Local artist profile: Merlyn Quaife

THIS week we chat with world renowned soprano Merlyn Quaife AM.

Do you sometimes have to take a moment to wonder how you became a singer and performer of such great acclaim? 

I am forever grateful for the opportunities I had to develop my skill. I do occasionally take stock of what a wonderful career and life I have experienced and marvel at how I seemed to meet the right people at the right time.

For readers who don’t know you, can you please describe your background?

My Mum had a lovely singing voice which I fortunately inherited. Initially I was more interested in acting and thought some singing skills wouldn’t go astray. I started Classical singing lessons as a single subject at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music with Brian Hansford, alongside my arts degree. Very quickly I got totally hooked on singing, entered many competitions, started performing in concerts and eventually won a coveted German Government Scholarship and studied in Munich.

This then led on to a career of opera, concerts with Symphony Orchestras, song recitals, chamber music and quite a lot of new classical repertoire. As to how I developed my voice – great guidance by my teachers, lots of practice, patience and persistence.

Which performing artists inspire you? 

As a young singer I loved Joan Sutherland for her amazing vocal flexibility and Maria Callas for her dramatic intensity.

What are some particular highlights you have from your amazingly illustrious career? 

Doing world premieres of new works is always particularly exciting and having works written for me is pretty wonderful. I created the role of Betty Joy in Brett Dean’s opera BLISS, based on the novel by Peter Carey, for Opera Australia.

I also created the role of Medea in Gordon Kerry’s eponymous opera – there were chamber made performances in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Washington DC and then I repeated the role with the Berliner Kammeroper in Berlin and Dusseldorf.

As you can see, singing has taken me to many interesting places! One of my favourite memories is of singing in the horse show Lipizzaners with the Stars – I even got to ride and sing. Now that was a highlight!

How has your career been affected by COVID?

My performances kept disappearing – cancelled or postponed. It was awful, getting dates in the diary, preparing the music only to go into lockdown and lose the concerts and festival performances.

I am grateful though that I have a substantial career behind me – it is worse for the younger singers trying to get started.

What have you been working on lately?

I have been working on a lovely recital program with flute and guitar for a Melbourne performance which will have happened by the time this goes to print. I am also working on Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate which I am performing with the Bendigo Symphony in their Gala Concerts on 11 and 12 December in Ulumbarra. I’m really looking forward to that.

What would you say to encourage budding classical performers in Bendigo?

Music offers so much joy to both the performer and the listener. It requires great discipline but is so worth it! Get to as many concerts as you can, see and hear great performers to be inspired. Grab all the opportunities that might come your way! And practise, practise, practise!!!