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13-Oct-10 2:00 PM EST

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In Memoriam - Dame Joan Sutherland

In Memoriam
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland
(7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010)

In 1998, the American Australian Association established the Dame Joan Sutherland Fund for Australian and American aspiring artists. It was launched at the time of the release of Dame Joan's book in New York A Prima Donna's Progress.

This week, people around the world mourn the death of Dame Joan Sutherland. Dame Sutherland was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s. She died at her home in near Montreux in Switzerland. She was 83.

One of the most remarkable female opera singers of the 20th century, she was dubbed La Stupenda by a La Fenice audience in 1960 after a performance of the title role in Handel's Alcina. She possessed a voice of beauty and power, combining extraordinary agility, accurate intonation, pinpoint staccatos a splendid trill and a tremendous upper register, although music critics often complained about the imprecision of her diction. Her friend Luciano Pavarotti once called Sutherland the "Voice of the Century", while Montserrat Caballé described the Australian's voice as being like "heaven".

In the Queen's Birthday Honors of 9 June 1975, she was in the first group of people to be named Companions of the Order of Australia (AC). She was elevated within the Order of the British Empire from Commander to Dame Commander (DBE) in the New Year's Honors of 1979.

Since launching the Dame Joan Sutherland Fund, American Australian Association has given numerous grants to Australian and American artists ranging in the fields of visual arts, acting, performance and composing. Grants are given for a wide number of reasons such as assistance with tuition, classes, and competition fees. All funding for the Dame Joan Sutherland Fund is raised privately from members of the Association and there are no government monies involved.

If you would like to honor Dame Joan Sutherland and donate to the Fund please contact the Director of Social and Cultural Programs on 212 338 6860 ex202. Monies given to the Fund are tax deductable.

For more information about the Association’s Dame Joan Sutherland Fund please visit our website at http://www.americanaustralian.org/djsf/

For further information about Dame Joan Sutherland and her amazing life and career please visit the two links below…
New York Times

The Sydney Morning Herald

Information taken from wikipedia.com and image from smh.com.au

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