Glyndebourne Debut In Principal Role

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30983, 12 February 1966, Page 2

Glyndebourne Debut In Principal Role

[From the London Correspondent of “The Press.”]

Janet Kenny, a young singer from Christchurch, has been cast in one of the principal roles for the production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” in the coming opera season at Glyndebourne.

Mrs Kenny will be only the third New Zealander to have sung a principal role at Glyndebourne; the other pair are Edna Graham and Jon Andrew. A number of New Zealanders have sung in the chorus.

Janet Kenny came to London from Christchurch in June, 1964. Her appearance at Glyndeboume will be her first professional experience as an opera singer—a debut in a manner which many established artists might covet. Opera singers with high reputations are often content to sing in the chorus at this famous English operatic festival, and there is always an unwritten law that such grooming is necessary before a singer can hope to gain a solo part. The 29-year-old Christchurch mezzo-soprano will sing the Alto Genie in “The Magic Flute.” Famous Teacher Since her arrival in London, Mrs Kenny studied with Miss Flora Nielsen—a teacher who sang with Chaliapin

in her time, toured with Elena Gerhardt, and was described by Gerald Moore as one of the greatest lieder singers in Europe. Miss Nielsen is at present recovering from a stroke which she recently suffered. Last year Mrs Kenny took the title role of “Carmen” in a semi-professional production by the Abbey Opera Group, sponsored by the Greater Landon Council. The opera was staged in full dress at the St. Bartholomew’s Hospital hall and was a “wonderful experience.” At the moment she is understudying the role of Dorabella for the Phoenix Opera Company’s presentation of “Cost Fan Tutte,” produced by Joan Cross and Colin Graham, which will make a tour of Britain.

In New Zealand Mrs Kenny has sung solo recitals in Wellington for the International Society of Contemporary Music, and in Christchurch at. the University of Canterbury, as well as singing with the John Ritchie String Orchestra and with the Royal Christchurch Musical Society. Her husband, Mr Nelson Kenny, formerly a subeditor and art critic with “The

Press,” is now employed at Reuters in Fleet street. Both Painters

Both Nelson and Janet are painters they graduated from the Canterbury University School of Art together. Some of Janet’s paintings have been bought for New Zealand collections (the Hocken Collection in Dunedin and the Christchurch Public Library collection, for instance). Nelson Kenny was one of the painters chosen to represent New Zealand at the last two Paris Biennales.

But at present Janet is concentrating on her singing studies and not painting at all.

“I don’t know how long I could stay here,” she says. “Sunshine is very important . . . I think I prefer the blue skies of Canterbury to the leaden skies of London . . .”