AMY ELIZA CASTLES
(MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, 25 JULY 1880 – FITZROY, VICTORIA, 19 NOVEMBER
1951)
Her father and mother were both talented amateur singers. All seven of
the family’s children, who moved to Bendigo in the mid-1880s, became well-known
singers in Australia, particularly the three daughters: Amy, Eileen
(1886–1970), and Dolly Castles (1884–1971). Amy, the best known of them,
initially studied with Allen Bindley in Melbourne. She gave her first concert
there in 1899 but then went to Paris for further training. There she studied
briefly with the famous Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone but left this teacher
because Marchesi wished to train her voice as a contralto. Amy instead became a
pupil of Jacques Bouhy in Paris.
In 1901, she gave a concert in London under the patronage of the
Prince and Princess of Wales. In 1902, she returned to Australia, where she
gave 40 concerts as part of a tour arranged by the impresario J.C. Williamson.
From 1904 to 1909, she achieved no less brilliant success in Europe, performing
in concert halls in England and Germany, but above all in Holland, where she
sang in several court concerts before Queen Wilhelmina.
In 1908, the great tenor Enrico Caruso heard her perform at the
Kursaal in Ostend and was so enthusiastic that he hosted a reception for the
young artist. In Germany, she appeared in Munich, Cologne, Dortmund, Dresden,
Frankfurt am Main, Mannheim, Mainz, and Leipzig. From 1909 to 1910, she
undertook another major concert tour of her native Australia. During this time,
she was engaged by the Williamson Opera Company and appeared with the company
for a season in Australia, where she was celebrated as Mimi in La Bohème, Nedda in Pagliacci, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, but above all
as Butterfly. (After a performance in this role, the Australian Prime Minister
presented her with a diamond-studded butterfly.)
In 1911, she gave twenty concerts in New Zealand, then came to London,
and in 1912 was engaged by the Vienna Court Opera with a six-year contract. At
the outbreak of the First World War, however, she left Vienna and returned to
Australia. After completing another concert tour there, she traveled to the USA
in 1916 and gave a very successful concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1917.
In 1919, she returned to Australia to take part in a tour with the
Slapoffski Opera Company in 1920. She subsequently appeared there as a concert
soloist, returned to the USA one last time in 1930, and then remained in
Australia, where she gave her final performances in 1941.
She died after a long illness.
Her recordings were issued by G&T as early as 1906–1908, including
a brilliantly performed aria “Bel raggio lusinghier” from Semiramide by Rossini, Gilda’s aria
from Rigoletto, and songs that
could be classified as sophisticated entertainment music. Four Lyrophone
recordings were made in the USA in 1917, and Columbia records were produced in
Australia in 1926. Electronic recordings of her voice are said to have been
made in Australia around 1930.
TRACKLIST
By the
Waters of Minnetonka (Lieurance) 0575 WR142 Columbia, Australia 1926-11-18
Four-leafed
clover (Willeby) (piano Willeby) 03160 3186f Gramophone, London 1909-06-28
Jocelyn
(Godard) Angels guard thee 3740 10019b G&T, London 1907-02-14
My little
Violet (Willeby) 03160 3186f Gramophone, London 1909-06-28
Puritani
(Bellini) Qui la voce 2-053008 3173f Gramophone, London 1909-06-25
Rigoletto
(Verdi) Caro nome 3674 9011b G&T, London 1906-09-18
Semiramide
(Rossini) Bel raggio lusinghier 2-053006 3174f Gramophone, London 1909-06-25
Serenade
(Gounod) 3654 8579b G&T, London 1906-07-27
The Angel's
Serenade (Braga) 3670 9007b G&T, London 1906-09-18
The Perfect
Way (Willeby) (piano Willeby) 03158 3177f Gramophone, London 1909-06-25
The Rosary
(Nevin) 0575 WR182 Columbia, Australia 1926-12-02
To the
Angels (Zardo) 03068 702c G&T, London 1906-07-18
Vêpres
Siciliennes (Verdi) Mercè dilette amici 2-053007 3176f Gramophone, London
1909-06-25
Winds in the
Trees (Goring Thomas) 3667 9009b G&T, London 1906-09-18
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