Australian Nightingale

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 800, 19 November 1954, Page 23

Australian Nightingale

AUSTRALIAN nightingales, rare as the ones in Berkeley Square, are more likely to be found there in human form. A very special place among the kangaroo-country’s songsters belongs to Glenda Raymond, the young soprano whom New Zealanders already know from her radio series Glenda. Recently Glenda recorded\another series of these programmes, accompanied by the Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hector Crawford, her husband. Naturally their co-operation is a success

and, with the support of the Westminster singers who sing choruses of yesterday and today, Glenda makes its claim to be considered Radio’s Loveliest Programme a really strong one. Ten years ago Glenda Raymond was "discovered" in Melbourne and auditions brought her the leading singing role in Melba, a radio biography of the celebrated diva. Then followed important roles in the Opera for the People series. Tens of thousands flocked to hear her in the famous open-air Sunday afternoon "Music for the People" concerts in Melbourne’s beautiful Botanic Gardens. In 1949, Glenda went to London and tapidly became a shooting star in the concert and operatic world. Her lyric soprano suited perfectly the role of Etain for a revival of Rutland Boughton’s The Immortal Hour, and the British Press unanimously hailed her as a new find. She was engaged as soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Albert Hall, then for a succession of weekly BBC concerts and Television shows. However, Glenda has always felt herself to be first and foremost an Australian, and this new series of programmes was recorded on a visit home between two London seasons. Glenda will be heard from ZB stations and 2ZA on Sundays at 9.0 p.m., beginning November 28.