Elizabeth Fretwell

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Elizabeth Drina Fretwell O.B.E. (13 August 1920 - 5 June 2006) was an Australian soprano. She was the prima donna at London's Sadler's Wells Opera (English National Opera) through much of the 1950s and 1960s.

[edit] Early life and career

Born in Murrumbeena, a suburb of Melbourne, as a child she had hoped to become a ballerina. However, she grew too big for this profession. She focussed instead on singing, taking vocal studies in Melbourne. In order to gain greater skill she moved to London to study under the tenor Joseph Hislop who had also coached Jussi Björling and Birgit Nilsson.

After returning to Australia she quickly started to make a name for herself, taking soprano roles in opera's by Mozart and Puccini amongst others. It was whilst on a Australian National tour of Tosca that she had an extramarital affair with Robert Simmons (they were later to marry). This caused a scandal in 1950s Australia so she and Simmons headed for the UK.

[edit] Sadler's Wells and later career

Once in Britain, Fretwell's first professional engagement was for Dublin's Grand Opera company, her performances there came to the attention of Sadler's Wells and in 1955 they engaged her services. Sadler's was where Fretwell's finest performances were given, she gained rave reviews. This was no small achievement given that at that time Maria Callas was dominant on the London opera stage. From the early-1960s to 1970 she went back and forth between Australia and the UK performing. In 1965 she gave her only performances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in Aida and Il Tabarro.

In 1970 Betty Fretwell returned permanently to Australia and during 1973 sang in the opening season of the Sydney Opera House. She remained a member of the Australian Opera (now Opera Australia) until her retirement.

She died in Sydney aged 85.