Glenda Raymond
Glenda Raymond (26 October 1922 – 2003) was an Australian soprano with a long career on radio and on stage in Melbourne, closely associated with conductor Hector Crawford, whom she later married.
[2] After leaving school the diminutive Raymond (then named Glenda Ryan) was employed as a bank clerk (shorthand typist?
No expense was spared in making this 50-episode series — Raymond sang every note in Melba's repertoire with a full symphony orchestra in the original key.
[9] Her reputation grew with a series of radio concerts Opera for the People,[a] appearing in its premiere, La Bohème in 1946,[10] followed by many others.
In 1948, accompanied by bass-baritone David Allen and piano accompanist Eunice Garland,[b] she embarked on a fundraising tour to take her to Italy for further training.
[13] Her expressed intention was to study in Milan, but no record of her travelling to Italy, or having contact with Lina Pagliughi has been found.
She made her first return concert at the Alfred Hall, Ballarat, on 3 September 1949, with Premier Hollway and his wife in the audience,[19] followed by a guest appearance at the Mobil Quest final, at which the winner was the baritone Ronal Jackson, and Joan Sutherland one of the semi-finalists.
[22] On 17 February she sang at a benefit in the Melbourne Town Hall for the young violinist Desmond Bradley, accompanied by Eunice Garland, in real life his mother.
[23] On 22 February she took part in a recreation, or rather celebration, of Melba's farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 25 June 1926.
[25] She appeared in the second revival of Boughton's The Immortal Hour, conducted by the composer rather than the previously-advertised Sir Adrian Boult.
Of the four principals of bass, baritone, tenor and soprano, three were Australians — Arnold Matters, Douglas Parnell, and Glenda Raymond.
Raymond's later work for the Australian Broadcasting Commission was praised by the critic from the Sydney Morning Herald as just as attractive a singer, but more thoughtful than her earlier self.
ABC Records released an LP compilation of works by Raymond: ABC CLASSICS Australian Heritage Series 472 689 2 [73.46] Australian Symphony Orchestra/Hector Crawford The varied and interesting programme on this disc includes arias and duets etc sung in English and the original language.
The smudged roulades and runs in the Hamlet aria quickly improved after Raymond's lessons, particularly with Lina Pagliughi in Italy and Dino Borgioli in London.
John Lanigan, an Australian tenor who made a considerable career at Covent Garden, particularly in 'character' roles, is an agreeable partner vocally as is Geoffrey Chard, another name that will be recognised in the UK.
