Edna Graham

New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 719, 24 April 1953, Page 6

Edna Graham

lite DNA GRAHAM, shown at right as Micaela in Carmen, was chosen for the title role in Irmelin after being auditioned for another part at Beecham’s London home. The opera will be performed for the first time by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton ‘of Sir Thomas, at a music festival in Oxford early in May. At the time of her audition for Irmelin, Miss Graham was teaching in a nursery school by day and giving concerts at night. Since 1947 she has completed a four-year course at the Royal Academy of Music, and has toured the provinces and Scotland with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, singing such roles as Musetta in La Bohéme and the doll in Tales of Hoffman. At the end of the tour she was offered musical comedy roles, but accepted the nursery school post to enable her to remain in London ‘for auditions. The policy paid. In addition to the tole in Irmelin she has been engaged’ by the famed Glyndebourne Opera Company to sing the Naiad in eight performances of Ariadne. During Easter week she also gave her first solo recital for the BBC’s Home Service, singing songs by Richard Hageman and William Walton. She has been heard frequently in the BBC’s Overseas Service. Writing on "New Age Music" in John o’ London’s Weekly recently, Sidney Harris said of Miss Graham: "She is still en unknown quantity .. . but. Sir Thomas can be trusted to make a good choice."