Death of a much-loved British mezzo

Death of a much-loved British mezzo

News

norman lebrecht

February 23, 2022

We have heard from her granddaughter Clare Anderson that the life of Josephine Veasey, a dominant British singer in the post-War era, has come to a quiet end.

Josephine, who died at a home in Whitchurch, was 91.

Raised in south London, she joined the Covent Garden chorus in 1949. Emerging as a notable Carmen, she was cast by Solti when he became music director in major Wagner roles. She recorded Fricka in a Salzburg Ring cycle with Karajan (whom she disliked) and was in global demand as Kundry in Parsifal. Colin Davis, Solti’s successor, drew her into Berlioz.

She closed her career at Covent Garden in 1982 and went on to become a generous teacher, known to her sutdents as ‘Josey’. They included Sally Burgess, Felicity Palmer and Alison Pearce.

Josey was one of the last of Britain’s post-War opera boomers. She never lost her Peckham accent.

May she rest in peace.

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