Melba Recordings

We join with The Joan Sutherland Society, Opera Australia, artists and music lovers everywhere in celebrating Richard’s 80th birthday and recognising the huge contribution he has made to the world of opera and the outstanding role he has played in championing opera as a serious art-form in Australia over the last 35 years. At Richard Bonynge’s 80th birthday concert recently celebrated at the Sydney City Recital Hall, Angel Place under the auspices of the Joan Sutherland Society, a staggering array of performers represented a huge chunk of opera history in Australia, from bright eyed emerging stars to the great Diva's of the Australian operatic stage.They performed before an audience which mixed a who’s who of our foremost dignitaries passionate about the arts, a roster of great singers now retired form the opera stage and many music lovers who were thrilled to join the celebration of the career of this iconic Australian maestro. Just finished is the Sydney season of Opera Australia’s La Sonnambula which offered Australian audiences sublime examples of the bel-canto opera style and showed the virtuosity and artistry our singers are capable of delivering under the guiding hand of such a master.

Follow the link to a transcript of Moffat Oxenbould’s speech given on the occasion of Richard’s final performance of Bellini’s La Sonnambula at the Sydney Opera House, an opera reprised from the famous Sutherland Williamson opera tour of 1965.

As the former Artistic Director of Opera Australia, Moffat is in a uniquely authoritative position to give a context to the huge contribution Richard Bonynge has made in the development of opera in Australia.

MR3000: Massenet: His Life and Music (DVD) (Narrator)
MR301085: Puccini: Passion
MR301087: La somnambule
MR301104: Believe in Love
MR301106: Massenet - Amoureuse: Sacred and Profane Arias
MR301109: The Power of Love: British Opera Arias  
MR301118: Cherry Ripe