Soprano Jean Edwards calls it a day at 90-years-young.
Jean Edwards, soprano; Meredith Hall, soprano; Penelope Cookson, mezzo; Maria Soulis, mezzo; Nataliya Lepeshkina, piano; Peggy Mahon, narrator; Jane Blackstone, piano; Diego Catalá, baritone; Bram Goldhammer, piano. Heliconian Hall. Sunday 3 p.m. Apr 2, 2017.
As music lovers, we attend concerts for many reasons. We go to hear favourite works brought to life in a concert hall. We go to experience the magic of artists in their prime, or to check out that new voice that’s creating a buzz in the music world. And every so often, we go to honour a beloved artist who’s saying farewell to the stage after a long career. In the case of Canadian soprano Jean Edwards, it’s been 70 years since her debut — yes, the big Seven-O! She made her professional operatic debut as Gretel in Hansel und Gretel in 1947. How’s that for longevity, folks?
A native of Calgary, Jean Edwards moved to Toronto to study music and stayed. She has the distinction of being one of the two Susanna’s at the very first production of The Marriage of Figaro by the then young Canadian Opera Company in 1951, under her maiden name Jean Patterson. Shortly after, she decided that having a family was more important than a career. She retired to raise five boys. After a hiatus, Edwards returned to singing, with the Festival Singers and the Toronto Consort, touring Europe, USA, and Canada.
Jean jokingly calls herself the “Granny Soubrette” as even at such a grand age, her light lyric soprano has not substantially changed, maintaining its purity and girlish timbre. For those familiar with the Toronto classical music community, Jean Edwards is known as an ardent supporter of the arts. Famous for her generosity of spirit and love of life, Jean is also one of the nicest ladies you’ll ever meet, onstage or off. You can find out more about her here.
Having turned 90, Edwards feels it’s a good time to say farewell to the stage. As a final gesture of support, she and her collaborative pianist, the well-known Bram Goldhammer of the Royal Conservatory of Music, put on a fund-raising concert at the Heliconian Hall last Sunday. All proceeds went to the support of the Heliconian Foundation, which was established by Jean’s late lawyer/husband, Stanley Edwards.
Billed as A Spring Concert, it was also unofficially A Fond Farewell, with several of her colleagues joining her on stage, and many more in the audience. I had a chat with famous Canadian soprano/voice teacher Mary Morrison in the audience. Incredibly, Morrison was the Contessa to Edwards’ Susanna in that first COC Marriage of Figaro 66 years earlier! Since the Letter Duet from Act Two Nozze was on the program, I teased Mary why she wasn’t on stage to sing it with Jean on this occasion. She responded laughingly: “Oh no! It takes guts to go up there and sing!”
The venue of Heliconian Hall on a Sunday afternoon gave the event the ambience of a musical soirée of a bygone era. Since this was an occasion for nostalgia and remembrance, it was perfect. Edwards began with “A Heart that is Free,” a frothy little number by American operetta composer Alfred G. Robyn (1860-1935). Her staccati and coloratura runs showed that at 90, she could still do it. This was followed by Purcell’s “Sound the Trumpet” a duet with soprano Meredith Hall and mezzo Maria Soulis. Hall then sang two Mendelssohn songs, “Die Liebende Schreibt” and “Neue Liebe.” A baroque/early music specialist, Hall sang these two pieces with lovely pure tone.
Penny Cookson, better known these days as a stage director, sang a Canadian folk song (the name of which escapes me) with a nice natural voice ideal in this repertoire. Later, she affectingly sang the well-known “Plaisir d’amour” by Martini, set to text by Colette. I was particularly intrigued by Edwards singing Gretel (her debut role) in the Prayer from Hansel und Gretel with mezzo Maria Soulis, the two voices blending nicely. Baritone Diego Catalá, the only male singer and likely the youngest of all performers here, sang “Largo al factotum” with rich tone, great high notes, and plenty of swagger.
After a short intermission, Edwards sang “Over the Rainbow” and the Johann Strauss operetta aria made famous by Richard Tauber “One Day When We were Young.” These pieces really underscored the nostalgia of the occasion. Maria Soulis contributed two spirituals, with her low mezzo making its mark particularly in “Deep River.” For a change of pace, Russian pianist Nataliya Lepeshkina offered a truly hilarious comedy skit, followed by a dazzling rendition of “Flight of the Bumble Bee.” Diego Catalá concluded with a brilliant Granada.
Through it all, pianist Bram Goldhammer not only played marvelously, he also served as MC and spoke eloquently about Jean and her contribution to musical life of our community. He introduced the last item on the program — “a surprise!” — which turned out to be Jean singing the piece made famous by the British comedienne Beatrice Lillie, “There are Fairies at the Bottom of Our Garden.” It was a charming routine to begin with, made even more hilarious with Jean dressed up as a ballerina complete with tutu, her impish qualities in glorious display. Fittingly she brought the house down.
It was a delightful end to a long career. It’s said that you don’t need Carnegie Hall or the Met to touch hearts, and Jean proves that every time she performs, with her personal charm, pretty soubrette timbre, surefire musicality, and endearing stage persona. I counted at least two other women in the ‘90s club, former singers, in the audience cheering Jean on. For those in the audience who were younger? Probably half of us were hoping that if we ever reach the grand age of 90, we would still have the zest for life to do what Jean did this afternoon.
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