Luciano Pavarotti and Dame Joan Sutherland singing a scene from Gaetano Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, 1987. | Luciano Pavarotti

Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti perform 'Brindisi' from Verdi's 'La Traviata'. The two opera greats are conducted by Richard Bonynge at the Sydney Opera House in 1983. | ABC Classic

On this day in 1926, Australia's greatest operatic voice, and the megastar our opera theatre got its name from, was born. What better way to celebrate the occasion than with this historic treat; Dame Joan Sutherland performing La Traviata on our stage with Luciano Pavarotti. 📽 Courtesy of ABC Classic | Sydney Opera House

Remembering The Maestro George Frederick Handel Opera Star Dame Joan Sutherland | Opera Stars

863 reactions · 70 shares | In 1990 Dame Joan Sutherland, one of the greatest opera singers of all time, bid farewell to the stage with a glorious performance of Meyerbeer’s tragic story, Les Huguenots alongside an all-star cast of Australian singers, and conducted by Richard Bonynge. ✨️ Stream the full performance now as part of our 50/50 digital season - available now: https://soh.online/stream-5050_joan-sutherland_oa_les-huguenots | Sydney Opera House | Facebook

In this clip, Dame Joan Sutherland speaks candidly about something she felt deeply: how many singers today lack the rudimentary skills needed to sing with beauty and without constriction. What she’s pointing to isn’t style or taste — it’s foundation. The ability to keep the voice free, coordinated, and unforced so the sound can actually bloom. When those basics are missing, singers often compensate with tension or effort instead of allowing the voice to do what it naturally wants to do. It’s a p