In Memoriam: Joan Sutherland

By UMS

Mrs. James Stewart, Pianist Richard Bonynge, Joan Sutherland, Helen Hayes and UMS President Gail Rector backstage at Hill Auditorium at her January 30, 1970 recital.

This week, we were sad to hear the news of soprano Joan Sutherland’s passing on Sunday.

Ms. Sutherland appeared at UMS three times throughout her career. She opened the 1964 May Festival as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Ormandy, performing arias from La Traviata and Lucia di Lammermoor, and returned twice for recital appearances in January 1970 and October 1979.

Were you at any of her UMS performances, or did you enjoy performances by her in other cities? Feel free to share your memories here.