Maestro and Muse: Bonynge at 90
The extraordinary partnership between Richard Bonynge and Dame Joan Sutherland, his wife of 56 years, hardly needs revisiting. With her incomparable voice, Dame Joan tended to be its public face. However, as the Australian maestro turns 90, Jan Bowen argues that it’s high time his unmatched contribution to the musical world is recognised in its own right.
When I asked Richard Bonynge if I could interview him for this profile, he agreed readily, with one qualification – “I don’t want to talk about music”. Since his whole life is about...
As a primary school child, I fell in love with the classical female voice. After the ABC Singing program opera would often be played. The other kids would groan, but I would dread the time the teacher would turn the radio off. We lived in the far north of South Australia. Sutherland was one of my very first favourites, because the highest notes were never so full and free: exhilarating. I read a biography by Russell Braddon. The idea of changing fashions in music fascinated me and I was very fond of the bel canto repertoire. These days Handel’s operas are a particular passion and, until reading this article, I hadn’t realised Bonynge played an important part in the revival of this wonderful repertoire.