Joan Sutherland, 1926–2010

The soprano who sparked a bel canto revival

Joan Sutherland made her opera debut in 1947 and retired from the stage in 1990; in between she earned the sobriquet “La Stupenda” in a singing career that was widely viewed as the greatest of the era.

Sutherland “was one of the few vocal artists who truly deserved being hailed as ‘the voice of the century,’” said the Baltimore Sun. With her husband and musical director, Richard Bonynge, she helped revive the Italian bel canto style, which emphasizes evenness throughout the vocal range and full articulation of every note, even during challenging, high-speed passages. Some critics “carped about her diction,” but “only the coldest heart could fail to be won over by the purity and joy of her art.”

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