13 August, 2pm

Level 2, Studio 1, The Opera Centre, 480 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills

Free to Foundation Members/Donors General Public: $10

Dame Joan Sutherland’s 90th Birthday Concert

A Celebration starring: Valda Wilson, Rachel Bate, Damian

Arnold, James Olds, Bronwyn Douglass, Imogen-Faith Malfitano,

Andrew Williams, Sarah Kemeny and more. With Bradley Gilchrist

Sunday 6 November, 3pm

Independent Theatre, Miller Street, North Sydney

Tix: 02 9817 4919 $20 - $45

Join us on Facebook

Videos of the finals are on YouTube

P.O. Box 880, Leichhardt NSW 2040

(02) 9817 4919 | 040 202 4118

enquiries@jsrbfoundation.com

ticketing@jsrbfoundation.com

generalmanager@jsrbfoundation.com

www.jsrbfoundation

Joan Sutherland’s 89th birthday “Love Live Forever” Concert

The 90th Birthday Book Project

To commemorate Dame Joan Sutherland’s 90th birthday year, the Foundation will be

printing a 52 page limited edition 90th Birthday Anniversary Tribute book filled with

testimonials from past scholarship winners from the Society and Foundation. We felt it

important in this 90th year to reproduce in print

the thoughts of some of our winners, including

production photos of their achievements, to

create a photographic archive. The result is a

colourful historical record containing over fifty singers’ quotes, hundreds of photos, including over

fifty photos of Dame Joan in many of her roles, biographies, a timeline, full list of scholarship

winners, event photos, important letters and even Dame Joan’s Christmas Pudding Recipe. The

soft covered A4 book will have a limited print run but will be available to anyone interested in

purchasing it for $20 at the November concert. RESERVE YOUR COPY TODAY!

BOOK OFFER

This stunning coffee table book is available through the Foundation at the special price of just $35 plus P&H. Order yours today by contacting us on; (02) 9817 4919/4861 2440.

In Memoriam

For those who may not have heard, Foundation

supporters Mavis Johnston, David Palmer (below

right), Robine Wilson, Rosemary Samuelson,

Michael Tesoriero (below far right) and former

Society Secretary Margaret “Peg” Taylor (right)

are no longer with us. The

world was shocked to hear

of the passing of counter

tenor Brian Asawa (49) who

sang Tolomeo in OA’s Julius

Ceasar. Australian greats,

soprano Elsie Morison AM

died on 5 April at the age

of 91, legendary baritone

Ronald Maconaghie AM (left)

passed away in May and

British Wagnerian tenor

Alberto Remedios in June.

Mezzo, Sarah Kemeny working with

Bernadette Cullen in the April Masterclass

DIVA ACCOMMODATION AND HELP REQUIRED! Our visiting divas for this year’s competition are in need of a home. Host families will need to feed, house and chauffeur their diva

around for the week. Each host will be given complimentary tickets to the Preliminary and Final + VIP party and a programme.

If you can give a diva a home or would be interested in joining our committee, please call Fiona Janes on 040 202 4118.

Mr & Mrs S Chisholm

Mr D Honan and Manildra Group

Ms H Johnstone

Mr A Gill

Dr A Byrne

Mr D Honan

Mrs D Woodhill

Dr M Foxon

Mrs M Binder

Mr & Mrs M Donnelly

Ms J Graeme

Ms L Crough

Mrs I Luke

Mrs M Parkinson

Ms J Everingham

Ms K Jaworski

Dr P Dunstone

Mrs S Bowring

Ms T Zanoni

Ms O Meredith

Ms P McSween

Ms L Olsson

Mrs J Binns

Anonymous (4)

Top Right: Valda Wilson in Germany

as Romilda in Xerxes . Photo of Dame

Joan from Margaret Taylor’s archives.

Walker Corporation P/L

Mr H Mitchell AC

Lady Potter AC

Ballarat Enterprises Pty Ltd

F Allen and I Narev in honour of

Gertrude Narev

Winning Group

Michael & Shanny Crouch

Mr J Hemmes & Merivale

Mindaroo Foundation

Universal Music Aust.

The Dick & Pip Smith Foundation

Fitzpatricks Financial Group Fdtn

Mr & Mrs D Kinnon

Mr & Mrs H Jackman

Mr M Cassel

Mr & Mrs D Leckie

Ms E Corbett & Mr M Finlay

Mr M Hawker AM

Mr J Condello

Mrs J McDougall

Ms E Bradhurst

Ms E Kinnon

Ms J Lonie

Mrs K Cullen

Sydney Savage Club

The Art is in the Giving! 2016 Donors to date