A British Carmen has died, at 84
mainJoyce Blackham sang her signature role opposite Placide Domingo at the 1977 Edinburgh Festival.
A regular at English and Welsh National Operas, she married the baritone Peter Glossop in 1955, divorced him in 1977 and married twice again, then returned to Glossop in his final years (he died in 2008).
Joyce died on June 4.
Sad to hear this news. I remember seeing her in the 70’s but not quite sure that she was involved in the 1977 Edinburgh Festival performances. Our Carmen was Teresa Berganza.
Peter Glossop wrote very warmly about her in his book. She was kind to him when his health declined, and moved together with her husband to live in the same village in the south of England.
Tano Rea is correct. The story is inaccurate for Ms. Blackham never appeared in those Edinburgh Festival performances with Domingo and Abbado. Teresa Berganza sang the role at all the performances.
She did sing Carmen in Scotland but it was with Sadlers Wells in 1963 and 1964.
Tano Rea is correct. The story above in inaccurate, Ms Blackham did not appear in those Edinburgh Festival performances with Domingo and Abbado. Teresa Berganza was the Carmen for all the performances.
Ms. Blackham did appear as Carmen in Scotland but it was with Sadlers Wells in 1963 and 1964.
She was the first Carmen I ever saw (as a teenager at Welsh National Opera in 1963). Her combination of physical alure, sultryness and smouldering sexuality alied to a fine mezzo voice left left me in a state of high excitement (what W.S.Gilbert would have called ‘a touch of spleen and vapours’) for days afterwards. Unforgettable.
The comments on the EIF are correct. Berganza sang all the Carmens – both years. Blackham sang the role with Domingo at the start of her career at the New York City Opera.
Berganza was the Carmen. We might still have Domingo’s contract and the program somewhere…
How lovely to have access to this Verdi Requiem with the wonderful Ken Collins! A lovely man and a proper Italianate tenor who, had he been half a foot taller, would have had the world at his feet.
You can hear the Ingemisco from 31:52…
Oh, I am terribly sorry to hear this news. She was gorgeous in every way. A mezzo-soprano with a very sexy lower range, and a wicked sense of humour too, by all accounts. Her Carmen was one of the best in an English version, and she was brilliant as Offenbach’s Hélène.
“Should I be in hysterics over a particular error? No, because as soon as somebody notifies me of an error, I correct it. It’s gone.”
https://van-us.atavist.com/the-human-comedy
I knew Joyce from the age of 13 when I was taken from school to Sadlers Wells to see Carmen.I wrote to her afterwards congratulating her on her performance and asked her for a photo.I met her and over the.next twenty or so years we became very good friends.Both her and Peter came to.my wedding.i will miss her grately she was very kind to me.