The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland: A Prima Donna's Progress

I must agree with the general tone of the reviews already here and say that this is not exactly a page-turner. However, if you want insight into the day-to-day dealings of one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century, you'll certainly get it. Much of it reads like a laundry list from a diary: "then we went to New York and I had a dress fitting, two rehearsals, and a photo shoot, new production of Lucia is rather modern for my taste but we shall cope. This time I'm singing with Mr. X, Y, and Z, all of whom are very lovely on the stage and off. Dinner with Regina Resnik who always makes us laugh!"But despite this overload of information, you do get to see some candid opinions of fellow singers, memorable moments, and such. You also find out that Franco Corelli was supposed to be the Arturo on her first recording of I Puritani, but he was experiencing vocal difficulties and had to withdraw, and that while it took a lot for Sutherland to lose her cool, it was possible for it to happen, albeit rarely. Putting it in perspective, it also contains copious details of a career that spanned almost forty years on the stage. In the back, it also has a comprehensive list of all the productions in which Sutherland sang with conductors and cast lists.

Gifted this to my niece, a soprano, at the New England Conservatory. She LOVED IT! It came in a hard bound sleeve for protection. It was a hit.

In Joan's own words. You can actually hear her speaking. Must have kept adaily diary. So many infinite details about people, places, things, and of course,opera!

For a mouth-watering, page-turning, white-knuckle, at the edge-of-your-seat roller-coaster ride alla Elizabeth Taylor, this is not it. This is Joan Sutherland and as such, in and of itself I would bestow nothing less that five stars.So the major part of this biography reads as a "Who's Who in Opera," a libretto of history without histrionics, an engagement book of touring and flight schedules, and a delightful discography. Sutherland did not have an emotionally charged temperament nor a lifestyle that would have been the product of such; otherwise she would not have lasted as long as she did in every part of the globe. She was a delightfully gifted, musically infused vessel of singing talent who, in the hands of husband and fellow countryman Richard Bonynge, developed into the greatest coloratura soprano of the 20th century (perhaps of all time, as we only know those of the past on the wings of legend). Besides, if she did write a "tell all" she would be waterboarded by Richard!"I am amazed," she says "at those who can remember their past in great detail. I just don't have that gift."She doesn't need any more gifts. She does remember quite a bit: her father dying in her mother's arms when she was six-years old, community support, school, friends, her mezzo-soprano mother who she imitated from the time she was age three. She remembers singing competitions, fourth place awards, first place, her journey from Australia to London, her conviction that her career at Covent Garden would be in the mezzo-soprano roles. She remembers her husband turning her away from the piano, not allowing her to see the keys as he extended her range on and upward. She remembers, almost in unworthy astonishment, a thirty-year career that took over their lives as one carried away by a tidal wave.I remember front row seats at the Seattle Opera House for my sixteenth birthday to hear her "Lakme." I remember standing spell-bound as she signed my program saying, "Don't try to do as I do dear. Take your time." And I remember singing next to her at the Boston Opera House twenty years later in "Anna Bolena."There is no doubt that the driving force behind this Prima Donna Assoluta was Richard Bonynge; but what a vehicle he drove! Irreplaceable. Inimitable. Immeasurable.

I agree with everything said so well in the previous review. Unfortunately for those of us who long for insight and instead are given a travel diary - often in verbatim transposition, I fear - a real thirst after finishing the book is not uncommon. I agree with Mr Bernabo that an editor in hiding cries out at times wishing to rescue us from another plane trip and another successful performance, but I must say Caballe's biography (seemingly often lauded) suffers a hardly less dismal fate than does Prima Donna's Progress in that regard, and claims not one but two biographers and who knows how many editors along the way. Perhaps Sutherland truly has no inclination to write about her art. However unwished for, such a thing is not outside the conceivable. It was once remarked that Sutherland would have preferred puttering in her garden to singing on the operatic stage for most of her life, and indeed a certain 'happy' aura surrounds her art that could indicate perhaps such might be the case.It matters not. Four stars for Sutherland in her own words, for richer or poorer. The wickedly original title, the cover photo perfect, and one is able, at least, to spend a few hours with an artist whose immaculate contribution will stand and conquer for all time. Let that be enough. Read it, you'll see.

Fairly well written, but somewhat disappointing. She has a wonderful sense of humor that didn't come through in the book.

Informative; opera for those who love it yet can't take all the elitism and confusing jargon. Sutherland tells about her amazing career in plain language, yet it is a very good read. I too would have liked to have read more about Sutherland off stage, but the info on her life that was included was interesting and gives some insight as to what life as a prima donna is like!

Who cares how fantastic she was in the theatre (and she was) this is a sad excuse for an autobiography. A date book jotted down for our pleasure. What fun!No feeling, no emotion, no humanity.Very different from what we witnessed on stage.Shame.

The book is fascinating to begin with but there is a bit too much detail about what she sang when and where rather than on how she felt and improved which would have been more interesting.

This book is based on Miss Sutherlands diaries and is little more than a catalogueof where she went in the world, what she sang and with whom. Moreover, thelifting of copy from the newspapers and inclusion of what the critics said about her(there are very few bad things said) is both infuriating and counter-productive asafter a few chapters the reader tends to skip these infills. I plodded on hoping fora titbit of personal interest but there are few.

Durch dieses Buch werde ich noch neugieriger auf Aufnahmen mit Joan Sutherland. Sie beschreibt Ihr Künstlerleben sehr nüchtern und klar. Bei der Beurteilung ihrer Stimme stützt sie sich auf die unzähligen Kritiken. Wenn sie kommentiert, so tut sie dies sehr abwägend. Ihre persönlichen Gefühle bezieht sie nicht mit ein. Das macht sie sehr sympathisch. Sie beschreibt sehr sachlich ohne Übertreibungen. Sie wird ihrem Ruf gerecht. Menschlich kommt sie durch ihr Buch näher.