Cara O’Sullivan (1962-2021)

Pas nu verneem ik dat de Ierse sopraan Cara O’Sullivan (foto YouTube) is overleden op 26 januari 2021 in het Marymount University Hospital & Hospice in haar geboorteplaats Cork.

Ze zong Ach ich liebte uit die Entführung in the Cardiff Singer of the World 1993 (Mozart bekleedt de top drie van de keuzes of all time, maar dan wel met Don Giovanni, de Nozze en Cosi). Daarna volgde De schouwveger, een lied van Verdi (Verdi is trouwens vier en vijf, maar dan wel met Don Carlo en La Traviata) en een aria uit Lucia di Lammermoor (zij wist dat ‘La Stupenda’ in de jury zat). Conclusie: zij speelt duidelijk op zeker; en dat op die leeftijd; ook de andere deelnemers gaan meestal trouwens tegen de dertig aan, dat lijkt een constante te zijn. Binnenkort zingt ze ergens de koningin van de nacht. Métier heeft ze wel, maar ik vind dat in wedstrijden er meer aandacht moet zijn voor jongeren of anders dat men toch wat meer risico moet durven nemen.

O’Sullivan grew up in The Lough, Cork. Both of her parents and her grandparents on both sides were singers, though not professionally. O’Sullivan’s family noted that her voice began to develop at the age of 12. She attended the Cork School of Music. In her 20s, O’Sullivan took a break from singing for 4 years, returning to music after the birth of her daughter.

O’Sullivan achieved her first major role in 1996 at the age of 34, as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Welsh National Opera. The world renowned Australian soprano Dame Joan Sutherland help O’Sullivan to prepare for the role. In 1997 and 1998, O’Sullivan starred as the Queen of the Night in the Opera North performances of The Magic Flute.

Shortly before O’Sullivan was to begin rehearsals in Wales, she was diagnosed with cancer. The stage 2 leg tumour was discovered by her beautician during a waxing session. O’Sullivan had previously dismissed the lump as cellulite. The diagnosis did not affect her performances, as she received initial radiotherapy treatment in Ireland and then in Wales, continuing to work throughout, performing 20 times in 14 weeks. On the other hand, she did suffer from insomnia.

O’Sullivan has had nodules removed from her vocal cords at the private Blackheath Hospital, London. After the operation, she recuperated at Glenstal Abbey, where she had to be completely silent for one week. In 2018, O’Sullivan was diagnosed with early-onset dementia which led to her retirement from professional singing. Celebratory concerts were organised in her honour in Cork and Dublin. ^[Wikipedia]