Welcome to the Joan Sutherland Society website. The aim of this non-profit organisation for the past 34years has been to raise money to help assist our most talented young opera singers fulfil their given potential. This year we are particularly excited to be presenting the Australian premiere of Handel's great operatic masterpiece, RODELINDA at the City Recital Hall Angel Place in Sydney. The concert performance will be conducted by Richard Bonynge a feature an all Australian cast which has been handpicked by Richard Bonynge. As we move into a new phase we also hope to sponsor other projects like recordings of Australian works featuring Australian artists. One such venture is the planned first ever recording of  Peggy Glanville Hicks' opera "Sappho" due to be recorded in 2013 by the Australian conductor Jennifer Condon with Australian baritone Laurence Meikle and international greats, Deborah Polaski and Sir John Tomlinson as part of the international cast. 

We are delighted to also announce that all donations to our public fund, are now tax deductible with a full list of donors under our donation page. With time we hope to evolve, strengthen and grow, securing our place within the Arts community as a significant fund raising organisation. This evolutionary process will help us to focus our energies and revenue where it is most needed, for our most talented artists.

We hope you will join us on this exciting journey, encourage your friends to be involved and most of all, enjoy supporting our next generation of opera singers.

2012 APPLICATION FORM IS AVAILABLE HERE

ELIZABETH CONNELL 1946 - 2012

The South African dramatic soprano, Elizabeth (Liza) Connell passed away peacefully at her home in London on Saturday 18th February 2012. Liza was a founding member of the JS & RB Opera Foundation Board and a mighty supporter of our next generation of young singers and of the Society. In 2010 she gave a masterclass for the Society and was to adjudicate the BEL CANTO AWARD in 2012. With a career spanning over 40 years, she sang all the leading mezzo and soprano roles from Rossini to Wagner. Strauss, Verdi and Wagner being her greatest and most favoured repertoire. She was equally at home in recital and concert giving her final performance in Hastings, UK in November, 2011. Our thoughts go to her family and her many friends and admirers at this time. Here is the final song she sang in November 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl2jG65Bjco

SPONSOR THE 2012 JOAN SUTHERLAND & RICHARD BONYNGE BEL CANTO AWARD