A Remarkable Early Kundry: Simon Trezise evaluates a celebration of a highly regarded English mezzo

Review of Michael Letchford, compiled and ed., Softly Awakes My Heart: Celebrating the Majestic Career of Louise Kirkby Lunn (Michael Letchford Artists).

November 2018, Volume 12, Number 3, 95–6.

Louise Kirkby Lunn was one of the greatest singers England has ever produced. She was born in Manchester in 1873 and had an extensive career in both England and America, appearing with most of the great singers of the time, including Emmy Destinn, Enrico Caruso, Antonio Scotti and Marcel Journet, who appeared with her in Aida. Given that this was a time when the engagement of English performers was regarded as an unlikely eventuality by most continental and American impresarios, her achievement is extraordinary. A significant part of her reputation is founded on her Wagner: she sang Kundry in the pioneering American tour of Parsifal of 1904–5, and was much in demand for her Fricka, Waltraute, Brangäne and Ortrud, especially at Covent Garden. She evidently had some clout and self-confidence, for she turned down a lucrative contract at the Met to pursue her career back home.