Welcome

Thank you for visiting www.la-stupenda.com. This website has been created to celebrate the career and artistry of one of the most exciting and phenomenal sopranos ever to have graced the stages of the world's opera houses. Referred to variously as“La Stupenda”,“The Voice of the Century”and the“High Priestess of Bel Canto”, the art of Dame Joan Sutherland was a rare and thrilling combination of unparalleled vocal virtuosity, power, technique and beauty of tone. Throughout her long and distinguished career, together with her husband, the conductor Richard Bonynge, she redefined the standards of bel canto to such an extent that she was not compared to singers of her own generation but to those legendary artists of the “Golden Age”such as Catalani, Pasta, Malibran and Lind. The distinctive Sutherland sound and awe-inspiring technique led to a vast commercial discography, almost exclusively on Decca and to an even larger collection of“unofficial”recordings, shared amongst the opera cognoscenti. This legacy will allow successive generations of opera goers who did not experience the Sutherland sound in the flesh to hear what made Dame Joan a 'Prima Donna Assoluta'.

I hope this website will be enjoyed by both old and new fans alike. Of particular interest will be the podcast page, where every fortnight a new programme will be uploaded celebrating a particular aspect of her career, such as“Joan Sutherland sings Baroque”or“Sutherland at the Metropolitan Opera”. Occasionally it will feature interview intermissions with loyal fans and other surprise guests. If you have a personal story or some photographs or private recordings to share, here is the place for you to do just that. Additionally, if you have any suggestions for improvements, additions, amendments, or just wish to discuss the site, please get in touch directly through the“contact me” page.

Although the website is my personal creation and any flaws my responsibility, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dame Norma Major, Sue Loder, John Milner and Michael Parker for their help, advice and encouragement. It has been a long time coming, but finally it is here. To everyone else, enjoy the magic of La Stupenda over and over again!

Best Wishes