Anna Russell

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Anna Russell (born December 27, 1911 in London (England, according to some sources London (Ontario) ), † October 18, 2006 in Batemans Bay , Australia ; full name Anna Claudia Russell-Brown ) was an English singer and comedian / parodist .

Anna Russell, who became famous for her opera parodies, began her career as a serious musician: after studying for four years at the Royal College of Music in London (piano, voice, cello, composition), she appeared as a singer with smaller opera companies and on the radio, initially in Great Britain . After the death of their father, the family moved to Canada in 1939, where Russell began in the early 1940s, realizing that her voice wasn't enough to parody for a serious career. In 1942 she had her first full-length appearance in Toronto, the breakthrough was an appearance at a Christmas concert in 1944.

In 1947 she performed for the first time in the United States , and in 1948 in New York at Carnegie Hall with her first solo program, with which she traveled all over the English-speaking world. Her first solo album, Anna Russell Sings? was released in 1952 and stayed in the top ten list of best-selling records for 48 weeks.

Over the next twenty years Russell toured the world on various programs, appeared on television and radio, and released some of her programs in book form and various records.

Her trademarks were particularly extravagant hats and dresses, elegant, very British humor with a lot of self-irony (“My voice was repeatedly compared to breaking glass or the sound of a broken bell”) and an intimate knowledge of and affection for those she parodied Works and genres. In addition, she played several instruments ( piano , horn , bagpipes ) during her performances .

Her "introduction" to Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen ("The scene opens in the river Rhine .... IN it !!!") and her instructions for composing your own Gilbert and Sullivan operetta are particularly well known. She sang all roles.

In addition, she appeared - quite seriously - as a witch in Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel at the New York City Opera , in San Francisco and in a film, produced and acted in plays.

In the late 1960s, Russell largely retired and moved to Unionville Ontario , where she lived on a street named after her. In the 70s she gave a few "farewell performances" (and parodied opera divas who in this way pushed out their already declared farewell) and appeared in a supporting role in Donizetti's La fille du régiment .

In 1985 she published her autobiography , I'm not making this up, you know! (a quote from her ring parody). The singer spent her last years in Australia, where she had moved with her adopted daughter Deirdre Prussak.

literature

  • I'm Not Making This Up, You Know. The autobiography of the queen of musical parody . Continuum Books, New York 1985, ISBN 0-8264-0364-6 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Russell, Anna
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Russell-Brown, Anna Claudia (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English singer and comedian / parodist
DATE OF BIRTH December 27, 1911
PLACE OF BIRTH London (England, according to some sources London, Ontario)
DATE OF DEATH October 18, 2006
Place of death Batemans Bay , Australia